Hudson’s Bay cutting 250 corporate jobs, second mass layoff in months

After reducing its workforce by approximately two per cent in January, Hudson’s Bay is pulling out the axe once again.

According to news outlets, including CTV News, the retail giant is planning to eliminate another 250 corporate jobs — bringing the total to around 500.

Spokesperson Tiffany Bourre said the company is taking additional steps to “flatten the organization and streamline operations” as economic pressures in the retail industry continue to persist.

The layoffs this year haven’t affected retail workers at Hudson’s Bay’s 84 department stores across Canada.

According to LinkedIn, the flagship brand of the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) currently employs a national workforce of more than 1,500 people.

Major layoffs continue

The latest reduction at Hudson’s Bay comes amid a flurry of layoffs in 2023.

Several major North American companies, including LinkedIn, Shopify, Morgan Stanley, Meta, Amazon, and Accenture, are significantly scaling back their staffing levels as they continue to navigate challenging economic conditions.

SEE ALSO
• Lyft CEO slashing jobs as ride-sharing company struggles
• McDonald’s tells corporate staff to work remotely ahead of layoffs
• Layoffs in Canada

Termination agreements for Hudson’s Bay employees

In Canada, non-unionized employees and senior executives at Hudson’s Bay are owed full severance pay when they lose their jobs due to downsizing or corporate restructuring.

This includes individuals working full-time, part-time, or hourly in Ontario, Alberta, and B.C.

Severance can be as much as 24 months’ pay, depending on a number of factors.

LEARN MORE
• Severance packages in mass layoffs
• Rights to severance for provincially regulated employees
• Severance pay in a recession 

WATCH: Employment lawyer Lior Samfiru explains what rights employees have if they are being fired or let go on an episode of the Employment Law Show.

Before you accept any severance offer, have an experienced employment lawyer at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP review it and your employment contract.

We can tell you if what you have been provided is fair and how to get proper compensation if it falls short of what you are actually owed.

If you aren’t given the full amount, which happens often, you have been wrongfully dismissed and are entitled to compensation.