Salesforce slashing 1,000 jobs amid aggressive AI hiring spree

What’s going on at Salesforce?

Salesforce is reportedly slashing more than 1,000 jobs to kick off 2025.

The update comes after CEO Marc Benioff recently announced plans to hire as many as 2,000 people to sell the cloud software company’s Agentforce artificial intelligence (AI) platform.

“We’re adding another couple of thousand salespeople to help sell these products,” Benioff said at a corporate event in December.

“We already had 9,000 referrals for the 2,000 positions that we’ve opened up. It’s amazing.”

When asked by Bloomberg which divisions at Salesforce are affected by the workforce reduction, a spokesperson declined to provide details.

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Impact on Canadian staff

It remains unclear if any Canadian employees at Salesforce are affected by the latest round of job cuts.

According to LinkedIn, the company has more than 2,700 workers in the country.

Next steps for Salesforce employees

If you’re fired or let go at Salesforce, understanding your legal rights is crucial.

Non-unionized employees in Canada’s tech industry are entitled to severance pay. The amount you’re owed is based on a variety of factors, including your role, tenure, age, and ability to find similar work.

WATCH: Employment lawyer Lior Samfiru delves into severance pay on an episode of the Employment Law Show.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Compensation: Severance packages, which can be as much as 24 months’ pay, may include salary, bonuses, commissions, and other forms of compensation. Use our firm’s free Severance Pay Calculator to better understand your entitlements.
• Deadlines: You generally have up to two years from the date of your termination to review and negotiate severance offers.
• Action steps: Consult an employment lawyer at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP to ensure your severance package is fair and aligns with Canadian employment laws.

New year, more job cuts

Salesforce isn’t the only major employer starting 2025 by scaling back their staffing levels.

Big names, including Estée Lauder, Okta, Amazon, BP, Microsoft, Meta, Hudson’s Bay, and Wayfair, have also pulled out the axe.

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• Canada’s immigration department slashing workforce by 25%
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• Pocket Employment Lawyer: Real-time insights on your rights

Lost your job? Contact us

If you’re fired or let go at Salesforce for any reason, the experienced employment law team at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP can help.

Our lawyers in Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia have helped tens of thousands of non-unionized individuals resolve their workplace issues.

Call us today at 1-855-821-5900 or request a consultation online.

Disclaimer: The materials above are provided as general information about the rights of non-unionized employees in Canada. It is not specific to any one company and SHOULD NOT be read as suggesting any improper conduct on the part of any specific employer, or a relationship between Samfiru Tumarkin LLP and a specific employer.