Wayfair cutting 3% of global workforce, exiting Germany

What’s going on at Wayfair?

Wayfair is eliminating approximately 730 jobs, or three per cent of its global workforce, as it exits the German market.

“In our recent assessment, we concluded that achieving market-leading growth in Germany remained a long and costly endeavour, and one that is increasingly lagging the potential return we see in other areas,” CEO Niraj Shah said in a staff memo that was shared with CNBC.

“To ensure we align our resources with initiatives that can deliver the greatest impact, we made the difficult, but necessary, decision to reallocate efforts to areas with strong long-term potential where our current efforts are showing great progress.”

About half of the affected employees will reportedly have the option to stay with the online furniture retailer, if they agree to relocate to London, Boston, or another location where the company has presence.

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Impact on Canadian staff

It remains unclear if Wayfair plans to trim its Canadian workforce as it scales back its staffing levels.

According to LinkedIn, the company employs more than 390 people in the country.

Next steps for Wayfair employees

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

Non-unionized employees in Canada are entitled to severance pay based on a variety of factors, including their role, tenure, age, and ability to find similar work.

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

The workforce reduction at Wayfair comes after many major employers scaled back their staffing levels in 2024.

Big names, including RBC, Cargill, Vale, Windsor University, Mohawk College, Sheridan College, Marriott, Rogers, General Motors, AMD, Visa, and Meta, pulled out the axe last year.

SEE ALSO
• Salesforce to cut jobs at ‘Own’ following $2-billion acquisition
• Amazon Layoffs: Nearly 14,000 managers could be axed to cut costs
• Where are layoffs happening in Canada?
• Pocket Employment Lawyer: Real-time insights on your rights

Lost your job? Contact us

If you’re fired or let go at Wayfair 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.