Microsoft offered an engineer the option of voluntary resignation with a payout of about 1.1 million rupees

Following Microsoft's proposal of severance packages to its employees, active discussions have begun. The company offered around 60,000 employees the option to leave and receive a buyout package voluntarily. However, a post by software engineer Shub Jain on social media sparked a new wave of discussion.

He noted that while the offered severance amount might seem attractive at first glance, benefits such as insurance, severance pay, and stock options could be lost after leaving. Therefore, he provided recommendations on what to look out for during this period.

His advice is to obtain complete information about the offer in writing before deciding whether to accept or reject it.

Microsoft put forward a Voluntary Exit Offer (VEO) for approximately 60,000 eligible employees. This applies to selected teams in India, the USA, the UK, and Canada. Nevertheless, this does not mean that all 60,000 employees must resign; it is a voluntary offer, and the decision remains with the employee.

Software engineer Shub Jain advised employees to request full details of the severance package from Human Resources in writing. In his opinion, one should not rush to answer 'yes' or 'no' without studying all the terms. The employee should also assess how long the job search might take and how much the received sum can help them during this period.

Shub's first piece of advice was to demand the official terms of the exit offer from HR via email or document. No decisions should be made based solely on verbal explanations.

It is also important to clarify payments for severance pay and notice: the employee must find out how much they will receive upon leaving, how this amount will be calculated, and when the payment will occur.

It is necessary to check eligibility for severance pay (grachuti) if the employee is close to meeting all requirements. It should be clarified how the resignation date will affect this bonus.

One should inquire about payment for remaining vacation days. They need to ask HR whether these days will be paid and what the rules are regarding this.

It is important to understand the terms of stocks and ESOPs that the employee does not yet fully own, as these may be canceled or changed after departure. The fate of unvested shares needs to be clarified.

The duration of medical and life insurance provided by the company after leaving should be clarified.

One needs to find out their last working day and determine if changes can be made to it if necessary.

Furthermore, the deadline for accepting the offer should be documented in writing, and one should ask if negotiations regarding the package terms or other aspects are possible.

The amount stated in the severance package does not tell the whole story. After leaving, regular income may cease, and some benefits may disappear. Therefore, the employee should make a decision considering the compensation amount, vacation pay, severance pay, stocks, insurance, and the probability of finding a new job.

Microsoft has announced an offer to several employees in India and three other countries to leave their jobs voluntarily. According to available data, about 60,000 workers are eligible to participate in this buyout program. This announcement has caused significant concern among the company's staff.

One Indian software developer shared his experience after receiving such an offer. He stated that he received the corresponding email just three months after starting at Microsoft.

This employee posted his story on the social platform Reddit. The user with the nickname clock-maker365 published a post in the subreddit r/developersindia. In his message, he expressed strong concern, noting that he had joined Microsoft only three months ago and had very limited knowledge of the codebase. This initial post was subsequently deleted.

The developer received an email just a few hours ago setting a deadline for deciding his future—December 1st. The post mentioned that the email arrived approximately three hours before publication. Microsoft is offering 60 thousand employees the option of voluntary retirement. The essence of the offer is receiving monetary compensation upon concluding one's career at Microsoft on December 31st. The application deadline is set for December 1st.

The developer clarified in his post that this email was not sent to all company employees. He emphasized that although the offer is addressed to many, it was received only by selected individuals, and he is one of them. The developer stated that even if he declines the offer, Microsoft might fire him from the company. He speculated that receiving such an email means his name is on a reduction list, and the company will ensure his departure somehow.

Microsoft has not commented on the concerns regarding the start of a new round of layoffs. Nevertheless, earlier this year, the company had already offered some senior employees voluntary retirement, after which about 4,800 people were laid off.

The developer also expressed deep confusion, noting that despite working hard for the past three months, he is extremely worried about his future. He questioned why he worked so hard only to end up in this unstable situation in a large corporation's job market? He reached out to Reddit users for advice regarding his future, as he had no backup plan. He mentioned having three years of experience, no family business, and only six months of savings. He mentioned that he could do DSA but doubted the demand for this skill, considering it one of the least useful competencies. He asked what he should do.

Although the post itself was deleted from Reddit, the developer informed commenters about the size of the severance package offered to him. He was offered compensation equivalent to two or three months of base salary plus one week of base salary, as well as two weeks of base salary for six months of work. Another user noted that having Microsoft on one's resume would help the developer easily find a new job, arguing that whoever can work at Microsoft can succeed in any company. Another user stated that they joined the company a month ago and received the same offer, advising the correspondent to save money and prepare, as the market for those who work at MSFT is not that bad.

Microsoft, a major technology company, has offered a Voluntary Buyout Programme to its employees in four countries, including India. Under this initiative, eligible workers will have the option to leave the company with support from Microsoft.

According to news agency Reuters, this program could cover around 60 thousand employees, which is more than a quarter of the company's total global workforce. Microsoft has taken this step during a period of active investment growth in the field of artificial intelligence (AI).

The company aims to simultaneously control rising costs and adapt its staffing levels and organizational structure to changing market needs.

According to information from Microsoft, the voluntary buyout program will operate in India, the USA, the UK, and Canada. It will provide an opportunity for employees meeting certain criteria in teams at level 70 and below to leave the company. This program has a limited duration. The company announced that detailed information about this offer would be provided to the relevant employees within hours of the announcement.

A source familiar with the situation told Reuters that the program will extend to personnel in many divisions, such as AI Experience, Copilot, Finance, Human Resources, Xbox, and Windows + Devices. However, marketing, commercial business, and security teams are excluded from this program.

In a memo sent to employees, Microsoft's Head of Human Resources, Amy Coleman, explained the motives behind this program. She noted that the offer provides eligible employees with an alternative option for finding future opportunities outside the company, allowing them to make this transition with Microsoft's support. Furthermore, this scheme serves as an additional way for relevant departments to streamline their staff and workforce in line with their evolving requirements.

Microsoft emphasized that this is a temporary voluntary program developed based on experience gained from implementing a previously introduced voluntary retirement program.

This initiative comes against the backdrop of large global technology corporations investing huge sums in AI-related infrastructure, including data center and advanced chip costs. Microsoft forecasts capital expenditures of $175 billion for the calendar year 2026. Nevertheless, investors are questioning what return such massive investments will bring the company in the future.

The company plans to announce its first-quarter financial results after the stock market closes on Wednesday. Investors will closely monitor these results to understand the contribution of Microsoft's AI investments to business growth and profitability.

Microsoft has previously taken several measures to reduce its workforce. This year, the company announced another voluntary layoff program that affected about 9 thousand employees in the USA, accounting for approximately 7 percent of the American staff. Moreover, in July, Microsoft announced a plan to eliminate 4,800 jobs, which corresponded to approximately 2.1 percent of its global workforce. This decision was made as part of the restructuring of the Xbox gaming business and a plan to sell five studios. The goal of these changes was to achieve better returns on the significant investments made in the gaming business over many years.

According to Microsoft's annual report, as of June 30, 2026, the company had 223,000 employees worldwide.

Following the news of the voluntary buyout program, Microsoft's shares rose by about one percent on Monday. This year, the company's shares have already increased by about 10 percent. According to Reuters, the news of the new layoff offer was first published by Business Insider.

The company's decision indicates that, on one hand, Microsoft continues to invest heavily in AI technology and infrastructure, while on the other hand, it is taking steps to reorganize its personnel in line with changing business needs.