Automattic Layoffs
Industry Other · Location SF Bay Area · United States · Subscribe (RSS)
Automattic has 1 publicly reported layoff round on record (most recent April 2, 2025). A total of about 281 employees were affected across these rounds.
Layoff history
Automattic laid off 281 employees, 16% of its roughly 1,744-person global workforce, on April 2, 2025, via email notification with immediate Slack access revoked. WooCommerce took the hardest hit, losing more than 100 people, while the Day One journal app was described as "gutted" and Tumblr and AI divisions also saw cuts. CEO Matt Mullenweg said the move was aimed at making the company "more agile and responsive" and securing "a viable financial model for long-term success." The layoffs followed a bruising year marked by a public legal dispute with hosting provider WP Engine over WordPress branding and open-source contribution requirements, which had already driven some staff departures in fall 2024. Initial reports cited a 9-week severance package, but Automattic disputed that figure without providing specifics. The affected roles spanned 90 countries and included account executives, marketing, product management, design, and community functions.
Reason: Cost reduction, organizational agility, post-WP Engine dispute restructuring
Source: techcrunch.com
Data for Automattic is compiled from public WARN Act filings and reporting linked above. See our methodology.