The well-known company Microsoft is in the spotlight due to an offer made to its 60,000 employees regarding the possibility of leaving the company. Notably, the company has offered these employees a voluntary buyout package. Under this offer, employees can independently choose a voluntary departure option. This offer applies to personnel in four countries, including India.
One of the benefits of this offer is financial support for employees who plan to start their own business or startup after leaving the company.
Regarding the benefits provided to employees who accept the exit offer, they include severance pay, continuous stock vesting, and medical insurance in case of termination. However, those who refuse this buyout package will face uncertainty, as the company reserves the right to reduce staff in the future.
According to the report, the terms of this offer will vary depending on the employee's seniority, location, and length of service. For example, some employees who have worked for six months may be eligible for several weeks of base salary payment, while others are offered a package equivalent to 12 months of salary. A Microsoft representative stated that about 60,000 employees meet the criteria to participate in the buyout program.
Microsoft employees have until early December to decide whether to accept or decline this offer. It is expected that those who choose this option will leave the company by the end of the year. According to the report, Microsoft stated that it currently has no plans for other buyout programs.
The amount of severance pay depends on the employee's internal level. The seniority system at Microsoft starts at Level 59 for entry-level positions and reaches Level 70, which corresponds to a Vice President position. According to Business Insider, an analysis of the offer shows that employees at Level 64 and below will receive one week of base pay for every six months of service. Employees at Levels 65–67 will receive two weeks of base pay for every six months of service. For employees at Level 67 and below, the standard severance pay is limited to 39 weeks of base pay. For Level 68, the standard severance offer will be 12 months of salary.
In addition, the buyout package includes regular stock vesting and medical insurance. For employees at Levels 67 and below, stock vesting is available for six or 12 months, depending on seniority. This is not the first time Microsoft has offered a buyout; previously, in April 2026, the company launched a similar program for approximately 8,750 employees in the US.
Microsoft also noted that its new voluntary departure program does not exclude the possibility of future layoffs, which will depend on business priorities and workforce needs. A serious concern for employees is that refusing the voluntary buyout could expose them to future layoffs (Microsoft Layoff). Nevertheless, at present, employees cannot assume that declining the offer will automatically lead to their dismissal.
Microsoft has extended this program to employees in selected teams in the US, Canada, India, and the UK, including some Level 70 employees. According to a Microsoft representative, the pool of potential participants is about 60,000 employees. This new buyout offer came at a time when major tech companies are downsizing their workforce.