Microsoft offers voluntary exit program to employees in four countries

Microsoft MSFT is offering a voluntary exit program to eligible employees in the United States, Canada, India, and the United Kingdom,  according to a memo from chief people officer Amy Coleman sent to staff on Monday.

MSFT stock is up 1% on Monday trading. Some media reports say about 60000 employees are expected to be eligible for the program.The offer is available to eligible employees at level 70 and below in participating organizations, giving them the option to leave the company with financial support and career planning resources.

The program is voluntary and time-limited, Coleman said in the memo. Eligibility varies by organization based on business priorities, customer commitments, and workforce needs.

The new Voluntary Exit Offer builds on a voluntary retirement program Microsoft introduced earlier this year, Coleman said.

Earlier this year, the company also offered voluntary buyouts to about 7% of its U.S. workforce, or roughly 9000 employees.

The software giant continues to…