By Todd Bishop
Publication Date: 2026-04-23 15:23:00
Microsoft is offering a one-time voluntary retirement program for the first time in its 51-year history, giving thousands of long-serving U.S. employees a chance to leave with a financial payout and extended healthcare as it works to control costs amid a massive buildup in AI infrastructure.
An estimated 7% of Microsoft’s 125,000-person U.S. workforce, or about 8,750 employees, would be eligible based on a formula that takes into account their years at the company and their age.
It’s a highly unusual move in the tech world. Voluntary retirement programs are common in older industries, such as telecom and manufacturing, but the largest tech companies have…
