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Ballmer email kicks off second round of Microsoft layoffs

Waves goodbye to pink slippers

Steve Ballmer has emailed all Microsoft staff as the second wave of planned redundancies at the software giant begins to bite today.

Earlier in the year, Ballmer announced 5,000 job losses as Microsoft works to cut costs in the face of a shrinking world economy. He said the firm would cut jobs by the middle of 2010.

Ballmer's email describes today's move as the second part of its plan. He said Microsoft was "mostly but not all done" with redundancies. There are job losses within the US, as well as in other countries.

Ballmer said: "I appreciate the way you have pulled together to help the company respond to this difficult economic environment. There’s no doubt that these are very challenging times...

Thank you for your continued hard work, commitment, and focus.

Steve"

Ballmer said the company would continue to "provide support" to people laid off. Ballmer also said he could not rule out further job losses. Ballmer said: "we will continue to closely monitor the impact of the economic downturn on the company and if necessary, take further actions on our cost structure including additional job eliminations."

This blog has the whole email.

Microsoft's first ever announcement of redundancies ended in embarrassment when Microsoft accidentally overpaid severance pay to laid off staff. The firm made things worse by trying to claw back the cash before bowing to the inevitable public backlash and reversing the decision. ®

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