Microsoft's latest Washington layoff notice gives hiring teams a specific timeline and a detailed list of affected job functions. Software engineering and several game-related functions account for substantial parts of the 277 positions.
The Washington Employment Security Department WARN database, observed September 26, 2026, records a permanent Microsoft layoff affecting 277 workers. ESD received the notice on September 22. The layoff start date is November 21. The notice date and scheduled termination date should be kept separate.
Microsoft's official notice and title attachment is also dated September 22. It says 252 affected positions are at the company's Puget Sound facilities at One Microsoft Way in Redmond and 25 are remote positions within Puget Sound. All 277 positions are scheduled for permanent elimination on November 21. The facilities will remain open, and Microsoft says some affected positions may move to company entities in other locations.
The attachment contains exactly 277 title rows. Software Engineering is the largest title family at 60. Counting Art, Game Producers, Game Design, Technical Art, and Audio Design together produces 77 roles. Other repeated titles include Technical Writing, 20; Product Marketing, 16; Product Management, 13; Technical Program Management, 12; and Business Management, 10. That grouping comes directly from the title column, not from a company department label.
The notice says Microsoft decided to reorganize and restructure operations. It does not identify an affected business unit or connect the decision to AI. These figures describe the Washington action only.
If you are hiring for one of these functions, make your role description specific about the work and move quickly when someone chooses to engage. Do not assume every affected employee is entering the external market. If you are affected, ask Microsoft which dates and internal options apply to your own case. The public record establishes the group timeline, not an individual's full employment terms.
