Honestly, the mood at Verizon lately has been anything but "big red" festive. If you've been following the news, you know the telecom giant didn't just trim the fat—they took a chainsaw to the org chart. When Verizon Communications Inc. layoffs hit the headlines in late 2025, the sheer scale caught even the most cynical industry watchers off guard.
We are talking about roughly 13,000 to 15,000 people. Gone.
In a single stroke, about 15% of the company's U.S. workforce was shown the door. It wasn't just a quiet "voluntary separation" like the ones we saw back in 2018 or even the smaller 4,800-person cut from earlier in 2024. This was a full-blown restructuring under a brand-new captain.
The Schulman Shakeup
The guy holding the shears? Dan Schulman. He stepped in as CEO in October 2025, taking over from Hans Vestberg. Vestberg had been doing the slow-and-steady headcount reduction for years, famously telling analysts that "headcount is going down all the time" because the company was getting "efficient."
But Schulman? He didn't want efficient. He wanted "scrappy."
Within weeks of taking the helm, the former PayPal boss basically admitted the old strategy was broken. Verizon had been keeping its profits alive by hiking prices on loyal customers while watching its subscriber numbers bleed out to T-Mobile and AT&T. You can only raise the price of a legacy plan so many times before people jump ship.
Schulman's memo to the staff was pretty blunt. He noted that the current cost structure was basically a lead weight, preventing Verizon from actually investing in things customers care about. To fix it, he targeted the non-union management ranks.
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Reports suggest over 20% of management was wiped out.
Why Verizon Communications Inc. Layoffs Had to Happen (According to the Board)
The "why" is always a mix of spreadsheets and survival. Verizon spent a staggering $52 billion on C-Band spectrum a few years back to catch up in the 5G race. Then they dropped another $20 billion to buy Frontier Communications to bolster their fiber game.
That is a lot of debt.
While the company was spending like a drunken sailor on infrastructure, the actual wireless business was stalling. In the third quarter of 2025 alone, they lost 7,000 postpaid phone subscribers. Compare that to T-Mobile, which was adding over a million people. It's a bloodbath in the premium market.
The Retail Pivot
One of the most surprising parts of this "cost transformation" wasn't just the people in the offices. It was the stores. Verizon decided to transition about 180 corporate-owned retail stores into franchised operations.
Basically, they are offloading the overhead.
If you walk into a Verizon store today, there’s a good chance the person behind the counter doesn't actually work for Verizon Communications Inc. anymore. They work for a third-party retailer. This move allows Verizon to shirk the payroll, benefits, and rent costs while still keeping their logo on the front door.
Reskilling or Replacing?
There’s been a lot of chatter about AI. Schulman mentioned a $20 million "Reskilling and Career Transition Fund" for those leaving. He insists the layoffs aren't because of AI, but the timing is suspicious to anyone with a pulse.
You’ve got a CEO talking about "the age of AI" in the same breath he's announcing 15,000 job cuts. It doesn't take a genius to connect those dots. Customer service roles and network maintenance are increasingly being handled by automated systems.
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The company's line is that AI will make remaining employees "faster and more focused." To the 13,000 people who got their notice on a Thursday morning in November, it probably feels more like replacement than empowerment.
The Human Cost: Anxiety on the Ground
If you hop on Reddit or Glassdoor, the "corporate-approved" narrative falls apart pretty fast. Employees described the weeks leading up to the announcement as a "panic."
One person mentioned that their market's income had reduced significantly even before the cuts, with average reps who used to make $60,000 a year struggling to hit $45,000.
"It's so crazy to me that the whole company is aware of the layoffs but unaware where specifically. It's causing panic to almost all employees," one worker shared online.
That’s the part that gets lost in the stock price news. When a company says they are becoming "leaner," they mean the people staying behind are now doing the work of two or three people.
What’s the Severance Like?
Historically, Verizon has been somewhat decent with severance, but it's getting stingier. Back in the day, you might get three weeks of pay per year of service with a 60-week cap.
The most recent packages?
Reports indicate they’ve leaned more toward two weeks per service year, often capped around 35 weeks. They did set up that career fund, but $20 million spread across 13,000+ people is about $1,500 per person. That's not exactly a "new career" budget; it's a couple of online courses and a resume review.
What This Means for You (The Consumer)
You might think, "Well, I don't work there, so who cares?"
You should care.
When a company cuts 15% of its staff and franchises its stores, service quality usually takes a hit—at least in the short term. You’re likely to see longer wait times for tech support and fewer "corporate" stores where you can actually get high-level issues resolved.
On the flip side, Schulman is betting that by gutting the middle management, he can lower prices or at least stop the constant hikes. He explicitly said that relying on price increases without subscriber growth is "not a sustainable strategy."
If he’s right, you might actually see better deals in 2026. If he’s wrong, Verizon will just be a smaller, "scrappier" company with a worse network and frustrated customers.
Actionable Steps for Affected (and Future) Employees
If you find yourself caught in the wake of the Verizon Communications Inc. layoffs, or if you're worried about the next round, here is the "non-corporate" advice on what to do:
- Check the "Reskilling" Math: Don't just ignore that $20 million fund. If you are eligible, get your request in early. These funds are usually first-come, first-served until they run dry. Use it for a certification that is not telecom-specific.
- Audit Your Severance: Verizon's payroll systems are notoriously complex. Make sure your unused PTO, prorated bonuses, and "net credited service" dates are 100% accurate. Even a one-year discrepancy can cost you thousands.
- Pivot to Infrastructure: If you were on the technical side, look toward the companies Verizon is contracting to. Since they are outsourcing more, the jobs haven't necessarily vanished; they've just moved to firms like Ericsson, Nokia, or smaller fiber contractors.
- Watch the Frontier Integration: Since Verizon is still in the middle of swallowing Frontier, there will be "redundant" roles in the fiber division throughout 2026. If you're in a back-office role there, start updating that LinkedIn now.
The reality is that the telecom industry is no longer the "safe haven" for life-long employment it used to be. The Verizon Communications Inc. layoffs are a loud, clear signal that the giants are scared. They are bracing for a world where AI does the talking and the "scrappy" player with the lowest price wins.
Just make sure you aren't the one left holding the bag when the next "reorientation" happens.
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Next Steps to Secure Your Future
- Download your performance reviews and internal commendations now. Once your access is cut, that data is gone, and you'll need it for your next resume.
- Review your 401(k) and pension vesting status. Verizon's recent changes to "Legacy" plans mean your retirement timeline might have shifted without you noticing.
- Broaden your search to "Tech-Adjacent" roles. Don't just look at AT&T or T-Mobile; they are doing the exact same thing. Look at specialized AI implementation firms that need people who actually understand how a massive network functions.