Episode Overview
Microsoft has offered voluntary buyouts to about 60,000 employees, CNBC reports. Pete and Peter ask the question every employee who turns it down will be asking: does a voluntary offer today become a less generous involuntary exit later? The offer comes shortly after Microsoft lost access to the PERM program, a step toward green cards for H-1B workers.
From there, the hosts turn to a story that gets far less coverage: U.S. companies building their workforces in India. Their research puts at least 1.5 million jobs in global capability centers, with IBM, Amazon, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo among the largest employers. A Quess Corp report projects these centers will add more than 500,000 non-tech roles by 2028. Many are customer support and back-office jobs that could be entry-level openings for American workers.
The bright spot of the week: FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced that AT&T is bringing its call center and customer service jobs back to the U.S. by the end of the year. Pete and Peter also cover layoffs at Skydance, Scripps, and Dropbox, the Dutch government’s plan to cut 25,000 jobs with AI, Proton’s AI re-interviews, WalletHub’s ranking of Florida at 47th for jobs, and next week’s packed calendar: election day, JOLTS, ADP, and Friday’s BLS jobs report.
Key Takeaways
- Microsoft offered voluntary buyouts to about 60,000 employees. The open question for workers is what happens to those who decline.
- Pete and Peter estimate 1.5 million to 2 million jobs at U.S. companies’ global capability centers in India. Quess Corp projects 500,000+ more non-tech roles there by 2028.
- AT&T is moving all call center and customer service jobs back to the U.S. by the end of the year, according to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr.
- Dropbox is cutting about 9% of its workforce, and the Dutch government plans to cut 25,000 jobs, with AI central to the plan.
- Proton is re-interviewing employees about how they use AI, and the results may decide who keeps their job. For employers, it’s a morale risk. For workers, it’s a clear signal to build AI skills.
- WalletHub’s 2026 ranking puts Nebraska first for jobs and Florida 47th of 50.
27 minutes
