Disney Cuts Hundreds of Jobs in Third Layoff Wave Under D'Amaro

The Walt Disney Company laid off hundreds of employees on Tuesday, September 29, at its Burbank, California operations, with the cuts concentrated in human resources and technology departments. The move marks the third round of job reductions since Josh D'Amaro took over as CEO in March.

The layoffs did not hit production roles uniformly. Instead, they clustered in two corporate functions — HR and tech — that support the company's film and television operations. For workers in those specializations, the signal is direct: back-office and internal-platform roles at large media companies are carrying a disproportionate share of current cost-cutting pressure.

D'Amaro set out the rationale in a recent letter to shareholders, emphasizing the company's focus on reducing costs. That commitment aligns with a parallel measure: Disney has offered early-retirement packages to long-term executives, targeting senior payrolls before deeper structural cuts.

What the numbers say

The exact headcount remains unspecified beyond "hundreds," and Disney has not disclosed severance terms or a timeline for any further reductions. What is documented is the pattern: three distinct waves of layoffs in roughly six months under a new CEO, each following explicit cost-reduction guidance to shareholders.

The company frames the cuts as streamlining. Disney says it is working to improve efficiency in response to evolving consumer demands and technological advancements, while managing ongoing financial pressures.

The individual read

For employees and job seekers, the practical takeaways are concrete. First, tenure at a legacy media brand no longer insulates corporate-function staff from restructuring — HR and IT roles were cut even as the core creative divisions absorbed the news. Second, early-retirement offers to long-tenured executives suggest the next leverage point for anyone negotiating an exit: Disney is showing willingness to pay for voluntary departures at the senior level.

Third, the cuts sit inside a broader pattern. Companies across industries are pursuing similar expense discipline to stay competitive as economic conditions shift, which means media-sector HR and tech professionals should expect a tighter market for comparable roles at peer entertainment firms, not just at Disney.

The iHeartRadio report did not specify how many employees accepted the early-retirement packages or whether additional waves are planned.

With cost reduction now formally embedded in D'Amaro's shareholder communications, further efficiency measures — and the workforce implications that follow — remain on the table as Disney adapts to shifting consumer behavior and technology.