Samwise High Tech Recruiting Newsletter
Thursday, September 3, 2026
Uber Cuts 3,300 Jobs in Sweeping Restructuring to Eliminate Management Layers
Uber announced Tuesday it is cutting approximately 3,300 employees — about 10% of its global workforce — in a sweeping restructuring aimed at eliminating management layers and streamlining operations. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi delivered the news via an internal email, later published on the Uber newsroom. The cuts target managers specifically, reducing that tier by 20%, and eliminate most small teams of one or two people. Remote work is being reduced to under 1% of staff. Uber is also combining its engineering, science, and delivery divisions. The company operates in over 70 countries and employed roughly 33,000 people before the reduction.
Sources: TechCrunch
Oracle Cuts Up to 3,000 India Roles as Microsoft Places 500 Staff on Performance Plans
Oracle is cutting up to 3,000 positions in India — roughly 10% of its 30,000-person India workforce — as it continues redirecting capital toward AI infrastructure, according to reporting by The Economic Times and Quartz. The cuts, which Oracle declined to confirm, span engineering, cloud, and support operations across Bengaluru, Noida, Mumbai, and other major hubs. Separately, Microsoft has placed 400 to 500 India-based employees on performance improvement plans — a distinction from layoffs, as PIPs offer a defined review window with measurable goals. Both moves follow a broader pattern of global tech firms reallocating headcount from legacy support roles toward AI-focused functions.
California Passes Bill Banning Employer AI Emotion Surveillance and Neural Data Collection
California’s legislature passed Assembly Bill 1883 on Sunday, sending to Governor Newsom’s desk a measure that would ban employers from using artificial intelligence tools to surveil employees’ emotional states or collect neural data. The bill, reported by HR Dive, defines neural data as information generated by measuring central or peripheral nervous system activity — covering wearables and biosensors used in focus and fatigue monitoring. Penalties are set at $500 per violation. Safety-related monitoring is explicitly permitted. If signed, the law takes effect January 1, 2027. California is also advancing SB 947, restricting automated termination decisions, and SB 951, requiring notices when AI drives workforce reductions.
70% of Employers Now Screen Entry-Level Candidates on Skills Rather Than Credentials, NACE Reports
Nearly 70% of employers now use skills-based hiring for entry-level roles, up over the past year, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers’ Job Outlook 2026 report. The shift means demonstrated ability to do the work increasingly matters more than credentials such as degree subject or GPA. NACE’s research describes a cautious hiring environment where employers rate the market only fair and new-graduate hiring plans are levelling off. Internships remain the most valued candidate experience, cited by nearly all surveyed employers. Co-ops rank second, valued by more than 75%. On-campus student work and apprenticeships are each recognized as valuable by over 40% of employers.
Larry Page-Backed eVTOL Startup Pivotal Loses CEO Ken Karklin After Four Years
Ken Karklin, CEO of eVTOL startup Pivotal for more than four years, has departed the company and will be replaced on an interim basis by board member Mike Ross, an aviation executive who joined Pivotal’s board in November 2025. Pivotal, backed by Google co-founder Larry Page, builds the Helix single-seat personal aircraft — starting at around $200,000, no pilot’s license required — and the BlackFly defense and first-responder aircraft. The company has been selected for the FAA’s eVTOL Integration Pilot Program, and BlackFly recently beat an ambulance to an emergency in North Carolina. Karklin said he is “pursuing new endeavors.”
Sources: TechCrunch
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