California-based chipmaker Qualcomm has announced that it will lay off more than 200 workers in San Diego as part of its ongoing strategy to optimize running costs.
The layoffs, affecting 226 employees, are set to take effect from November 12, and were spotted in a California Workers Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) – a compulsory notification for companies operating in the state.
Although the company claims to have around 10,000 local workers, and 50,000 globally, the widespread nature of Qualcomm’s layoffs is concerning.
Qualcomm will lay off hundreds of workers
The job cuts are anticipated to affect workers from 16 different facilities in the San Diego area, including the company’s headquarters.
In a statement, a company spokesperson explained that the layoffs align with the company’s broader goal of business diversification: “As part of a normal course of business, we prioritize and align our investments, resources, and talent to ensure we are optimally positioned to take advantage of the unprecedented diversification opportunities in front of us.”