Intel—Laid off 25,000 employees without severance packages while receiving $8.5B CHIPS Act funding
Intel laid off roughly 25,000 employees (15% of workforce) in 2025 with no severance packages, voluntary buyouts, or early retirement options - a departure from previous layoffs. This occurred while Intel received $8.5 billion in federal CHIPS Act funding. Two days before the layoff announcement, Intel's Board approved enhanced executive severance packages. A former engineer stated: 'It feels like Intel is throwing out loyalty with the layoffs. No severance, no warning, just a cold email.'
Scoring Impact
| Topic | Direction | Relevance | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Compensation | -against | secondary | -0.50 |
| Worker Rights | -against | primary | -1.00 |
| Overall incident score = | -0.725 | ||
Score = avg(topic contributions) × significance (high ×1.5) × confidence (0.64)
Evidence (2 signals)
TheStreet reported Intel's 2025 layoffs included no severance packages
TheStreet reported that Intel laid off 25,000 workers (15% of workforce) in 2025 with no severance packages, buyouts, or early retirement options. A former engineer stated: 'It feels like Intel is throwing out loyalty with the layoffs. No severance, no warning, just a cold email.' The report confirmed Intel Board approved executive severance packages two days before the layoff announcement.
UAW criticized Intel for laying off 15% of workforce while receiving $8B taxpayer funding
UAW President Shawn Fain criticized Intel: 'A company that receives $8 billion from US taxpayers while laying off 15% of its global workforce ought to be held to high standards for job creation and job quality.' The Sierra Club coalition raised concerns about worker protections and chemical exposure standards in the CHIPS Act contract.