The Washington Post Offers Severance Package to Laid-Off Staffers

Hundreds of journalists impacted by newsroom restructuring

Published on Feb. 4, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Washington Post, owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos, has made sweeping cuts across its newsroom as part of a restructuring, particularly impacting journalists covering sports, foreign affairs, books, and audio reporting. The company has offered a severance package to laid-off staffers, including a minimum of 4 weeks of pay and additional weeks based on years of service, up to 45 weeks.

Why it matters

The Washington Post's layoffs and restructuring reflect the ongoing challenges facing the media industry, as news organizations navigate changing consumer habits and economic pressures. The severance package offered to impacted employees aims to provide some financial support during this transition.

The details

According to a memo viewed by Business Insider, laid-off Washington Post staffers will remain on the payroll through April 10 (commonly referred to as 'garden leave'). After that, each staff member can receive a minimum of 4 weeks of severance pay. Workers who have been at the Post for three years or more will receive an additional two weeks of severance for each of those years, capped at 45 weeks of pay. The exact terms of the separation program are still being negotiated with the newsroom's union, the Washington Post Guild.

  • The Washington Post made the layoffs and announced the severance package on Wednesday, February 4, 2026.
  • Laid-off staffers will remain on the payroll through April 10, 2026.

The players

The Washington Post

A major American daily newspaper owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos.

Washington Post Guild

The newsroom's union, which is negotiating the separation terms with the Post.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Hundreds of journalists at The Washington Post received dreaded emails in their inboxes on Wednesday morning informing them they'd been laid off.”

— Sydney Bradley, Author (businessinsider.com)

What’s next

The Washington Post and the Washington Post Guild are still negotiating the exact terms of the separation program for the laid-off staffers.

The takeaway

The Washington Post's layoffs and severance package offer reflect the ongoing challenges facing the media industry, as news organizations adapt to changing consumer habits and economic pressures. The severance package aims to provide financial support to the impacted employees during this transition.