More Microsoft Layoffs hit on Cinco de Mayo

Round two of Microsoft Layoffs 2009 begins

Prescription for laid off Microsoft employees: take two of these and don't come to work in the morning.

Happy Cinco de Mayo, Microsoft employees. You may have an additional reason to indulge in some tequila, and that reason might be a pink slip. Microsoft bid about 3,000 employees “adios” today as it continued its goal of completing 5,000 Microsoft layoffs by June 2010.

After the 1,400 Microsoft layoffs in January, the public may expect that the job cuts are nearing an end. However, analysts say the end may not be near.

Microsoft layoffs a lengthy process

Microsoft announced its plan to ax 5,000 employees in January, when it completed the first round of layoffs. With the new round of Cinco de Mayo layoffs at Microsoft, the 4,400 employees have now been laid off. However, there is still more than a year before Microsoft’s projected deadline for finishing layoffs.

Because of the far-off finish line for job cuts, remaining employees may be scrambling for cash advances while they still have paydays on the way. Others might be looking into mortgage loan modification. After all, 14 months is a long time, especially considering there have been 4,400 Microsoft layoffs in the past five.

More signs of additional layoffs

In an internal memo, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer indicates that the “economic realities are more severe than the company had hoped.” In this memo Ballmer makes it clear that there are, indeed, more layoffs to come:

With this announcement, we are mostly but not all done with the planned 5,000 job eliminations by June 2010…. As we move forward, we will continue to closely monitor the impact of the economic downturn on the company and if necessary, take further actions on our cost structure including additional job eliminations.

Apparently the number of laid off United States employees is about equal to Microsoft layoffs outside the U.S.

Microsoft Margarita

Here’s a recipe for the “Perfect Margarita” from the folks at Chow.com. Whether you’re mourning your job or celebrating Mexican heritage, it just might hit the spot.

1. If using salt, place in a shallow dish. Moisten the rim of a rocks glass with a dampened paper towel, then dip in salt.
2. Fill the glass with ice; add tequila, lime juice, and Cointreau; and stir a few times until chilled. Serve immediately.