Oracle Layoffs: Employee says Slack access vanished at 4 am, Reddit post captures fear of AI era cuts

Oracle's latest round of layoffs has spilled onto Reddit, where two employees have separately shared accounts of discovering that their access to company systems had been revoked before receiving an official layoff email.

One of the posts, by Reddit user Odd-Impress-5815, has attracted attention for its deeply personal account of waiting weeks for the possibility of losing their job. The employee said the moment they had feared finally arrived at around 4 am — but not through an email.

"I got logged out of Slack at around 4 a.m., and I can't access my laptop anymore, which kind of unofficially confirms that I've been laid off," the employee wrote.

The user said they had not slept properly for three weeks amid rumours of layoffs and had been staying awake until the early hours because they feared receiving the dreaded notification.

“And today I did. Well, not an email.”

Oracle employee worries about loans after layoff

The employee said the job loss itself was not the only concern. Financial commitments, particularly loans, were weighing heavily on them.

"I know I'm capable, and I know I'll land a job somewhere more humane. But I have a bunch of loans, and that's the part I'm really worried about."

The employee also questioned the contrast between Oracle's aggressive push into artificial intelligence and the experience of workers facing layoffs.

"What does it even mean to work for a company that can't keep its AI boner in its pants, while treating its employees like insects?" the user wrote, describing the situation as a combination of "greed" and a lack of "empathy and humanity".

The employee said this was their first job and wondered whether the experience was simply part of corporate life.

"This was my first job, though. Maybe this is just what corporate life is like and I'm only becoming aware of it now. I don't know."

The post also raised questions about severance and how the layoffs were being handled. The employee said they wanted to clear their loans, find another job and take care of their "furry babies".

"I wish this whole process were more organised. I wish it were more humane. But it is what it is, I guess."

Another Oracle employee reports 5:45 am access cut

A separate Reddit user, OkMycologist6001, also shared an account of losing access to Oracle's systems.

The employee wrote that their Slack access was revoked at 5:45 am, while they had not yet received an official email. The user's profile was reportedly appearing as deactivated to colleagues.

"Seems like it’s done for me ! Slacks access revoked at 5.45am IST, no email yet but profile showing as deactivated to others.

I am kind of shook… lots of mixed emotions."

The two posts are separate accounts, but both describe employees discovering a loss of access to company systems before receiving formal communication.

Reddit users rally behind laid-off employees

The posts prompted messages of support from other Reddit users.

One person responded to the first employee's post, saying:

"Time to reborn... Yes this is what corporate is...bunch of leaders failing to plan things properly and employees have to pay the price.. You will do fine and best thing is..you have ur furry babies..they will heal this mental wound."

Another user wrote:

"Oh man. I feel you. May God give you strength to rise stronger. Silently praying for you man,"

The Reddit posts come as Oracle begins another round of job cuts. According to a Business Insider report, affected employees were informed through early-morning notifications that their roles had been eliminated as part of a "broader organisational change". The notification day was also their last working day, according to the report.

Oracle has not disclosed how many employees have been affected in the latest round.

Oracle is spending billions on AI infrastructure

The latest layoffs are taking place as Oracle sharply increases spending on data centres and artificial intelligence infrastructure.

Oracle spent $28.5 billion in capital expenditure in the first quarter of fiscal 2027, more than three times the $8.5 billion it spent during the same period a year earlier. The company has maintained its full-year capital expenditure forecast of $90 billion to $95 billion as it expands its data-centre capacity.

The latest job cuts also follow a significantly larger workforce reduction during fiscal 2026. Oracle's global headcount fell by around 21,000 employees, or 13%, during the financial year ended May 31. The company had about 141,000 employees at the end of the period, down from approximately 162,000 a year earlier.

Oracle spent about $1.84 billion on severance and other exit costs related to restructuring during fiscal 2026, compared with $374 million the previous year.

The company has previously said that some workforce reductions were linked to the adoption and deployment of AI across its operations.

For the employees documenting their experiences on Reddit, however, the broader AI boom is taking a more personal form: the uncertainty of waiting for a layoff, followed by the sudden disappearance of access to the systems they used to do their jobs.ori

About the Author

Anjali Thakur is a Senior Assistant Editor with Mint, reporting on trending news, entertainment and health, with a focus on stories driving digital conversations. Her work involves spotting early signals across news cycles and social media, sharpening stories for SEO and Google Discover, and mentoring young editors in digital-first newsroom practices. She is known for turning fast-moving developments—whether news-driven or culture-led—into clear, tightly edited journalism without compromising editorial rigour.<br><br> Before joining Mint, she was Deputy News Editor at NDTV.com, where she led the Trending section and covered viral news, breaking developments and human-interest stories. She has also worked as Chief Sub-Editor at India.com (Zee Media) and as Senior Correspondent with Exchange4media and Hindustan Times’ HT City, reporting on media, advertising, entertainment, health, lifestyle and popular culture.<br><br> Anjali holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Miranda House, and is currently pursuing an MBA, strengthening her understanding of business strategy and digital media economics. Her writing balances newsroom discipline with a clear instinct for what resonates with readers.

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