Google announces job cuts, layoffs to begin immediately

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - Google has announced it is cutting 12,000 jobs from its work force.

The tech giant's CEO, Sundar Pichai, sent an email to employees Friday confirming the move. Pinchai also said the layoff inside the U.S. would begin immediately.

Google is offering employees 16 weeks of severance play plus two weeks for each additional year they've been with the company.

Friday's move is in line with other big tech companies; they have also announced layoffs recently amid fears of upcoming financial difficulties.

CNBC reported wednesday that google was deferring a portion of employees' year-end bonus checks until march or april of this year.

Meanwhile, Amazon began laying off 18,000 employees while Microsoft announced plans to cut 10,000 jobs from its work force.