A memo sent to the affected employees (source below) reads as follows:
“The reason(s) for the termination of your employment including your job performance has not met minimum performance standards and expectations for your position. You are relieved of all job duties effective immediately and your access to Microsoft systems, accounts, and buildings will be removed effective today. You are not to perform any further work on behalf of Microsoft."
Note: If you apply for employment at Microsoft in the future, your past performance and basis of termination will be considered.
You must immediately return your Microsoft cardkey, corporate American Express card, phone card, and any other Microsoft property, including but not limited to hardware, software, email files, source code, customer contact information, financial data, status reports, or any other proprietary or confidential data or trade secret information that you have in your possession to me.
You are bound by the terms of your Microsoft Employee Agreement to return such materials and to protect Microsoft confidential information after termination of your employment. If any such materials are stored on any personal device (including, without limitation, computers, mobile phones, tablets, storage devices) you are required to permanently delete them."
The article is archived here:
https://archive.is/XGBCR
and here:
https://web.archive.org/web/20250131145634/https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-performance-based-job-cuts-have-started-termination-letters-2025-1