OAKLAND — Block will chop hundreds of California jobs that are based in downtown Oakland, in the latest warning sign that the tech industry remains vulnerable to post-coronavirus maladies.
Formerly known as Square, Block has decided to slash 240 jobs based at its big office hub in Oakland’s Uptown district, according to a WARN letter the tech company sent to the state Employment Development Department.
It’s possible that not all of the workers are physically located at the company’s downtown Oakland office, although the EDD public site where the agency posts summaries of WARN notices stated the the layoffs affect workers at 1955 Broadway in Oakland.
“The impacted employees work remotely throughout California and received notice of the anticipated separation on March 25, 2025,” Block stated in the WARN letter the EDD provided to this news organization.
The layoffs are slated to take effect on or around May 25, Block reported to the EDD.
Block is a tech company and provider of financial services to consumers and merchants.
The company’s ubiquitous point-of-sale square-shaped devices enable merchants to accept card payments and manage operations, including bookings, e-commerce, inventory, payroll, banking, and loans.
“The impacted employees do not have the right to displace or bump any other Block employee,” Block stated in the WARN letter. “None of the employees are represented by a union, and at this time.
Block didn’t rule out the possibility of more job cuts.
“It is uncertain if any additional separations will occur in California,” Block wrote in the WARN notice.
A review of the job categories affected by the downsizing suggests the company is cutting many tech positions, although other employment classifications might be affected.
“Engineering, design, product, business, sales, and customer operations functions” were among the categories that Block listed as the affected job titles.