• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

College-educated women are snapping up the highest-earning men without college degrees, leaving the rest further behind

2

An 11-year-old is cleaning his neighbors' trash cans for $10 each—he now has 100K followers as teens face the worst summer job market since 1948

3

The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'

1

College-educated women are snapping up the highest-earning men without college degrees, leaving the rest further behind

2

An 11-year-old is cleaning his neighbors' trash cans for $10 each—he now has 100K followers as teens face the worst summer job market since 1948

3

The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'
SuccessLayoffs

Lyft workers are nervous that layoffs might be next after the company freezes all hiring in the U.S.: ‘Stay away’

By
Chloe Berger
Chloe Berger
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Chloe Berger
Chloe Berger
Down Arrow Button Icon
September 28, 2022, 3:08 PM ET
Lyft workers are getting anxious about potential layoffs.
Lyft workers are getting anxious about potential layoffs.Al Seib—Los Angeles Times/Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

The ship—or ride-share—seems to be sailing at Lyft, which just announced that it’s suspending hiring in the U.S. until the end of 2022. The news comes on the heels of a reported driver shortage this past spring, and a more than 68% decrease in the ride-share firm’s stock this year.

It’s left current and prospective Lyft workers shifting in their seats, taking to anonymous social network Blind to voice their concerns. A potential hire who happens to be a former Meta employee shared on the site that they received a call from a Lyft recruiter canceling an interview, stating that the company was pausing ongoing applications.

Other Lyft job candidates littered the comment section with similar stories. One announced that their interview was canceled just five minutes before it was set to begin, while another added that theirs was abruptly stopped halfway through the first round. 

“Layoffs coming soon, so stay away for now,” a current Lyft employee responded.

“I fully expect Hunger Games type behavior from the people still at Lyft who can’t get an offer,” a former Lyft employee added. “The stories I’ve heard and personally experienced are disgusting. It’s rats on a sinking ship trying to survive.”

Those working at competitors also had a foreboding message: “I can speak from my experience at Uber; it usually happens in stages depending on how bad things get,” one Blind user wrote, explaining that after hiring freezes comes rescinding of offers and then layoffs.

When asked for comment on the hiring freeze and potential layoffs, a Lyft spokesperson told Fortune, “Like many other companies navigating an uncertain economy, we are pausing hiring for all U.S.-based roles through the end of the year.” A Lyft spokesperson also told Bloomberg that the company does not have plans for layoffs unless economic conditions get worse.

Indeed, hiring freezes have been fairly common this year—especially in tech—as employers worry about an impending recession. They don’t always bode well—just ask Coinbase employees who were subjected to rounds of layoffs shortly after the company announced it was pausing hiring. But hiring freezes aren’t always a sure sign of layoffs.

Some Lyft workers reassured the company’s new hires, saying the situation isn’t as bad as it looks. “Imo you will be fine,” they said. “Our headcount is low already, and with the previous limited hiring and now freeze.”

Things aren’t all doom and gloom for Lyft. Second-quarter results showed a rebound for the company, exceeding pre-pandemic revenue for the first time. However, the stock slipped by 2.5% in premarket trading after its announcement to suspend hiring. 

For now, layoff speculations are all virtual water cooler gossip. One Lyft employee noted they’d been hearing of such rumors for a year now. But as an Amazon employee predicts, “That Lyft third-quarter earnings report might be brutal if they’re already doing a hiring freeze.” 

Sign up for the Fortune Features email list so you don’t miss our biggest features, exclusive interviews, and investigations.

About the Author
By Chloe Berger
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Success

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in Success

Oprah Winfrey
SuccessCareers
Oprah Winfrey says ‘life starts at 44’—and research proves she’s right: the average founder starts their business after 40
By Emma BurleighJuly 27, 2026
3 hours ago
CEO of the top-rated hiring platform says the job market is so bad that candidates are paying $20 to mass apply and driving bosses crazy with spam
SuccessThe Interview Playbook
CEO of the top-rated hiring platform says the job market is so bad that candidates are paying $20 to mass apply and driving bosses crazy with spam
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJuly 27, 2026
12 hours ago
Woman holding a Pickle bag getting out of a taxi
RetailLuxury
New York City women are making up to $30,000 per month by renting out their closets to strangers
By Sarah GlodekJuly 27, 2026
12 hours ago
Jeff Bezos says being lazy, not working hard, is the root of anxiety: ‘The stress goes away the second I take that first step’
SuccessJeff Bezos
Jeff Bezos says being lazy, not working hard, is the root of anxiety: ‘The stress goes away the second I take that first step’
By Sydney LakeJuly 26, 2026
1 day ago
Stressed out Gen X woman
SuccessRetirement
Despite nearing their 60s, nearly four in 10 Americans heading towards the end of their careers don’t even have a retirement account
By Emma BurleighJuly 26, 2026
1 day ago
A Gen Xer sold his company for $1.6 billion. He kept less than $100 million and gave the rest away because he doesn’t ‘believe in billionaires’
SuccessHow I made my first million
A Gen Xer sold his company for $1.6 billion. He kept less than $100 million and gave the rest away because he doesn’t ‘believe in billionaires’
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJuly 26, 2026
1 day ago

Most Popular

College-educated women are snapping up the highest-earning men without college degrees, leaving the rest further behind
Economy
College-educated women are snapping up the highest-earning men without college degrees, leaving the rest further behind
By Mia OsmonbekovJuly 26, 2026
1 day ago
An 11-year-old is cleaning his neighbors' trash cans for $10 each—he now has 100K followers as teens face the worst summer job market since 1948
Success
An 11-year-old is cleaning his neighbors' trash cans for $10 each—he now has 100K followers as teens face the worst summer job market since 1948
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJuly 25, 2026
2 days ago
The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'
Real Estate
The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 25, 2026
2 days ago
New York City women are making up to $30,000 per month by renting out their closets to strangers
Retail
New York City women are making up to $30,000 per month by renting out their closets to strangers
By Sarah GlodekJuly 27, 2026
12 hours ago
I've been teaching college students for decades. Most of them can no longer finish a book
Commentary
I've been teaching college students for decades. Most of them can no longer finish a book
By Austin SaratJuly 26, 2026
1 day ago
The Pete behind Jersey Mike’s was only 17 years old when he borrowed $125,000 to buy the chain—with some help from his high school football coach
Success
The Pete behind Jersey Mike’s was only 17 years old when he borrowed $125,000 to buy the chain—with some help from his high school football coach
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 26, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.