Block Offers Hefty Retention Packages After Layoffs

Block offered surviving employees sizeable retention packages after last week's layoffs, including roughly 75% pay increases and $60,000–$80,000 bonuses, according to a former data scientist Naoko Takeda and internal messages reviewed by Business Insider. Takeda said she quit in protest, calling the offers dehumanizing, while CEO Jack Dorsey cited AI-driven efficiencies as a rationale. The moves raise morale and talent-retention concerns for remaining teams.