Get All Access for $5/mo

Ernst & Young to Cut 3,000 Jobs Due To 'Overcapacity' and 'Current Economic Conditions' The layoffs will impact nearly 5% of the accounting giant's workforce.

By Madeline Garfinkle

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

TOLGA AKMEN | Getty Images

Global consulting firm Ernst & Young (EY) said on Monday that it is cutting around 3,000 jobs in the U.S., impacting about 5% of its workforce.

According to multiple outlets, the company cited "overcapacity" and "the impact of current economic conditions" as contributing factors in the decision.

The job cuts come days after EY announced plans to overhaul its business by breaking up its auditing and consulting services. In September, the company announced intentions to split up divisions over regulatory conflicts of interest from the auditing and consulting arms of the business — a move dubbed "Project Everest."

However, early last week, the break-up plan was called off, per The Financial Times.

Related: Laid-Off Googlers Reportedly Won't Get Paid for Previously Approved Parental Leaves — And They're Trying To Do Something About It

"We have been informed that the US executive committee has decided not to move forward with the design of Project Everest," the company wrote in the note, which was seen by the Financial Times. "Given the strategic importance of the US member firm to Project Everest, we are stopping work on the project."

As for the current layoffs, the company said the decision was unrelated to the review, but it was "part of the ongoing management of the business," per BBC.

EY is not the only consulting firm trimming its workforce. Last month, McKinsey & Co. announced it would be cutting nearly 19,000 jobs, and, in February, KPMG announced 700 job cuts, Bloomberg reported.

Madeline Garfinkle

News Writer

Madeline Garfinkle is a News Writer at Entrepreneur.com. She is a graduate from Syracuse University, and received an MFA from Columbia University. 

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Fundraising

Working Remote? These Are the Biggest Dos and Don'ts of Video Conferencing

As more and more businesses go remote, these are ways to be more effective and efficient on conference calls.

Growing a Business

The Best Way to Run a Business Meeting

All too often, meetings run longer than they should and fail to keep attendees engaged. Here's how to run a meeting the right way.

Science & Technology

Cyber Attacks Are Inevitable — So Stop Preparing For If One Happens and Start Preparing For When One Will

Cyber resilience is not just about building walls of protection but also having the resilience to bounce back stronger. This article explains why embracing resilience should be a top priority for businesses to ensure continuity in the ever-expanding cybersecurity landscape.

Starting a Business

How to Find the Right Programmers: A Brief Guideline for Startup Founders

For startup founders under a plethora of challenges like timing, investors and changing market demand, it is extremely hard to hire programmers who can deliver.

Business Ideas

There's a New Wave in Online Shopping — And These Strategies Are Fueling All The Success

Here's why niche marketplaces are becoming a new trend and growing rapidly, gaining 67% of consumers' trust.