Stripe Layoff Email Error Includes Cartoon Duck and Incorrect Termination Dates

Stripe, the payments software giant, mistakenly included an image of a cartoon duck in layoff emails sent to some employees, Business Insider has reported. The company also provided incorrect termination dates in its notifications to affected staff.

On Monday, Stripe announced the layoffs of 300 employees—approximately 3.5% of its workforce—impacting roles primarily in product, engineering, and operations. However, some employees received an unexpected attachment in their notification: a PDF featuring a yellow cartoon duck with brown feathers on its wing, labeled “US-Non-California Duck.”

A Stripe spokesperson confirmed that the image was sent in error, along with incorrect termination dates. The company has since issued corrected notifications.

“I also want to note that some impacted Stripes received a notification error to their personal email accounts Monday evening PT,” Rob McIntosh, Stripe’s Chief People Officer, wrote in a follow-up email. “I apologize for the error and any confusion it caused. Corrected and full notifications have since been sent to all impacted Stripes.”

In an internal group on Blind, a professional community app, employees reacted to the mix-up. Some joked about creating a Slack emoji featuring the duck, while another quipped, “Wonder if there’s a California duck.”

Despite the layoffs, Stripe remains focused on expansion. In his email to staff, McIntosh stated that the company still plans to grow its workforce to around 10,000 employees by the end of the year.

This is not Stripe’s first round of job cuts. In 2022, the company laid off over 1,000 employees, with CEO Patrick Collison’s candidly worded announcement receiving widespread attention.