Workday outage hits payroll platform days after Microsoft shutdown

November 14, 2026:

Workday outage hits payroll platform days after Microsoft shutdown

As millions grapple with disrupted emails and downed services, attorney and cybersecurity expert Leeza Garber explains why a simple server issue can cripple a tech giant, and why it’s reasonable to wonder if AI or hackers were involved.

Workday, a business software that handles payroll and human resources management for thousands of prominent companies, suffered a major outage Friday, joining Microsoft in experiencing a shutdown this week.

The platform manages services for 11,500 companies.

“Workday is currently unavailable,” the platform signaled when users tried to gain access. “We are experiencing a service interruption. Your service will be restored as quickly as possible.”

“We apologize for the inconvenience. If you are a Workday customer and require additional assistance please contact the Workday Administrator within your organization. Otherwise, please check back later,” the message continued.

MICROSOFT APOLOGIZES AFTER MAJOR OUTLOOK OUTAGE WORLDWIDE, BLAMES TECHNICAL ISSUE

In this photo illustration, the logo of US software company Workday Inc. is displayed on a smartphone. Workday experienced an outage Friday, with customers still unable to access the platform Saturday. (Timon Schneider/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images / Getty Images)

Retail giants including Walmart and Target are among the large retailers potentially affected.

Workday’s clientele also includes corporate giants like Netflix, Salesforce, PNC Bank, Chipotle, Southwest Airlines, General Electric and Nasdaq.

Additionally, the platform serves numerous government agencies, including the cities of Philadelphia, Dallas, Seattle, Charlotte and Denver, as well as federal agencies like the U.S. Department of Energy.

Workday also lists NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory as a client.

NATIONWIDE MICROSOFT EMAIL SERVICE OUTAGE DISRUPTS BUSINESS AND PERSONAL ACCOUNTS ACROSS US

The NASA logo is displayed at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory on October 15, 2025 in La Cañada Flintridge, California. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory is listed as a Workday client. (Mario Tama/Getty Images / Getty Images)

Downdetector, a website that tracks digital outages, first reported a spike of nearly 3,000 Workday issues shortly after 5 p.m. Friday.

“Some of our customers are experiencing a service disruption and we’re working urgently to investigate and resolve the issue,” a spokesperson for Workday said in a statement to FOX LiveNOW.

“We sincerely apologize for the challenges this is causing impacted customers,” the spokesperson added.

Workday has not provided an estimate for when services will return.

Signage is displayed near the receptionist desk at the Workday Inc. office in San Francisco, California, U.S., on Thursday, Jan. 10, 2019. Workday makes applications that help companies with mundane tasks like keeping payroll, plotting expenses, trac (Michael Short/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

The company told the San Francisco Chronicle that the disruption occurred after it discovered a problem while testing backup systems.

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The outage is the second major business software outage to occur in recent days after Microsoft experienced a massive global shutdown that affected its widely adopted Outlook and Teams email and messaging platforms.

FOX Business contacted Workday for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

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