U.S. employers announced 48,307 job cuts in February (-55% MoM; -72% YoY), a sharp pullback from January’s elevated layoffs while hiring plans rose monthly but remained significantly lower year-to-date.

• Employers announced 48,307 layoffs in February, down -55% MoM from 108,435 in January and -72% YoY from 172,017 in February 2025, indicating a sharp decline following the surge in cuts at the start of the year.

• Through the first two months of 2026, announced layoffs totaled 156,742, the fifth-highest January-February total since 2009 but still the lowest two-month total since 2022 when 34,309 cuts were recorded.

• Technology companies announced 11,039 job cuts in February and 33,330 cuts YTD, a +51% increase from 22,042 cuts in the same period last year, reflecting pressures from AI adoption, regulatory concerns, slower digital advertising, and higher funding and labor costs.

• Transportation firms have announced 31,702 job cuts so far in 2026, up +872% YoY from 3,261 in the same period last year, making it the second-largest contributor to layoffs amid rising oil costs and supply chain disruptions tied to geopolitical tensions.

• Education announced 5,417 job cuts in February and 6,209 YTD, up +96% YoY from 3,160, as school districts adjust staffing amid declining enrollment, federal funding reductions, and rising operational costs.

• Healthcare and health product companies have announced 19,228 layoffs YTD, the highest January-February total for the sector since 2021, while industrial manufacturing has cut 5,685 jobs YTD (+143% YoY).

• Closings led February layoff reasons with 10,736 cuts, followed by market and economic conditions (10,114), restructuring (9,146), and cost-cutting (5,636), while year-to-date layoffs are most frequently attributed to market conditions (38,506).

• Hiring plans increased to 12,755 in February (+140% MoM) but remained -63% YoY below February 2025, leaving announced hiring plans at 18,061 YTD, down -56% YoY from 40,669 during the same period last year.

U.S. employers announced 108,435 job cuts in January 2026 (+205% MoM; +118% YoY), marking the highest January layoff total since 2009 and the largest monthly total since October 2025.

• Transportation led layoffs with 31,243 cuts, almost entirely driven by UPS’s 30,000 job reduction following the end of its Amazon contract.

• Technology firms announced 22,291 cuts, with Amazon accounting for 16,000 as part of management restructuring efforts.

• Healthcare and health product companies posted 17,107 cuts, the highest monthly total for the sector since April 2020, reflecting rising cost pressures and lower reimbursements.

• Chemical manufacturers announced 4,701 cuts, the largest monthly figure since February 2016, largely tied to automation and AI-driven restructuring at Dow Inc.

• The main drivers of layoffs were contract losses (30,784), market and economic conditions (28,392), restructuring (20,044), and closures (12,738), highlighting multiple sources of workforce reduction.

• AI-related layoffs totaled 7,624 (7% of January cuts), while tariff-related cuts reached 294, indicating a smaller but present policy impact.

• Hiring plans fell to 5,306 in January (-49% MoM; -13% YoY), the lowest January total on record since tracking began in 2009.

U.S. employers announced 35,553 job cuts in December 2025 (-50% MoM; -8% YoY), marking the lowest monthly total in 17 months and signaling a year-end slowdown in layoff activity.

• December job cuts fell from 71,321 in November to 35,553 (-50% MoM) and were below December 2024 levels (-8% YoY), making it the fourth month in 2025 with fewer cuts than the same month a year earlier.

• For full-year 2025, employers announced 1.21M job cuts (+58% YoY), the highest annual total since 2020 and the seventh-highest year on record since tracking began in 1989.

• Fourth-quarter job cuts totaled 259,948, up +29% QoQ and +71% YoY, making it the highest Q4 total since 2008 and highlighting elevated restructuring late in the year despite December’s moderation.

• Government led all sectors in 2025 with 308,167 announced cuts (+703% YoY), largely driven by federal layoffs concentrated in Q1, with activity tapering sharply over the remainder of the year.

• Technology led private-sector layoffs with 154,445 cuts in 2025 (+15% YoY), while Warehousing (95,317; +317% YoY), Retail (92,989; +123% YoY), and Services (74,796; +68% YoY) also saw sharp increases tied to restructuring, automation, and demand shifts.

• The top reasons for layoffs in 2025 were DOGE-related actions (293,753), market and economic conditions (253,206), store or unit closings (191,480), and restructuring (133,611), while AI-related cuts totaled 54,836 for the year.

• Hiring plans showed a modest year-end improvement, with 10,496 hires announced in December (+16% MoM; +31% YoY), but total planned hires for 2025 fell to 507,647 (-34% YoY), the lowest annual level since 2010, alongside the weakest seasonal hiring on record.

U.S. employers announced 71,321 job cuts in November 2025 (+24% YoY, -53% MoM), marking the highest November total since 2022 but a sharp pullback from October’s spike.

• Year to date, employers have announced 1.17M job cuts (+54% YoY), the highest January–November total since 2020 and only the sixth time since 1993 that cuts have exceeded 1.1M by this point in the year.

• Telecommunications led November activity with 15,139 cuts, the highest for the sector since April 2020; YTD telecom cuts reached 38,035 (+268% YoY), driven largely by major provider actions.

• Technology firms announced 12,377 cuts in November, bringing the YTD total to 153,536 (+17% YoY) and keeping the sector at the top of private-sector layoffs.

• Food companies reported 6,708 cuts in November and 34,165 YTD (+26% YoY), while the Services sector saw 5,509 cuts (+64% YoY YTD), reflecting rising pressure across operational support industries.

• Retailers announced 3,290 cuts in November and 91,954 YTD (+139% YoY), tied to softening demand, tariff uncertainty, and shifting consumer behavior.

• Non-profits announced 28,696 cuts YTD (+409% YoY) amid funding reductions, higher costs, and lower donations; Media cuts rose to 17,163 YTD (+18% YoY), though News-specific layoffs fell -50% YoY.

• Restructuring was the top reason for November layoffs (20,217), followed by closings (17,140), economic conditions (15,755), and AI-related adjustments (6,280); DOGE-related impacts remained the largest YTD driver, cited in 293,753 planned layoffs.

• Planned hiring totaled 497,151 YTD (-35% YoY), the lowest since 2010, with 372,520 seasonal hires—the smallest seasonal tally since tracking began in 2012—highlighting weak labor-demand momentum heading into year end.

U.S. employers announced 153,074 job cuts in October 2025 (+183% MoM, +175% YoY), marking the highest October total since 2003 and signaling intensified layoffs tied to cost-cutting, AI adoption, and weaker demand.

• YTD layoffs reached 1.10M (+65% YoY), already surpassing 2024’s full-year total by +44%, and marking the highest January–October total since 2020.

• Technology led with 33,281 cuts in October (up sharply from 5,639 in September), bringing the YTD total to 141,159 (+17% YoY), reflecting restructuring tied to AI and efficiency initiatives.

• Warehousing announced 47,878 cuts, up from 984 in September, with the YTD total surging to 90,418 (+378% YoY) amid automation-driven overcapacity adjustments.

• Retail job cuts totaled 2,431 (down slightly MoM), but YTD layoffs rose to 88,664 (+145% YoY) as firms continued to trim costs and adapt to shifting consumer spending.

• Consumer Products layoffs increased to 3,409 (+72% MoM), with 41,033 YTD (+21% YoY), reflecting output adjustments to softer demand.

• Cost-cutting was the top layoff reason in October (50,437 cuts), followed by AI-related restructuring (31,039) and economic conditions (21,104).

• Planned hiring fell to 488,077 YTD (-35% YoY), the lowest January–October total since 2011, including just 372,520 seasonal hires, also a record low for the series.

• Challenger noted that layoffs announced late in the year are unusual, with October marking the highest single-month Q4 total since 2008, underscoring the current wave of corporate belt-tightening.

U.S. employers announced 54,064 job cuts in September 2025, down -37% MoM and -26% YoY, making it one of only three months this year where cuts were lower than the prior year, though YTD layoffs remain the highest since 2020.

• Q3 job cuts totaled 202,118, the highest for any third quarter since 2020, up +16% YoY but -18% from Q2 2025.

• YTD cuts reached 946,426, up +55% YoY and already +24% above the full-year 2024 total, the fifth-highest January–September total in 36 years.

• The government sector accounted for 299,755 cuts YTD, largely from federal workforce reductions tied to DOGE, though 5,656 rescinded layoffs were tracked in September.

• Technology firms announced 107,878 cuts YTD (-8% YoY), with 17,375 explicitly attributed to artificial intelligence, including 7,000 in September alone.

• Retail layoffs surged to 86,233 YTD (+203% YoY), reflecting sector caution ahead of the holiday hiring season.

• Media job cuts rose to 14,060 YTD (+9% YoY), though news industry layoffs fell sharply (-49% YoY).

• Regionally, the East posted the largest increase (+193% YoY), led by Washington D.C. (+759% YoY), while the South saw +29% YoY growth, the West dipped -2%, and the Midwest was flat.

• Employers announced only 204,939 hiring plans YTD (-58% YoY), the lowest January–September total since 2009, with seasonal hiring especially weak.