Mass layoffs will be a reality for thousands of U.S. workers heading into September, even as the broader labor market continues to show signs of resilience. Data from public Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) filings, which employers must submit ahead of major layoffs or plant closures, show a range of companies planning workforce reductions that will take effect in September. These WARN notices are often among the earliest indicators of upcoming job cuts because employers can file them weeks before workers are separated.
Layoffs provide larger insight into the health of the economy and specific industries. Currently, the U.S. economy is thought to be experiencing a cooling rather than collapsing jobs market. The national unemployment rate stood at 4.1 percent in July, little changed from a year earlier, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Meanwhile, Indeed Hiring Lab reported that overall job postings remain slightly above pre-pandemic levels, although hiring demand has softened compared with the post-COVID boom years. Among WARN notices listed with September effective dates are: Because WARN notices are updated continuously and employers may amend or rescind filings, the September totals are likely to change as additional notices are submitted in the coming days and weeks. Several other large employers have also appeared prominently in 2026 WARN filings overall, including Amazon, Meta, Verizon, Oracle, Tyson Foods, and Spirit Airlines.
LayoffAlert.org reported that, through August 25, 2026, it had tracked 3,191 WARN notices affecting 284,035 employees across 44 states. By the same point in 2025, the organization reported tracking 3,356 notices affecting 301,352 employees. Another tracker, WARNact.io, reported approximately 163,273 workers affected by WARN filings year-to-date in 2026 compared with 261,814 in 2025.
So while large-scale layoffs remain elevated compared with the exceptionally strong labor market of the early post-pandemic period, they do not show a clear nationwide surge since the Trump administration's return to office. However, layoffs continue across technology, manufacturing, retail, and healthcare. Generally, layoffs are influenced by various factors including interest rates, corporate earnings, and automation.
Supply chains and sector-specific issues play a role, often more so than presidential policy alone. WARN filings and federal labor data point to several sectors facing continued pressure: Federal Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) data showed the highest layoff rates in June in arts and entertainment, professional and business services, accommodation and food services and construction and information-related industries. Still, Andy Challenger, a workplace expert and chief revenue officer for Challenger, Gray & Christmas, said the pace of layoffs fell dramatically this summer.
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