US EditionLayoffs hit their worst January levels since 2009, Challenger says
U.S. firms announced 108,435 layoffs in January 2026, a 118% increase year-over-year, driven by major cuts in transportation and technology sectors, while hiring hit a 17-year low.
- Thursday, outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas reported U.S. employers announced 108,435 layoffs for January, the highest since 2009, while new hires fell to 5,306.
- Amazon, UPS and Dow Inc. announced sizeable job cuts recently, with UPS planning over 30,000 cuts in transportation and Amazon shedding 16,000 corporate jobs in technology.
- Challenger said `generally, we see a high number of job cuts in the first quarter, but this is a high total for January`, highlighting concerns over layoffs not reflected in official data.
- WARN filings show more than 100 companies issued layoff notices in January, while planned hiring dropped 13% year-over-year and 49% from December, signaling weaker employers' 2026 outlook.
- Compared with 2009, the January total was the highest since January 2009 during the 2009 crisis recession, but Challenger data volatility complicates alignment with official statistics.
65 Articles
65 Articles
Layoffs in January were the highest in US since 2009: Challenger
According to outplacement firm Challenger Gray & Christmas, US employers announced the highest layoffs and the lowest new hires for January since 2009, marking a stark signal of shifting sentiment in the U.S. labor market as 2026 begins.“Generally,
Bitcoin Could Bounce From 50% Crash — Here's What Record Layoffs Just Changed
Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) surged 6% as U.S. planned layoffs more than tripled in January to their highest level since 2009, raising hopes the Federal Reserve will cut rates to support the economy and put a floor under risk assets down nearly 50% from highs. The Layoff Surge U.S. companies announced plans to cut 108,435 jobs in January — a 205% surge from the prior month and a 17-year high, according to outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.…
Layoffs by US firms tripled in January, as mass job cuts accelerate to Great Recession levels
The wave of layoffs is part of a global jobs bloodbath, driven by a ruthless global search for new sources of profit to sustain uncontrollable levels of debt and financial bubbles on which the wealth of the oligarchy rests.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 45% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
