US Layoffs — August 2026
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers filed 315 WARN Act notices in August 2026, impacting roughly 26,999 workers — representing a pullback from July and down 9% versus August 2025. Filings came from 36 states and territories, with an average of 86 workers per notice.
Weekly Reports
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | 130 | 5,168 |
| Illinois | 10 | 3,683 |
| Washington | 16 | 2,352 |
| Georgia | 13 | 2,320 |
| New York | 11 | 1,323 |
| Massachusetts | 10 | 1,321 |
| Texas | 10 | 1,036 |
| South Carolina | 8 | 957 |
| Maryland | 12 | 872 |
| Ohio | 5 | 868 |
| New Jersey | 9 | 866 |
| Florida | 7 | 728 |
| Utah | 1 | 723 |
| Virginia | 5 | 696 |
| Tennessee | 5 | 629 |
| Oregon | 5 | 426 |
| Colorado | 6 | 394 |
| Arizona | 6 | 364 |
| Alabama | 6 | 357 |
| Wisconsin | 6 | 309 |
| Indiana | 2 | 223 |
| West Virginia | 1 | 200 |
| Iowa | 9 | 174 |
| Michigan | 1 | 156 |
| District of Columbia | 2 | 141 |
| Kentucky | 2 | 128 |
| Idaho | 1 | 106 |
| Delaware | 1 | 106 |
| Maine | 1 | 102 |
| Nebraska | 1 | 91 |
| North Carolina | 1 | 73 |
| Missouri | 1 | 61 |
| Minnesota | 8 | 44 |
| South Dakota | 1 | 2 |
| Oklahoma | 1 | 0 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | 0 |
California led the nation with 5,168 workers affected across 130 notices , followed by Illinois (3,683 workers) and Washington (2,352 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 32 | 6,035 |
| Healthcare | 36 | 4,100 |
| Wholesale Trade | 14 | 2,411 |
| Professional Services | 20 | 1,022 |
| Transportation | 10 | 950 |
| Agriculture | 11 | 939 |
| Accommodation & Food | 11 | 817 |
| Admin & Support Services | 26 | 747 |
| Information & Technology | 9 | 707 |
| Retail | 7 | 617 |
The Manufacturing sector led the way in workforce reductions with 6,035 workers across 32 notices. In a parallel development, Healthcare reported 4,100 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Layoff | 173 | 9,129 |
| Closure | 56 | 8,191 |
| Temporary Closure | 3 | 758 |
| Temporary Layoff | 2 | 211 |
Closures accounted for 33% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tyson Foods | Hillsdale, Illinois | 2,495 | Closure |
| Borton & Sons | Yakima, Washington | 928 | Layoff |
| Wellstar Health System | Marietta, Georgia | 761 | |
| 24Hr Homecare | Los Angeles, California | 738 | Layoff |
| Tyson Fresh Meats | Eagle Mountain, Utah | 723 | |
| Community Healthlink, Inc. (aka CHL) | Worcester and Leominster, Massachusetts | 639 | |
| Crothall Healthcare | Richmond, Virginia | 545 | Closure |
| Essendant | Lincolnshire, Illinois | 510 | Closure |
| SDH Services West | Cincinnati, Ohio | 488 | Closure |
| Sky Chefs | Jamaica, New York | 471 | Layoff |
The single largest action involved Tyson Foods in Hillsdale, Illinois, reporting 2,495 affected workers. Borton & Sons followed with 928 workers.
Trend & Outlook
The data underscores a easing in workforce disruptions across the nation, with filings falling below both recent and year-ago levels. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in August 2026. The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act requires employers with 100+ employees to provide 60-day advance notice of mass layoffs and plant closings. Data is sourced from official state filings and updated daily by LaborCurrent, which also tracks SEC 8-K filings, bankruptcy proceedings, H-1B visa petitions, and unemployment claims across all six datasets. API access and data exports available.