US Layoffs — August 2026, Week 1
The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers submitted 72 WARN Act notices in August 2026, Week 1, putting at risk an estimated 7,970 workers. Filings came from 22 states and territories, with an average of 111 workers per notice.
72
Total Notices
7,970
Workers Affected
22
States Reporting
111
Avg per Notice
Labor Market Snapshot — United States (DOL/BLS)
4.2%
Unemployment
(September 2026)
178,989
Initial Claims
(2026-10-17 wk)
159044K
Nonfarm Payrolls
(September 2026)
1641K
JOLTS Layoffs
(September 2026)
Top States
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Georgia | 3 | 1,063 |
| New Jersey | 9 | 866 |
| Illinois | 5 | 837 |
| California | 11 | 773 |
| Ohio | 3 | 699 |
| New York | 2 | 606 |
| Texas | 4 | 530 |
| Tennessee | 3 | 437 |
| Massachusetts | 3 | 396 |
| Washington | 4 | 257 |
| Colorado | 3 | 213 |
| South Carolina | 2 | 206 |
| Oregon | 2 | 191 |
| Arizona | 3 | 176 |
| Alabama | 3 | 154 |
| Maryland | 3 | 132 |
| Kentucky | 1 | 127 |
| Maine | 1 | 102 |
| Wisconsin | 3 | 94 |
| Florida | 1 | 80 |
| Iowa | 2 | 30 |
| Minnesota | 1 | 1 |
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Wholesale Trade | 7 | 1,128 |
| Healthcare | 6 | 1,103 |
| Agriculture | 8 | 816 |
| Manufacturing | 6 | 411 |
| Information & Technology | 5 | 406 |
| Admin & Support Services | 3 | 259 |
| Transportation | 2 | 212 |
| Finance & Insurance | 4 | 179 |
The Wholesale Trade sector emerged as the hardest-hit sector with 1,128 workers across 7 notices. Separately, Healthcare reported 1,103 workers.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wellstar Health System | Marietta, Georgia | 761 | |
| Essendant | Lincolnshire, Illinois | 510 | Closure |
| SDH Services West | Cincinnati, Ohio | 488 | Closure |
| Sky Chefs | Jamaica, New York | 471 | Layoff |
| USA, Inc DBA Hello Fresh | Swedesboro, New Jersey | 374 | |
| TikTok USDS JV | Nashville, Tennessee | 250 | |
| Blueprint Medicines Corporation (aka Sanofi Company Blueprint) | Cambridge, Massachusetts | 229 | |
| Essendant | Atlanta, Georgia | 192 | |
| Enablx, Inc. Rockaway | New Jersey | 187 | |
| 80 Acres Farms | San Antonio, Texas | 166 |
Topping the list was Wellstar Health System in Marietta, Georgia, reporting 761 affected workers. Essendant followed with 510 workers.
This report covers WARN Act filings for Week 1 of August 2026. View the full August 2026 report or download the full dataset.