US Layoffs — October 2026
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers reported 278 WARN Act notices in October 2026, displacing an estimated 29,621 workers — signaling a deceleration from September and down 49% versus October 2025. Filings came from 35 states and territories, with an average of 107 workers per notice.
Weekly Reports
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | 97 | 9,801 |
| Louisiana | 3 | 5,441 |
| Washington | 14 | 2,084 |
| Illinois | 9 | 1,442 |
| Maryland | 15 | 1,435 |
| Virginia | 10 | 886 |
| Florida | 12 | 875 |
| New Mexico | 2 | 681 |
| New Jersey | 13 | 668 |
| North Carolina | 8 | 621 |
| Ohio | 8 | 552 |
| Alabama | 5 | 472 |
| Wisconsin | 7 | 430 |
| Kentucky | 7 | 405 |
| Oregon | 5 | 381 |
| Iowa | 9 | 381 |
| Georgia | 6 | 372 |
| Indiana | 3 | 318 |
| Tennessee | 3 | 302 |
| Minnesota | 4 | 282 |
| Connecticut | 5 | 264 |
| Pennsylvania | 1 | 251 |
| Texas | 7 | 234 |
| Colorado | 4 | 197 |
| Massachusetts | 3 | 177 |
| Delaware | 1 | 145 |
| Missouri | 3 | 128 |
| Arizona | 4 | 123 |
| South Carolina | 3 | 91 |
| New York | 2 | 82 |
| Vermont | 1 | 66 |
| Maine | 1 | 23 |
| Utah | 1 | 8 |
| Kansas | 1 | 3 |
| Oklahoma | 1 | 0 |
California led the nation with 9,801 workers affected across 97 notices , followed by Louisiana (5,441 workers) and Washington (2,084 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 31 | 3,228 |
| Healthcare | 25 | 1,547 |
| Information & Technology | 7 | 1,003 |
| Accommodation & Food | 8 | 596 |
| Utilities | 4 | 523 |
| Professional Services | 10 | 466 |
| Agriculture | 6 | 459 |
| Finance & Insurance | 8 | 436 |
| Transportation | 4 | 332 |
| Arts & Entertainment | 2 | 211 |
The Manufacturing sector topped the list of affected industries with 3,228 workers across 31 notices. Notably, Healthcare reported 1,547 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Layoff | 129 | 11,435 |
| Closure | 72 | 4,920 |
| Temporary Closure | 8 | 2,470 |
| Temporary Layoff | 4 | 1,071 |
Closures accounted for 25% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sodexo, SDH Services East | Louisiana | 4,801 | |
| AEG Management Oakland | California | 1,605 | Layoff |
| 24Hr Homecare | Los Angeles, California | 875 | Layoff |
| Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream | Laurel, Maryland | 803 | Temporary Layoff |
| Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream | Bakersfield, California | 715 | Temporary Closure |
| UNM Medical Group | New Mexico | 678 | |
| The Allstaff Group | Gurnee, Illinois | 659 | Layoff |
| Denka Performance Elastomer | LaPlace, Louisiana | 560 | |
| Fender Musical Instruments | Corona, California | 533 | Temporary Closure |
| Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream | Bakersfield, California | 448 | Temporary Closure |
The most significant filing came from Sodexo, SDH Services East in Louisiana, reporting 4,801 affected workers. AEG Management Oakland followed with 1,605 workers.
Trend & Outlook
The numbers illustrate 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 October 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.