Jan 2026 Layoffs Surge to 108K; California Cuts Drop 27% to 8.3K

U.S. employers announced 108,435 job cuts in January 2026, the highest monthly total since 2009, versus 49,795 in January 2025. January hiring plans fell to 5,306, the lowest since 2009 tracking began. January 2026 marked the highest number of announced layoffs for the month on record. California's job cuts in January 2026 totaled 8,286, down 27% from January 2025. Major cuts included 30,000 by UPS and 16,000 by Amazon, with declines across tech, entertainment and logistics. National unemployment stood at 4.4% in December 2025, down 0.1 from November, while the labor force grew at a 4.4% annual rate in Q3 2025. State-by-state, Georgia led with 31,415 announced layoffs, followed by Michigan and Washington above 19,000. California trailed in fourth place. Tariffs, inflation and ongoing economic uncertainty are cited as factors behind the cuts.