The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers reported 1 WARN Act notices in May 2026, Week 2, displacing an estimated 58 workers. Filings came from 1 states and territories, with an average of 58 workers per notice.
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | 1 | 58 |
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saks Fifth Avenue | East Rutherford, New Jersey | 58 |
The most significant filing came from Saks Fifth Avenue in East Rutherford, New Jersey, reporting 58 affected workers.
Week two of May 2026 delivered the quietest WARN filing period in recent memory, with just Saks Fifth Avenue triggering the lone notice affecting 58 workers in East Rutherford, New Jersey. This 99% year-over-year decline from 141 notices and 10,605 workers signals either a labor market that has reached remarkable equilibrium—or the eerie calm before broader restructuring waves hit luxury retail.
The Saks layoff, while modest in scale, arrives at a pivotal moment for high-end retail. Department stores have spent the past three years navigating the post-pandemic luxury consumption shift, where affluent consumers increasingly favor experiential spending over goods. The East Rutherford facility, likely a distribution or corporate function, suggests operational streamlining rather than store-level cuts—a pattern consistent with luxury retailers' push toward direct-to-consumer fulfillment models.
This week's numbers reflect a labor market that has largely completed its post-2024 adjustment cycle. The dramatic 93% week-over-week decline follows similar patterns across April 2026, suggesting companies have moved beyond reactive cost-cutting toward steady-state operations. For displaced workers, this environment presents both opportunity and challenge: while new WARN filings have slowed, the competition for positions from previous waves of layoffs remains intense.
The geographic concentration in New Jersey, traditionally a logistics and corporate hub, hints at continued optimization in supply chain operations. Companies are fine-tuning rather than slashing, a sign that the restructuring phase may be giving way to a more stable, if leaner, employment landscape. The luxury sector's resilience will be tested as consumer spending patterns solidify in the months ahead.
This report covers WARN Act filings for Week 2 of May 2026. View the full May 2026 report or download the full dataset.
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