US Layoffs — August 2026, Week 1
The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers submitted 55 WARN Act notices in August 2026, Week 1, putting at risk an estimated 4,875 workers. Filings came from 15 states and territories, with an average of 89 workers per notice.
55
Total Notices
4,875
Workers Affected
15
States Reporting
89
Avg per Notice
Labor Market Snapshot — United States (DOL/BLS)
4.1%
Unemployment
(August 2026)
175,155
Initial Claims
(2026-08-29 wk)
159075K
Nonfarm Payrolls
(August 2026)
1666K
JOLTS Layoffs
(July 2026)
Top States
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | 9 | 866 |
| Illinois | 4 | 773 |
| California | 11 | 773 |
| Texas | 4 | 530 |
| Tennessee | 3 | 437 |
| Massachusetts | 3 | 396 |
| Washington | 4 | 257 |
| Colorado | 3 | 213 |
| South Carolina | 2 | 206 |
| Maryland | 3 | 132 |
| Wisconsin | 3 | 94 |
| Alabama | 2 | 88 |
| Florida | 1 | 80 |
| Iowa | 2 | 30 |
| Maine | 1 | 0 |
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Wholesale Trade | 5 | 883 |
| Agriculture | 5 | 434 |
| Manufacturing | 5 | 388 |
| Information & Technology | 3 | 244 |
| Transportation | 1 | 162 |
| Finance & Insurance | 3 | 116 |
| Retail | 1 | 101 |
| Professional Services | 3 | 84 |
The Wholesale Trade sector emerged as the hardest-hit sector with 883 workers across 5 notices. Separately, Agriculture reported 434 workers.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essendant | Lincolnshire, Illinois | 510 | Closure |
| 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 | |
| Enablx, Inc. Rockaway | New Jersey | 187 | |
| 80 Acres Farms | San Antonio, Texas | 166 | |
| National Express Transit Corp. (dba Kiessling of Attleboro) | Taunton and Wareham, Massachusetts | 162 | |
| NR ParentCO dba Native Roots | Colorado | 141 | |
| LAZ Parking California (9610 Sky Way) | San Diego, California | 139 | |
| Essendant | Irving, Texas | 136 |
Topping the list was Essendant in Lincolnshire, Illinois, reporting 510 affected workers. USA, Inc DBA Hello Fresh followed with 374 workers.
This report covers WARN Act filings for Week 1 of August 2026. View the full August 2026 report or download the full dataset.