US Layoffs — September 2026
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers submitted 22 WARN Act notices in September 2026, putting at risk an estimated 2,886 workers — down from August and down 93% versus September 2025. Filings came from 12 states and territories, with an average of 131 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | 5 | 1,091 |
| Illinois | 3 | 535 |
| California | 4 | 462 |
| South Carolina | 1 | 205 |
| Texas | 1 | 150 |
| Indiana | 1 | 150 |
| Tennessee | 1 | 127 |
| Massachusetts | 1 | 96 |
| Missouri | 2 | 56 |
| Minnesota | 1 | 6 |
| Iowa | 1 | 5 |
| New Jersey | 1 | 3 |
Washington led the nation with 1,091 workers affected across 5 notices , followed by Illinois (535 workers) and California (462 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture | 2 | 524 |
| Information & Technology | 2 | 456 |
| Transportation | 1 | 205 |
| Manufacturing | 3 | 186 |
| Education | 1 | 178 |
| Wholesale Trade | 1 | 109 |
| Other | 1 | 53 |
| Finance & Insurance | 1 | 5 |
The Agriculture sector emerged as the hardest-hit sector with 524 workers across 2 notices. Separately, Information & Technology reported 456 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Layoff | 7 | 1,602 |
| Closure | 4 | 285 |
Closures accounted for 10% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gilbert Orchards | Yakima, Washington | 518 | Layoff |
| Uber Technologies | Chicago, Illinois | 363 | Layoff |
| Sundquist Fruit | Washington | 243 | Layoff |
| DP World | Spartanburg, South Carolina | 205 | Layoff |
| Foundation for California Community Colleges | Sacramento, California | 178 | |
| Renewal by Andersen | Los Angeles, California | 153 | |
| Louisiana-Pacific | Jasper, Texas | 150 | |
| PMG Indiana | Columbus, Indiana | 150 | |
| Kilgore Flares | Grand Junction, Tennessee | 127 | |
| Georgia-Pacific Gypsum | Tacoma, Washington | 120 | Closure |
Topping the list was Gilbert Orchards in Yakima, Washington, reporting 518 affected workers. Uber Technologies followed with 363 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This is the third consecutive month of declining layoff activity.
These figures highlight a easing in workforce disruptions across the nation, with filings falling below both recent and year-ago levels. The Agriculture sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in September 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 WARN Firehose, 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.