Planned layoffs announced by U.S. employers continued to contract sharply, with Challenger Job Cuts down 78.0% year-over-year as of the data updated on 2 April 2026. The latest reading marks an even steeper annual decline than the previous figure, which showed a 71.9% drop compared with the same month a year earlier.
The Challenger Job Cuts indicator tracks announced workforce reductions, and the year-over-year comparison highlights how much lower current layoff plans are relative to last year. The move from a 71.9% decline to a 78.0% decline suggests that employers have further scaled back planned job cuts compared with the already subdued levels seen in the prior month, signaling a continued easing in layoff pressures across the U.S. labor market.
