US-based employers announced 43,281 job cuts in September 2026, down from 52,881 in August and 54,064 a year earlier. This is the lowest September total since 2022. The technology sector reported the largest number of cuts (10,799), followed by the food sector (7,326) and services (3,306).
“Companies are in a wait-and-see period right now. Employers are facing high energy costs, an uncertain war in Iran, a rate hike that could make hiring more expensive, plus the likelihood of surging healthcare costs. We’ve seen layoff activity subside over this year, and September continues to illustrate this point,” said Andy Challenger of Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
Layoff plans in the third quarter totaled 129,591, a 43% decline from the 226,242 planned cuts in Q2 2026. Through September, employers have announced 573,195 job cuts, down 39% from the 946,426 cuts recorded in the first nine months of 2025. The technology sector led all industries with 165,925 cuts over this period.
