How many people are laid off in the each month?

Updated monthly
About 1.63 million in January 2026. This includes all terminations of employment by an employer — called layoffs and discharges — such as permanent layoffs, temporary layoffs, and terminations because of mergers, downsizing, closings, or employee performance.

1.63M

people were laid off or discharged in January 2026

1.63M

layoffs and discharges in 2026 so far
Layoffs are a constant in the US labor market — from 2001 to 2019, there were more than 20 million a year. Increases in layoffs often reflect recessions or other economic disruption. For example, March and April 2020 saw record-setting layoffs and discharges because of COVID-19. So far in 2026 (January through January), layoffs and discharges total 1.63 million, which is 6.2% lower than the same period in 2025.

Layoffs were 6.2% lower by January 2026 than by January 2025.

Cumulative monthly layoffs and discharges, seasonally adjusted

What is the layoff and discharge rate?

Another way to consider this data is to look at the layoff and discharge rate. This puts layoffs in the context of the total number of people working and shows the percentage of employed people laid off during the given time period. This rate allows for better comparisons across time, industries, and places by adjusting for differences in the size of the working population.
In January 2026, 1% of employed people were laid off or discharged. This was lower than the average over the previous 12 months (1.1%).

The monthly layoff and discharge rate was 1% in January 2026.

Monthly (seasonally adjusted) and 12-month rolling average layoff and discharge rates, December 2000–January 2026

A 12-month rolling average smooths out short-term fluctuations and clarifies long-term trends. Aside from a recession-related uptick in 2008 and 2009, the 12-month rolling average layoff rate trended downward from 1.6% in 2001 to 1.2% immediately prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. It reached a record high of 2.4% in 2020 from pandemic-related layoffs before falling to a record low 0.9% in 2021 and 2022. The rate was 1.1% for January–December 2025.

What industries have the highest and lowest layoff rates?

The layoff and discharge rate varies across industries, which experience different economic pressures and are dependent on different types of workers or technologies. In January 2026, the rate was highest in the construction industry (2%) and was lowest in government (0.3%).

The layoff and discharge rate was highest in the Construction in January 2026.

January 2026 (seasonally adjusted) and January 2023–December 2025 average average layoff and discharge rates, by industry

The January 2026 layoff and discharge rates in construction; government; mining and logging; other services; professional and business services; retail trade; and wholesale trade industries were all lower than the three-year average (January 2023–December 2025) in each. Rates exceeded the 3-year average in the financial activities; information; and transportation, warehousing, and utilities industries.

What states have the highest and lowest layoff rates?

Layoffs and discharges also differ across states for many reasons, including the economic vitality and the industry profile of the region. In December 2025, rates ranged from 0.7% in Washington, DC to 2.1% in Idaho.

The December 2025 layoff and discharge rate was highest in Idaho.

Seasonally adjusted layoff and discharge rate, December 2025

Job Openings
In January 2026, the job openings rate was highest in Leisure and hospitality.
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Layoff and discharge rate, by state (December 2025)

Layoff and discharge rate, by state (December 2025)
1.

Idaho 

2.1%
2.

Alaska 

1.8%
3.

Indiana 

1.6%
4.

New Hampshire

1.6%
5.

Vermont 

1.6%
6.

Montana 

1.5%
7.

Maine 

1.4%
8.

Michigan 

1.4%
9.

Rhode Island

1.4%
10.

Wyoming 

1.4%

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Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.