How many people are laid off in the United States each month?
Data updated December 4, 2024
About 1.6 million in October 2024. 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.
Showing data for
1.6M
people were laid off or discharged in October 2024
16.4M
layoffs and discharges in 2024 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 2024 (January through October), layoffs and discharges total 16.4 million, which is 0.2% lower than the same period in 2023.
Layoffs were 0.2% lower by October 2024 than by October 2023.
Cumulative monthly layoffs and discharges, seasonally adjusted
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.
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In October 2024, 1.0% of employed people were laid off or discharged. This was the same as the average over the previous 12 months (1.0%).
The monthly layoff and discharge rate was 1.0% in October 2024.
Monthly (seasonally adjusted) and 12-month rolling average layoff and discharge rates, Dec. 2000–Oct. 2024
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 had downward from 1.6% at the start of 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 2023.
The layoff and discharge rate varies across industries, which experience different economic pressures and are dependent on different types of workers or technologies. In October 2024, the rate was highest in the professional services industry (2.1%) and was lowest in government (0.4%).
The layoff and discharge rate was highest in the Professional services industry in October 2024.
Oct. 2024 (seasonally adjusted) and Oct. 2021–Sep. 2024 average layoff and discharge rates, by industry
The October 2024 layoff and discharge rates in information, wholesale trade, construction, leisure/hospitality, and manufacturing industries were all lower than the three-year average (October 2021–September 2024) in each. Rates exceeded the 3-year average in the education/health services, government, professional services, retail trade, other services, financial activities, mining/logging, and transportation/utilities industries.
Layoffs and discharges also differ across states for many reasons, including the economic vitality and the industry profile of the region. In October 2024, rates ranged from 0.8% in California and the District of Columbia to 1.9% in Idaho, Montana, and New Jersey.
The September 2024 layoff and discharge rate was highest in Idaho.
Seasonally adjusted layoff and discharge rate, September 2024
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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.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics
Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey
