Hawaii Layoffs — January 2026
Employers in Hawaii logged 4 WARN Act notices in January 2026, involving roughly 522 workers — climbing above December and up 284% versus January 2025. The average filing covered 130 workers, with 4 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Retail | 2 | 366 |
| Manufacturing | 1 | 136 |
| Accommodation & Food | 1 | 20 |
The Retail sector dominated layoff filings with 366 workers across 2 notices. Meanwhile, Manufacturing reported 136 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Honolulu | 2 | 366 |
| Kauai | 1 | 136 |
| Maui | 1 | 20 |
Honolulu was the epicenter of layoff activity, accounting for 70% of all affected workers with 366 workers across 2 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Honolulu | 2 | 366 |
| Kalaheo | 1 | 136 |
| Wailea | 1 | 20 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 4 | 522 |
The high proportion of closures (100% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in Hawaii's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DFS Group L.P. ("DFS") | Honolulu | 183 | Closure | |
| DFS Group L.P. ("DFS") Update | Honolulu | 183 | Closure | |
| Kauai Coffee | Kalaheo | 136 | Closure | |
| Wolfgang’s Steakhouse | Wailea | 20 | Closure |
The biggest impact was at DFS Group L.P. ("DFS") at its Honolulu facility, reporting 183 affected workers. DFS Group L.P. ("DFS") Update followed with 183 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This marks the third consecutive month of rising layoff activity.
This data points to mounting pressure on the Hawaii labor market, with activity running above both recent and year-ago benchmarks. The Retail sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This analysis is based on official WARN Act filings reported by Hawaii. The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act requires employers with 100+ employees to provide 60-day advance notice of mass layoffs and plant closings. Data is updated daily by WARN Firehose. View all Hawaii WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.