US Layoffs — May 2026
The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers logged 242 WARN Act notices in May 2026, involving roughly 28,823 workers — climbing above April and down 52% versus May 2025. Filings came from 22 states and territories, with an average of 119 workers per notice.
Weekly Reports
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | 111 | 9,230 |
| Florida | 11 | 4,578 |
| South Carolina | 7 | 2,853 |
| Washington | 12 | 2,538 |
| New Jersey | 31 | 1,631 |
| Virginia | 8 | 1,456 |
| Nevada | 2 | 1,343 |
| Texas | 6 | 1,322 |
| Massachusetts | 11 | 792 |
| Tennessee | 6 | 646 |
| Nebraska | 2 | 538 |
| Pennsylvania | 3 | 509 |
| Wisconsin | 9 | 310 |
| Missouri | 2 | 289 |
| Connecticut | 3 | 284 |
| Kansas | 1 | 151 |
| Iowa | 4 | 91 |
| Oregon | 1 | 83 |
| Minnesota | 9 | 73 |
| South Dakota | 1 | 53 |
| Michigan | 1 | 32 |
| Indiana | 1 | 21 |
California led the nation with 9,230 workers affected across 111 notices , followed by Florida (4,578 workers) and South Carolina (2,853 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation | 18 | 6,143 |
| Manufacturing | 23 | 3,691 |
| Mining & Energy | 1 | 999 |
| Accommodation & Food | 15 | 843 |
| Healthcare | 12 | 771 |
| Information & Technology | 9 | 486 |
| Professional Services | 5 | 472 |
| Education | 14 | 433 |
| Finance & Insurance | 15 | 379 |
| Admin & Support Services | 4 | 371 |
The Transportation sector dominated layoff filings with 6,143 workers across 18 notices. Meanwhile, Manufacturing reported 3,691 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Layoff | 18 | 5,909 |
| Closure | 29 | 2,640 |
Closures accounted for 9% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spirit Airlines | Fort Lauderdale, Florida | 2,529 | |
| Meta | Menlo Park, California | 2,212 | |
| Meta | King County, Washington | 1,395 | Layoff |
| Electrolux Consumer Products | Anderson, South Carolina | 1,255 | Layoff |
| Electrolux Consumer Products | Anderson, South Carolina | 1,139 | Layoff |
| Las Vegas/RenoClark/Washoe | Clark, Nevada | 999 | |
| Spirit Airlines | Orlando, Florida | 796 | |
| Ideal US Talent Worker OpCo LLC3311 East Old Shakopee RoadBloomington, MN 55425 | Virginia | 776 | Layoff |
| TeamOne | Perris, California | 725 | |
| KBR Services | Ontario, California | 650 |
The biggest impact was at Spirit Airlines in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, reporting 2,529 affected workers. Meta followed with 2,212 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
This data points to a mixed picture for the nation's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Transportation sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in May 2026. The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act requires employers with 100+ employees to provide 60-day advance notice of mass layoffs and plant closings. Data is sourced from official state filings and updated daily by WARN Firehose, which also tracks SEC 8-K filings, bankruptcy proceedings, H-1B visa petitions, and unemployment claims across all six datasets. API access and data exports available.