California Layoffs — May 2026
Employers in California reported 6 WARN Act notices in May 2026, displacing an estimated 316 workers — signaling a deceleration from April and down 99% versus May 2025. The average filing covered 53 workers, with 0 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation & Food | 1 | 56 |
| Retail | 2 | 27 |
The Accommodation & Food sector topped the list of affected industries with 56 workers across 1 notice. Notably, Retail reported 27 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Fresno | 1 | 170 |
| Orange | 1 | 56 |
| San Francisco | 1 | 53 |
| Kings | 1 | 14 |
| Los Angeles | 1 | 13 |
Fresno felt the sharpest impact, accounting for 54% of all affected workers with 170 workers across 1 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Bernardino | 1 | 170 |
| Westminster | 1 | 56 |
| San Francisco | 1 | 53 |
| Hanford | 1 | 14 |
| Los Angeles | 1 | 13 |
Layoff Type Analysis
Layoff type classification was not available for filings in California this month.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Student | San Bernardino | 170 | ||
| FM Restaurants HQ | Westminster | 56 | ||
| Zenlen Inc. (Native) | San Francisco | 53 | ||
| Five Guys Operations - Store No. 1795 | Hanford | 14 | ||
| Five Guys Operations - Store No. 1323 | Los Angeles | 13 | ||
| Eclipse Advantage | Ontario | 10 |
The most significant filing came from First Student at its San Bernardino facility, reporting 170 affected workers. FM Restaurants HQ followed with 56 workers.
Trend & Outlook
The numbers illustrate a easing in workforce disruptions across California, with filings falling below both recent and year-ago levels. The Accommodation & Food sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This analysis is based on official WARN Act filings reported by California. 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 California WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.