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January Sees Record Job Cuts, Highest Since 2009 Amid Economic Concerns

KVIA••CNN Newsource
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January 2026 marked a significant downturn in employment, with US employers announcing 108,435 job cuts, the highest for the month since 2009. This figure represents a threefold increase from December and more than double the layoffs reported in January 2025. Major contributors to these layoffs include Amazon and UPS, responsible for 46,000 job cuts combined. The report highlights that the majority of layoffs were concentrated in transportation, technology, healthcare, and financial sectors, reflecting broader economic uncertainties. Additionally, hiring plans plummeted to a record low of just 5,306 positions, indicating a bleak outlook for the labor market in the coming months.

Key Details: • 108,435 job cuts announced in January 2026, highest since 2009. • Amazon and UPS account for 46,000 of the cuts. • Hiring plans fell to 5,306, the lowest ever for January. • Major reasons for layoffs include contract loss and economic conditions.

economy business job-cuts employment layoffs

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