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U.S.-based employers announced 43,281 job cuts in September 2026, the lowest September total since 2022, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas. The figure was 20% below the 54,064 announced in September 2025. These are announced plans, not a count of workers who actually left jobs that month.

How many job cuts were announced in September 2026?

Challenger, Gray & Christmas counted 43,281 announced job cuts by U.S.-based employers in September 2026. The firm’s [September report] puts that below the 54,064 announced in September 2025 and above the 29,989 announced in September 2022.

September Announced job cuts Comparison
2026 43,281 20% fewer than September 2025
2025 54,064 Baseline for the year-over-year comparison
2022 29,989 Lower than September 2026; the most recent lower September total in this comparison

“Fewest for a September since 2022” is a comparison with the same calendar month in prior years. It does not mean September 2026 had the lowest total for every month or that the announced cuts had all taken effect.

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Are layoffs slowing down?

The September total and Challenger’s year-to-date industry tally point to less announced cutting than a year earlier, but they do not establish that layoffs are easing across every part of the economy. Challenger said 21 of the 30 industries it tracks had announced fewer cuts year to date through September than by the comparable point in 2025. The summary does not establish whether each of the other nine industries increased.

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Andy Challenger said, “We’ve seen layoff activity subside over this year, and September continues to illustrate this point,” in the firm’s report. That is the firm’s interpretation of its announcement data, not a direct measure of realized job separations.

Why did technology cuts rise while the overall September total fell?

Technology employers announced 10,799 cuts in September 2026, up from 6,103 in August, according to Challenger. The sector’s month-to-month increase can occur at the same time as a lower overall total: technology is one part of the all-industry count, and other industries’ announcements affect the aggregate. One sector’s figures should not be treated as a summary of the whole labor market.

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What the announced-cut count does—and does not—measure

Challenger’s series tracks announced job cuts or plans announced by employers. It is not a direct count of workers who left jobs during September, and it should not be equated with unemployment claims. Announcements and completed separations are different measures.

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The report headline also says hiring plans were up 3% over 2025, while describing early seasonal hiring as weak. The increase in planned hiring therefore should not be read as evidence that seasonal hiring was strong.

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Year-to-date announcements are a separate figure

CBS News reported that 573,195 cuts had been announced through September 2026, nearly 40% fewer than in the comparable period of 2025. That is a year-to-date figure attributed to CBS News; it is distinct from Challenger’s 43,281 announcements for September alone.

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