Layoff announcements this year top 1.1 million, the most since 2020 when pandemic hit, Challenger says

**American Job Market Faces Steepest Cuts Since Pandemic as Layoffs Surpass 1.1 Million** The numbers are stark and unsettling. American employers announced 1.17 million layoffs through November 2025, marking the highest level since the pandemic devastated the economy in 2020 . What makes this particularly troubling isn't just the scale, but the breadth of forces driving these cuts across virtually every sector of the economy. This year marks only the sixth time since 1993 that job cuts through November have topped 1.1 million , placing 2025 in the same category as recession years and the pandemic crisis. November alone saw 71,321 layoffs announced, bringing the year-to-date total to 1.17 million – a staggering 54% increase from the same period last year. The technology sector leads the carnage. Tech companies have laid off 153,536 workers through November, a 17% jump from 2024's 130,701 layoffs by the same point . Major players like Amazon announced 14,000 cuts in October alone, citing artificial intelligence as a driver for increased efficiency. AI itself has been cited for 54,694 layoffs this year , as companies restructure around automated processes that require fewer human workers. But technology isn't the only culprit. Verizon's announcement of more than 13,000 job cuts helped drive November's telecommunications sector to 15,139 layoffs – the highest monthly total since April 2020. The retail sector has shed nearly 92,000 jobs as consumers pull back on discretionary spending amid persistent inflation. Perhaps most significantly, government efficiency initiatives have emerged as a major driver. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led to nearly 300,000 job losses this year, making it the leading reason for layoff announcements in 2025 . This includes both direct federal workforce reductions and cuts at private companies that lost government contracts. Trade policy is adding another layer of pressure. Tariffs were cited as the driver of more than 2,000 cuts in November and nearly 8,000 year-to-date , as companies grapple with increased costs from international trade restrictions. The timing creates additional economic uncertainty. This report comes during a historic data void created by the government shutdown, making the Challenger report one of the relatively few data points available to markets, lawmakers and the Federal Reserve . Meanwhile, ADP reported that private employers cut 32,000 jobs in November, the biggest decline in more than 2½ years . Hiring has also slumped dramatically. Employers announced 497,151 planned hires, down 35% from the same point in 2024 , suggesting companies are becoming increasingly cautious about expansion. The human cost extends beyond the headlines. Each layoff announcement represents families facing uncertainty, communities losing economic stability, and workers navigating an increasingly volatile job market. As Andy Challenger noted, "job cuts in November have risen above 70,000 only twice since 2008: in 2022 and in 2008" – both periods of significant economic stress. Looking ahead, the confluence of technological disruption, government restructuring, and trade tensions suggests this trend may persist. While some officials predict improvement, the current trajectory indicates American workers face a challenging period of adjustment as the economy reshapes itself around new technological and policy realities. The question isn't whether change is coming – it's already here. The challenge is ensuring that displaced workers have pathways to new opportunities in this rapidly evolving landscape.