US Job Cuts Fall but Hiring Plans Hit Weakest September Since 2011

U.S. employers announced 43,281 job cuts in September, down 18% month-over-month and 20% year-over-year, marking the lowest September total since 2022.
Q3 job cuts fell 43% from Q2, but hiring plans remained weak. Employers announced 90,787 planned hires in September, down 23% year-over-year and the lowest September total since 2011.
Technology was an outlier with 10,799 cuts, up 77% from August. AI was cited in 3,961 September cuts and 120,136 year-to-date, representing roughly 21% of all announced cuts in 2026, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas.