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Layoff announcements declined sharply in September, reaching their lowest level for that month since 2022. US employers disclosed plans to eliminate 43,281 positions, according to figures from outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

That total marked a 20% drop from September 2025. The decline indicates that companies announced fewer job reductions than they did during the same month one year earlier, even as hiring plans remained restrained.

The broader figures also showed fewer announced cuts through September of this year. Layoff announcements fell 39% overall compared with last year, although the decline narrowed to 15% when government workers were excluded from the calculation.

Taken together, the numbers present a divided employment picture. Employers are announcing fewer planned layoffs, but they are not responding with a comparable rush to expand their payrolls as the holiday season approaches.

Technology companies remained the largest source of the latest announced reductions. The sector disclosed 10,799 planned cuts during September, more than any other industry included in the report.

Nearly one third of all job cuts announced during the month came from technology companies. That concentration placed the sector well ahead of every other part of the economy represented in the September figures.

Andy Challenger, chief revenue officer at Challenger, Gray & Christmas, described employers as reluctant to make aggressive staffing decisions. He pointed to several costs and uncertainties weighing on their calculations.

"Companies are in a wait-and-see period right now. Employers are facing high energy costs, an uncertain war in Iran, a rate hike that could make hiring more expensive, plus the likelihood of surging healthcare costs," Challenger said in a statement.

The hiring side of the report offered another sign of caution. Employers announced plans to add nearly 91,000 workers as seasonal recruitment began, but that figure trailed the total reported last year.

Seasonal hiring plans were down 23% from the prior year. The September total was also the smallest recorded for that month since 2011, showing that fewer planned additions accompanied the start of holiday staffing.

Retailers accounted for more than 70% of the hiring plans announced during September. Their large share reflected the seasonal activity already beginning among businesses preparing to bring in temporary workers.

Two companies provided most of the early seasonal hiring volume cited in the report. Craft store chain Michaels and the temporary Spirit Halloween shops announced plans for a combined 62,000 hires this year.

That combined figure was substantially lower than the nearly 101,000 hires the two businesses announced in 2025. The difference illustrates the reduced scale of plans among two companies that moved early on seasonal recruitment.

The comparison is notable because employers are still planning additions, rather than abandoning holiday staffing altogether. Even so, the announced totals remain below last year and unusually weak for September when measured against every September since 2011.

"Hiring plans are up over the year, but we're not seeing the surge of hiring plans that come with the holiday season, which suggests a very cautious approach," Challenger said.

September therefore delivered relief on one side of the employment ledger and restraint on the other. Planned job cuts declined, including a 20% annual drop for the month, while seasonal hiring announcements failed to produce the customary surge described by Challenger.

Technology continued to lead announced layoffs, while retailers dominated announced hiring plans. With nearly 91,000 seasonal additions disclosed and early hiring by Michaels and Spirit Halloween falling from last year's level, employers entered the holiday period with caution firmly in place.

DISCLAIMER: GoldInvestors.news is not a registered investment, legal or tax advisor or broker/dealer. All investment/financial opinions expressed by GoldInvestors.news are from the personal research and experience of the owner of the site and are intended as educational material. Although best efforts are made to ensure that all information is accurate and up to date, occasionally unintended errors and misprints may occur.