- Job cuts for October totaled 153,074, a 183% surge from September and 175% higher than the same month a year ago. It was the highest level for any October since 2003.
- Companies in the technology sector announced 33,281 cuts, nearly six times the level in September.
- “Like in 2003, a disruptive technology is changing the landscape,” said Andy Challenger, workplace expert and chief revenue officer at outplacement firm Challenger, Gray % Christmas
Layoff announcements soared in October as companies recalibrated staffing levels during the artificial intelligence boom, a sign of potential trouble ahead for the labor market, according to outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
Job cuts for the month totaled 153,074, a 183% surge from September and 175% higher than the same month a year ago. It was the highest level for any October since 2003.
“Like in 2003, a disruptive technology is changing the landscape,” said Andy Challenger, workplace expert and chief revenue officer at the firm. “At a time when job creation is at its lowest point in years, the optics of announcing layoffs in the fourth quarter are particularly unfavorable.”
MORE:
The Quit Rate Just Dropped to Its Lowest Level Since 2014
Workers are not leaving jobs voluntarily anymore.
The US quit rate fell to 1.9% in August 2025, the lowest since November 2024, as workers lose confidence in finding better opportunities and choose to stay put despite dissatisfaction with current roles.
American workers have stopped jumping ship. The quit rate—the percentage of employees voluntarily leaving their jobs each month—fell to 1.9% in August 2025, down from 2.0% in July and well below the 3.0% peaks hit during the Great Resignation of 2021-2022. Only 3.091 million workers quit their jobs in August, the lowest figure since November 2024.
This isn’t just another labor market statistic. The quit rate serves as a real-time confidence gauge for the American workforce. When workers feel secure about landing better opportunities elsewhere, they quit. When they’re worried about the job market, they stay put—even if they’re miserable in their current roles. Right now, workers are choosing misery over risk.
https://www.metaintro.com/blog/us-quit-rate-drops-1-9-percent