Layoffs in California Now Plunge Compared to 2025 (New Report)
Layoffs in California has plunged significantly in 2026 compared to just last year 2025 according to the latest WARN report.
While the state of California still leads as the number one state with the highest layoffs, we are seeing the surge in job cuts begin to dwindle.
Contrary to the fears of artificial intelligence (AI) taking over jobs, we’re seeing layoff numbers closer to those from 2021 post the Covid-19 pandemic.
As of July 2026, California has had a total of 196,300 layoffs across 2,491 WARN notices.
For reference, 2021 had a total of 168,643 layoffs across 1,898 WARN notices.
Pandemic WARN layoffs peaked at approximately 2,099,413. Last year 445,087 were laid off across 5,572 WARN layoffs, per the WARN tracker.
A WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification) notice is a notice required by the federal WARN Act in the United States, which mandates that employers with 100 or more employees provide at least 60 days advance written notice of a plant closing or mass layoff affecting 50 or more employees.
The notice is intended to provide affected employees with sufficient time to prepare for the loss of their jobs and to seek alternative employment.
FrankNez has been reporting this data since 2023 to help families pivot against unprecedented circumstances.
With the help of NewsBreak, we were able to inform millions of people ahead of time.
Despite the downtrend in layoffs in California this year, several businesses, including elementary schools have continued to let go of staff.
Let’s break it down below.
Company Layoffs in California for 2026
Below is a list of recent and upcoming company layoffs in California for 2026:
- eBay, 198 layoffs in California by 9/30, San Francisco
- Freudenberg Medical LLC, 80 job cuts on 6/24, Carpinteria
- Joe’s Crab Shack, 44 job cuts on 6/21, Garden Grove
- Boeing, 13 layoffs on 6/12, Palmdale
- YMCA Elementary Schools, 136 layoffs on 6/9, Santa Maria
- Disney Entertainment Operations LLC, 53 job cuts, Burbank
- The Primary School, 147 layoffs, San Leandro
These are just a few notable companies laying off employees in the state of California in 2026.
I will continue to report and update this page and others to keep Californian’s updated.
Should You Be Worried?
In short, no.
Layoffs in California have come down significantly compared to 2025. AI is not taking over, at least not yet, and the economy, despite rising prices, has been in a much worse position before.
Americans are keeping their jobs, and fewer companies are filing WARN notices, advising of upcoming layoffs in the state.
A pattern I’ve noticed during a heavy season of job cuts is WARN notices come in bulk and in advance.
Today, WARN data shows a healthy workforce without any signs of impending cuts.
This means Americans for the time being get to keep their purchasing power, feeding the US economy further.
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Also Read: 5 Luxuries to Cut When Money Gets Tight (Not Netflix)
