As layoffs pile up, workers are feeling increasingly anxious about the job market.

In the U.S., economists have said that businesses are largely at a “no-hire, no fire” standstill, leading many to limit new work, if not pause openings entirely amid economic uncertainty. Hiring has stagnated overall — with the country adding a meager 50,000 jobs last month, down from a revised figure of 56,000 in November.

But a growing list of companies are also cutting jobs. Employers have initiated layoffs across sectors — with many pointing to rising operational costs that span from President Donald Trump’s barrage of new tariffs, stubborn inflation and shifts in spending from consumers, whose outlook on the U.S. economy recently plummeted to its lowest level since 2014. Others are still working to downsize their workforces after a pandemic-era hiring boom, particularly in e-commerce. At the same time, more and more businesses are reducing their workforces as they redirect money to artificial intelligence, often baked into wider corporate restructuring.

Beyond the private sector, thousands of federal government employees lost their jobs in cuts taken by the Trump administration last year — forcing many to look for new work. That’s further strained workers' overall sentiment about finding stable employment today.

Here are a few companies that have announced some of the largest job cuts recently.

Dow
Chemicals maker Dow, Inc. announced plans to cut about 4,500 jobs on Thursday — as part of broader push to “streamline” operations, which includes putting more emphasis on AI and automation. The cuts come on top of previous reductions taken by the company over the last year. Dow moved to axe 1,500 roles in January 2025, and another 800 over the summer.

Amazon
E-commerce giant Amazon slashed about 16,000 corporate roles on Wednesday — just three months after laying off another 14,000 workers. In its latest round of layoffs, Amazon cited restructuring aimed at “removing bureaucracy" in its operations, but the cuts also arrive as the company continues to ramp up spending on AI. CEO Andy Jassy previously said that he anticipated generative AI to reduce Amazon's corporate workforce.

UPS
On Tuesday, United Parcel Service said it plans to cut up to 30,000 operational jobs this year — notably as the package company continues to reduce the number of Amazon shipments it handles amid wider turnaround efforts. UPS said these cuts will be made through a voluntary buyout offer for full-time drivers and attrition. The reductions come on top of a combined 48,000 job cuts that the company disclosed in 2025.

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