Industry · WARN Act layoffs · NAICS 44-45
Retail Trade Layoffs, 2026
97 WARN notices filed in 2026 affecting 9,074 workers in the Retail Trade sector -- part of the full record of 135,000 workers across 549 filings since tracking began.
- 9,074
- 2026 workers affected
- 97
- 2026 WARN notices
- 135,000
- All-time workers
The Retail Trade industry has 549 recorded WARN filings affecting 135,000 workers, the 4th-largest of 19 tracked industries by total workers affected
According to WARN Act filings submitted to state workforce agencies, the Retail Trade industry is the 4th-largest of 19 tracked industries by total workers affected, with 549 recorded filings covering 135,000 workers across 330 employers, including 97 filings in 2026 alone. WARN notices cover qualifying reported events, so this record is not a complete count of the sector's workforce changes.
Where Retail Trade falls in the recorded WARN sector distribution
Tracked industries, grouped into equally sized peer bands by total workers affected
Closure vs mass-layoff mix
Of 549 typed WARN filings in Retail Trade, 297 (54.1%) are facility closures
(68,570 workers) and 252 (45.9%) are mass-layoff notices
(66,430 workers). This mix is read from the filing type field on each notice, not from employer headcount.
Top Employers by Workers Affected
Recent Notices
CA, Modesto · Jul 27, 2026
workers
CA, Modesto · Jul 27, 2026
workers
CA, San Jose · Jul 21, 2026
workers
CA, Irvine · Jul 14, 2026
workers
CA, Pasadena · Jul 7, 2026
workers
MD, Baltimore County · Jul 1, 2026
workers
WI, Chilton · May 5, 2026
workers
FL, Fort Myers · Apr 27, 2026
workers
MD, Baltimore County · Apr 23, 2026
workers
MD, Montgomery County · Mar 6, 2026
workers
VA, McLean · Mar 6, 2026
workers
CA, El Paseo Palm Desert · Mar 6, 2026
workers
CA, Bristol Street Costa Mesa · Mar 6, 2026
workers
CA, Canoga Park · Mar 6, 2026
workers
CA, Valley Parkway Escondido · Mar 2, 2026
workers
CA, Inglewood · Feb 27, 2026
workers
CA, Sacramento · Feb 27, 2026
workers
CA, Fresno · Feb 27, 2026
workers
CA, San Jose · Feb 25, 2026
workers
CA, Floor San Francisco · Feb 25, 2026
workers
What the Retail Trade WARN Record Reveals
The Retail Trade sector carries 549 WARN notices covering 135,000 workers across 330 employers in this dataset (NAICS 44-45) -- the 4th-largest of 19 tracked industries by total workers affected. Amazon alone accounts for 31% of the sector total. The 549 filings on record mark sustained restructuring pressure rather than isolated shocks.
Closest sectors by workers affected: Information Technology (117,723 workers, 13% lower); Transportation & Warehousing (158,362 workers, 17% higher); Accommodation & Food Services (90,670 workers, 33% lower); Health Care & Social Assistance (62,393 workers, 54% lower). Peer distance uses the same WARN totals as the industry rank; it is not a causal claim.
Coverage limits and how to read sector WARN totals
WARN notices cover qualifying events, not every workforce reduction: federal coverage depends on the employer, worksite, event size, workforce share, timing, and exceptions, while state rules can differ. At an average of 246 workers per notice, filing size in Retail Trade tracks with multi-department reductions and site-level shutdowns. Read the record alongside BLS employment data; WARN flags the reported event, not its cause or an individual worker's entitlement.
Layoff resources
Frequently Asked Questions
How many layoffs have occurred in the Retail Trade industry? ▼
The Retail Trade industry has 549 WARN Act notices on record, affecting 135,000 workers across 330 employers (the 4th-largest of 19 tracked industries by total workers affected).
Which companies have the largest layoffs in Retail Trade? ▼
Amazon leads this sector at 41,969 workers (31% of the industry total), followed by Bed, Bath & Beyond at 14,275 and Walgreens Boots Alliance at 10,000.
How active were Retail Trade WARN filings in 2026? ▼
2026 alone accounts for 97 notices and 9,074 workers in Retail Trade, of 549 notices and 135,000 workers in the full record.
What does a WARN Act notice cover in this sector? ▼
Federal WARN can require notice for qualifying mass layoffs or plant closings at covered employers; the employer, worksite, event size, workforce share, timing, and exceptions all matter. A filing is advance warning to workers and communities, not a complete headcount history, and smaller or gradual reductions are usually absent from the filing set.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Source: State WARN Act layoff registries Retail Trade industry WARN notices aggregated by PlainLayoffs · 2026-09-05 Industry totals follow NAICS-mapped employer filings in states with structured public registries.
Spotted a figure that looks wrong? Report a correction.