US Layoffs Hit Record High, Hiring at 14-Year Low

The United States job market is going through a tough phase, with layoffs hitting the highest October level since 2003. A report by Challenger, Gray & Christmas said that companies announced around 1.5 lakh job cuts in October 2025, which is almost three times higher than the previous month.

So far this year, nearly one million people have lost their jobs across various sectors like technology, retail, services, warehousing, and media. Experts say this is mainly because of the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), higher business costs, and reduced consumer spending. Many companies are cutting staff to save money and shift their focus to automation.

The technology sector was among the worst affected, with over 33,000 people losing their jobs in October. The warehousing sector saw almost 48,000 cuts in one month, while non-profit organizations removed over 27,000 employees. The media industry has also been struggling, with nearly 16,000 job losses this year as digital and print outlets face declining revenue.

At the same time, hiring has slowed down to its lowest level in 14 years. This means people who lost their jobs are finding it harder to get new ones. Andy Challenger, an expert from the firm that published the report, said that companies are being more cautious and slowing down on new hires.

Economists fear that if the situation continues, the total layoffs in 2025 could reach levels similar to the pandemic period. With automation growing and companies cutting back, job security for American workers looks more uncertain than ever.