What month do most layoffs occur?
Asked by: Veronica Ratke II | Last update: July 10, 2025Score: 4.3/5 (30 votes)
When are layoffs most likely to occur? Since 2001, most layoffs happen in January and December and appear least likely to happen in February and March.
What time of year do most people get laid off?
Layoffs can occur at any time, but as far as when tech layoffs most often occur, January and December are well-known for job losses as employers are reviewing their budgets during that time of year. Here are some ways to find out if your company is preparing for layoffs.
Who typically gets laid off first?
The last employees to be hired become the first people to be let go. This makes sense logically. If they were recently hired, they probably haven't become as strong of organizational assets yet.
What month has the most hires?
February is a peak hiring time. Jobs are posted in January and hiring managers often begin interviewing top candidates in February. The hiring process may be slow because companies have the time and resources to select the best candidate for the position.
What is the most popular day for layoffs?
End of the week (Friday)
Mass Layoffs Keep Getting Out of Control.... What is happening ?
What months do layoffs usually occur?
When are layoffs most likely to occur? Since 2001, most layoffs happen in January and December and appear least likely to happen in February and March.
Who is most prone to layoffs?
The workers who feel most at risk include those in product management, quality assurance, marketing, finance and IT roles.
What is the hardest month to get a job?
June, July, and August: A Summer Vacation from Job Openings
At this point in the year, companies have spent the money they budgeted for hiring and are not looking for new employees. Because of this, recruiters are also not actively looking for new employees during these months.
What is the most common month to get fired?
January is historically the busiest month for job cuts.
What month do most employees quit?
August, September and October account for over a third of all the year's resignations. Employees are least likely to resign in February.
How to tell if a layoff is coming?
- Less work. ...
- Budget reductions. ...
- New management or leadership changes. ...
- Reorganization announcements. ...
- Hiring freeze or reduced hiring plans. ...
- Earnings reports. ...
- Debt and cash flow issues. ...
- Frequent meetingsor sudden communication from leadership.
Who gets picked for layoffs?
- Performance: Companies may choose to lay off employees who have consistently performed below expectations.
- Skills: Companies may also lay off employees whose skills are no longer needed. ...
- Tenure: Companies may also consider tenure when making layoff decisions.
How far in advance are layoffs planned?
Laws and Regulations on this Topic
- Protects workers, their families and communities by requiring most employers with 100 or more employees to provide notification 60 calendar days in advance of plant closings and mass layoffs. 20 CFR 639 - WARN regulations administered by DOL's Employment and Training Administration.
What day do most people get fired?
If Friday is off the table, when is it most appropriate to let someone go? Thursdays aren't much better. By the time they've assembled their lists of next steps, they've lost the workweek. The prevailing thinking is to handle terminations midweek—preferably on a Tuesday or, at the latest, on a Wednesday.
Do managers know about layoffs?
Do Managers Know About Layoffs? Managers will have more knowledge of layoffs simply because they will have to play a role in the planning and execution of the layoffs. They may even have to take on more responsibilities themselves due to the impending decrease in staffing.
How do you tell if your company is going under?
- Dwindling Cash or Losses.
- Interest Payments in Question.
- Switching Auditors.
- Dividend Cut.
- Top Management Defections.
- Big Insider Selling.
- Selling Flagship Products.
- Cuts in Perks.
What months are most popular for layoffs?
Data supplied to Fast Company from the firm shows that between 1993 and 2012, January was the month that saw the most layoffs. And since then, April and May tend to be the most popular months for layoffs, with April seeing a monthly average of more than 100,000 layoffs between 2013 and 2023.
What is the #1 reason that employees get fired?
2. Failing to perform the job for which one was hired. Unsatisfactory performance is the primary reason why most employees get fired.
How to tell if redundancies are coming?
When redundancies are about to happen, the atmosphere in a workplace can change. Signs can include whispered conversations, a lack of eye contact and a general 'weird' feeling.
At what age is it harder to get hired?
Mature workers are facing a tougher job market. New jobs for those over the age of 55 are few and far between, and many people age 60 or older are hitting a solid barrier preventing them from getting hired.
What month do most companies hire?
The beginning of the year – specifically January and February – and the fall months of September and October, stand out as the prime times for recruitment. Fresh budgets and new goals characterize these times, pushing companies to increase their hiring efforts.
What month are people most likely to quit their jobs?
Pay attention to the fiscal year and school calendar
As a result, a substantial number of employees quit their jobs in late January, February, and March of each year.
What jobs get laid off first?
Patterns emerged during mass layoffs in 2023, showing that the departments deemed non-essential or that do not directly contribute to the core functions of the business are often the first to see cuts. It isn't about who necessarily, but what they offer to the company when pressed to make hard economic decisions.
What jobs are not recession proof?
Some industries feel the impact of an economic downturn more than others. These industries tend to get hit the hardest. Hospitality and tourism - Many cut down on vacations and travel to save money. Entertainment and leisure - People tend to seek inexpensive, at-home forms of entertainment during a recession.
Who gets laid off first in a recession?
Particularly hard hit by the downturns of the last three decades was the manufacturing sector, which accounted for 90 percent of all job losses. These employment re- ductions were concentrated largely in the durable goods industries and almost exclusively among production workers.