January worst month for job cuts since 2009

(CNN)– Layoffs hit recession levels last month, according to a report by job placement firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas.

The company says January saw 108,000 job cuts.

That’s the highest number for a January since 2009, which was during the Great Recession.

Before you panic, much of that number is due to just two companies.

40% of the job cuts happened at UPS and Amazon.

And it’s not just job cuts.

Labor Department figures for December released on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, show the lowest level of job openings in five years.