Nationwide Layoffs Spiked 245% In February: See CT Impact

CONNECTICUT — Layoffs soared in Connecticut and across the United States last month amid a mass of federal government job cuts and canceled contracts, along with staff reductions at retailers and other businesses.

Nationwide, job cuts jumped 245 percent last month, according to executive outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. There were 172,017 layoffs announced in February across all sectors, and Challenger said that 62,242 of these were at federal agencies impacted by the Department of Government Efficiency's efforts to slash spending.
That is the highest monthly total for layoffs since July 2020, when 262,649 cuts were announced, according to a Challenger Report published on Thursday.

“Private companies announced plans to shed thousands of jobs last month, particularly in retail and technology," said Andrew Challenger, Senior Vice President and workplace expert for the firm. "With the impact of the DOGE actions, as well as canceled government contracts, fear of trade wars, and bankruptcies, job cuts soared in February."

In Connecticut, 434 jobs have been eliminated so far this year, according to Challenger. Last year, 4,015 jobs were eliminated in the state.

On the state Department of Labor's website under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, one firm in Connecticut closed last month, J.J. Ryan Corporation (dba Rex Forge), which resulted in 103 people losing jobs, and another firm, Rheem Manufacturing Company (Eemax Division), is slated to close between April and July. Seventy-eight positions will be eliminated by the move.

Federal workers whose duty stations were located in Connecticut, or who are Connecticut residents whose official duty stations were outside the United States, may be able to file for benefits.

Earlier this week, Gov. Ned Lamont announced a job assistance initiative to help displaced federal workers in Connecticut.

"The federal government may have decided that they don’t want these skilled workers, but we want them to know that we value their public service and that Connecticut employers can use their skills," Lamont said. "Right now, Connecticut has more than 70,000 jobs available, and the Connecticut Department of Labor can help connect jobseekers to new employment, or even help them begin an entirely new career if that’s what they want to do."

Here's a select breakdown of announced job cuts by industry, according to the Challenger report.

Government

• Feb. '24: 27
• Jan. '25: 288
• Feb. '25: 62,242

Technology

• Feb. '24: 12,412
• Jan. '25: 7,488
• Feb. '25: 14,554

Electronics

• Feb. '24: 202
• Jan. '25: 107
• Feb. '25: 4,588

Financial

• Feb. '24: 3,618
• Jan. '25: 4,529
• Feb. '25: 6,894

Pharmaceutical

• Feb. '24: 1,838
• Jan. '25: 329
• Feb. '25: 256

Retail

• Feb. '24: 1,387
• Jan. '25: 6,419
• Feb. '25: 38,956

— Michelle Rotuno-Johnson, Patch Staff, contributed to this report.