Illinois Layoffs Top 8,000 In Recent Months As Major Store Closings, Job Cuts Hit

The past three months have seen mounting job losses across Illinois as major companies close stores and plants.

In the past three months, there have been 8,008 layoffs announced in Illinois, according to WARN notices filed with the state Department of Labor.

Among the major companies to announce layoffs in recent months is Spirit Airlines. The reported mass layoff will affect 356 workers at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, according to a state WARN notice.

According to the WARN notice, the layoffs were reported through notifications received on Sept. 24, 2025, and May 8, 2026.

Meanwhile, Grocery Delivery Services USA Inc. will shutter a HelloFresh-operated facility at 340 Shore Drive in Burr Ridge, affecting 254 employees. Layoffs are slated to begin on July 25, according to WARN data.

Here is a look at other major layoffs reported in the past three months:

• Wells Fargo, 9377 W Higgins Road in Rosemont, has announced layoffs of 74 employees
• GERRESHEIMER GLASS INC., 1131 Arnold Street in Chicago Heights, announced layoffs of 172 employees
• Illinois Central School Bus, 4525 N. Alby Road Godfrey:
• Vista Corp. announced the closures of power plants in Baldwin, Kincaid and Newton, resulting in 304 layoffs.
• First Brands Group, LLC (Midwest Distribution Center) in McHenry announced its plant closure, resulting in layoffs for 389 employees. The company also announced 642 layoffs from multiple sites as part of Albion-based First Brands Group (Champion Laboratories, Inc.

T-Mobile laid off more than 172 employees from its offices at 50 Commerce Dr., Suite 130, in Schaumburg, according to the WARN notice. And Walmart announced a plant closure at 21430 S Cicero Ave. in Matteson would mean the loss of 111 jobs.

Meanwhile, store closures have also driven a number of job cuts this year.

Carter's, the popular children's clothing company, will be closing 150 stores nationwide; it has 25 stores in Illinois. Eddie Bauer and Francesca’s clothing retailers are shutting down their stores as well. Eddie Bauer had eight stores in the Chicago area, while Francesca's had a dozen Illinois locations when the closings were announced.

Macy's and Saks & Company have both announced store closures this year. Saks has announced 101 layoffs due to its store closure at 700 N. Michigan Avenue.

Illinois' unemployment rate sits at 5.1 percent, according to the latest available data. The national unemployment rate is at 4.3 percent.

The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, or WARN, requires employers with 100 or more employees to provide 60 days’ advance written notice of plant closings or mass layoffs.