Hundreds Of NJ Job Cuts Open 2026

For hundreds of New Jersey workers, 2026 has started off with bad news as their companies have announced they are cutting jobs.

As of Jan. 20, companies have notified the New Jersey Department of Labor that they are laying off 720 employees, according to the state's WARN notice archive.

Those layoffs follow 16,758 in the state in 2025, including nearly a third of those — 5,429 — in the final quarter of the year. The fourth-quarter layoff notices included 4,221 job cuts to be completed in 2026.

Under the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification law, a company with 100 employees or more must give workers 60 days' notice of a layoff affecting 50 people or more at a single site. In New Jersey, there are additional requirements including mandatory severance pay.

The largest announced layoff for 2026 so far is 205 employees at Newark Liberty International Airport by ERMC. The Georgia-based company provides maintenance services for baggage-handling equipment, passenger boarding bridges for planes along with other "structural, HVAC, plumbing, electrical and control issues for terminals, hangars and administrative buildings," according to the International Association of Baggage Systems Companies. Those layoffs are set for April 11.

Two Robbinsville-based companies are laying off a combined 310 employees.

Lifetime Brands, which markets a variety of kitchen and and tableware products under a host of well-known names — Farberware, KitchenAid, Mikasa, Pfaltzgraff, Fitz and Floyd, Gorham, and Kirk Stieff are among them — is cutting 140 employees from its distribution center in Robbinsville. The company had reported declining sales in the third quarter of 2025. Those layoffs begin April 10 and are to be completed by the end of November.

SFC Global Supply Chain is eliminating 170 employees at its Robbinsville production facility. It is part of Schwan's Company, which makes a variety of frozen and refrigerated foods including the Red Baron, Tony's and Freshetta pizza brands and Mrs. Smith's pies. Their layoffs are slated for April 10.

Macy's is laying off 89 employees and closing two stores, including at the Livingston Mall and the Interstate Shopping Center store in Ramsey. The WARN notice also mentions Paramus, where the company has three stores. The Ramsey and Paramus layoffs are set for March 31 and Livingston is set for April 30. Those layoffs are part of the company's "Bold New Chapter" plan announced in early 2024, Axios reported.

International Real Estate Partners U.S. Corp, is cutting 61 jobs at its New Providence office. The company "offers custom facilities management solutions ... (including) property, energy, and asset management, as well as commercial real estate, technical services and sustainable solutions," according to its LinkedIn account. Those layoffs are set for March 31.

The Fresh Market in Montvale announced it is cutting 55 employees, with those layoffs set for April 12. The company is not renewing its lease at the store, NJBIZ reported. The report said Trader Joe's has plans to move into Montvale but where and when had not been finalized.

Read more: NJ Job Losses Reach 16K For 2025; What Does 2026 Hold?