These Are Worst Layoffs in 21st Century America—So Far

Citigroup's cutting of approximately 50K workers in 2008 tops the list
By Michael Harthorne,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 19, 2017 4:42 PM CDT
10 Worst US Layoffs of 21st Century
Citigroup's cutting of approximately 50,000 workers in 2008 is the worst layoff in the US in the 21st century.   (AP Photo/Richard Drew, file)

The worst layoffs of 21st-century America affected the finance, retail, and automotive industries the most. Banks cut workers during the Great Recession, Boeing cut workers after Sept. 11, the US Army cut workers during political budget battles, and stores continue to cut workers thanks to Amazon. Using data from an employment consulting firm, 24/7 Wall St. ranked the 27 biggest layoffs—those that affected 20,000 workers or more—in the US during the 21st century. Here are the top 10 and approximately how many workers each affected:

  1. Citigroup in 2008 (50,000)
  2. US Army in 2011 (50,000)
  3. General Motors in 2009 (47,000)
  4. US Air Force in 2005 (40,000)
  5. US Army in 2015 (40,000)
  6. Kmart in 2003 (35,000)
  7. Circuit City in 2009 (34,000)
  8. Ford in 2002 (34,000)
  9. Boeing in 2001 (31,000)
  10. US Postal Service in 2010 (30,000)
Read the full list here. (More layoffs stories.)

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