As the year draws to a close, Atlanta’s business landscape has felt the sting of a national layoff wave, with at least 11 companies announcing significant workforce reductions in the metro area.

These cuts, totaling more than 1,800 jobs, reflect broader trends in cost-cutting, AI integration, and restructuring driven by economic uncertainty, including tariffs and shifting consumer spending.

Layoffs Growing in Atlanta

While Georgia as a whole saw 28,668 layoffs through WARN notices this year, Atlanta bore a disproportionate share, underscoring vulnerabilities in key sectors like tech, manufacturing, and media.

The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act requires companies with 100 or more employees to report major layoffs or closures, providing a window into the scale of job losses.

Drawing from state filings and local reports, here’s a breakdown of the major announcements affecting Atlanta workers in 2025:Key Layoff Announcements in Atlanta

  • CNN (Warner Bros. Discovery): The cable news giant, headquartered in Midtown Atlanta, eliminated about 200 roles in January as part of a pivot to digital platforms. The cuts represented roughly 6% of its workforce and were aimed at reallocating resources to audience-shifting products.
  • Block Inc. (Cash App parent): In March, the fintech firm laid off 49 employees from its North Avenue office, about 10% of its local staff of 474. This was part of a companywide reduction of 931 jobs, or 8% globally, amid operational streamlining.
  • Americold Logistics: A July WARN notice signaled 12 layoffs at its Atlanta facility, effective in August, though details on the reason were sparse.
  • Country Home Bakers LLC: The bakery supplier cut 164 positions in Atlanta in late August, contributing to ongoing consolidation in the food sector.
  • General Motors: The automaker shuttered its Georgia IT Innovation Center in Roswell (metro Atlanta) in October, affecting all 325 employees there as part of a corporate restructuring.
  • The William Carter Company (Carter’s Inc.): The children’s apparel brand reduced its Atlanta headquarters staff by 189 in October — about 19% of its 998-person workforce — via a WARN notice tied to operational efficiencies.
  • Integrated Health Resources, LLC: October filings revealed 107 layoffs at its Peachtree Street office, set for December, impacting healthcare services.
  • Cardlytics Inc.: The Atlanta-based marketing tech company slashed 120 jobs (30% of its workforce) in October to curb costs and bolster financial stability, with 90 full-time roles affected.
  • Rivian Automotive: The electric vehicle maker announced 600 layoffs in Georgia in October, primarily at its metro-area operations, as part of supply chain adjustments.
  • Smurfit Westrock: The packaging giant closed a South Fulton plant in November, leading to 55 job losses effective January 2026.
  • CoStar Group: A minor cut of 3 employees was filed in November for its Peachtree Road office, starting January 2026, due to internal reorganization.

These figures represent only reported WARN-eligible layoffs; smaller cuts and non-WARN events may push the total higher.

Nationally, U.S. employers announced over 1.1 million job cuts in 2025 — the highest since the 2020 pandemic — with tech (153,536 cuts) and services sectors leading the charge.

Atlanta-based giants like UPS, which trimmed 48,000 positions globally through September, and Newell Brands, which announced 900 worldwide reductions in December (citing AI efficiencies), likely amplified local impacts, though exact Atlanta numbers remain undisclosed.

Atlanta’s economy, a hub for logistics, tech, and media, has weathered these storms unevenly. Tech and fintech firms like Block and Cardlytics cited rising costs and AI-driven automation as culprits, while manufacturing outfits such as Smurfit Westrock and Country Home Bakers grappled with supply chain woes and plant closures.

Media’s turbulence, exemplified by CNN’s pivot, highlights the sector’s adaptation to streaming and digital ad shifts.Despite the gloom, experts note silver linings: Georgia’s unemployment rate hovered around 3.5% through November, buoyed by growth in healthcare and renewable energy.

Local workforce programs, administered by the Technical College System of Georgia, have ramped up rapid response services for displaced workers, offering retraining in high-demand fields like cybersecurity and advanced manufacturing.

Final Word

As 2026 looms, Atlanta business leaders urge vigilance. “These layoffs signal a recalibration, not a collapse,” said Metro Atlanta Chamber economist Dr. Maria Lopez in a recent panel. “Investments in upskilling will be key to turning this tide.

“For those affected, resources are available via WorkSource Georgia’s Rapid Response portal. Atlanta Business Pulse will continue tracking these trends — stay tuned for updates on hiring rebounds and policy responses.

Want more job resources? Read our guide on how to navigate a job layoff.

If you’re looking to get hired in Atlanta right now, there’s a very real possibility that you can land your dream job.

Read more:  Best Work From Home Jobs In Atlanta, Georgia

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