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More than 1.2 million jobs have been eliminated from the U.S. in 2025, the most since the 2020 recession.

There is growing concern about an economic recession, as layoffs often precede periods of economic downturn.

This week, a number of major U.S. firms in various industries, including Amazon and Pinterest, announced layoffs.

These moves follow a year of significant downsizing, during which U.S. employers eliminated an estimated 1.2 million positions. It’s important to note that signals from the labor market are only adding to worries about a potential recession.

On Wednesday, online retail giant Amazon cut about 16,000 full-time office positions. This was in addition to the elimination of about 14,000 positions in October.

In a statement, Beth Galetti, Amazon’s senior vice president of human resources and technology, said the layoffs are part of an ongoing effort to strengthen our structure by reducing hierarchies, increasing accountability and fighting excessive bureaucracy.

The cuts come as Amazon continues to ramp up its investment in artificial intelligence projects.

Pinterest also announced plans on January 27 to cut less than 15% of its staff and reduce its office space. The company explained that the reorganization is intended to focus on its AI priorities. The measures are expected to be completed by September 30, according to the regulator.

Meanwhile, United Parcel Service said it intends to cut up to 30,000 operational jobs this year. Nike is also making cuts.

According to CNBC, the company is laying off 775 employees as part of a drive to increase profitability and expand its use of automated technology. This is just a fraction of the many organizations that have announced layoffs in 2026.