- Over 1,000 Illinois workers across seven companies received unexpected WARN layoff notices in November, totaling roughly 1,250 reported job losses.
- Layoffs hit manufacturing, tech services, and retail, adding to 15,236 layoffs in Illinois year-to-date and straining families before the holidays.
- State Rapid Response teams, DCEO resources, and unions are mobilizing to aid affected workers amid broader economic and automation concerns.
Over a thousand workers have now received unexpected layoff warnings in the state of Illinois across a total of seven businesses for the month of November, per the latest WARN filings.
It’s the kind of news that hits hard just as the holidays are ramping up—families planning gatherings, kids dreaming of gifts under the tree, and suddenly, pink slips start landing in inboxes across Illinois.
According to the latest Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act reports, more than 1,000 workers in the state have been hit with layoff warnings for the month of November alone.
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These aren’t distant corporate memos; they’re real people facing uncertain futures in a year that’s already felt like an economic rollercoaster.
The WARN Act requires companies with 75 or more employees to give at least 60 days’ notice before mass layoffs or plant closures, and the data pouring in right now paints a stark picture of what’s unfolding.
While Illinois has seen its share of job cuts throughout 2025, the November filings stand out for their suddenness and scale.
Workers in manufacturing, tech services, and retail sectors are bearing the brunt, often with little public fanfare until the notices go official.
Which Companies Are Laying Off in Illinois?
To give you a clearer sense of the scope, here’s a breakdown of the key layoff reports filed for November 2025, pulled straight from the state’s WARN tracker.
These are the ones that have crossed the threshold for mandatory reporting, affecting hundreds per incident:
- Norvax, LLC. – between 251-500 layoffs
- Consolidated Hospitality Supplies, LLC – 11-50 job cuts
- Oak Street Health MSO, LLC. – between 101 – 250 layoffs
- Remke Industries, Inc. – 11-50 job cuts
- Printpack, Inc. – between 101-250 layoffs
- PharmaCann, Inc. – between 51-100 layoffs
- Essendant Co. – announced 11-50 job cuts
That adds up to upwards of 1,250 individuals whose lives have been upended in November, based on the filings tallied so far.
And keep in mind, these numbers only capture the reportable events—smaller cuts under the WARN threshold often fly under the radar, leaving even more families in the lurch without the same buffer of advance notice.
So far, for the year 2025, there have been a reported 15,236 employee layoffs in Illinois to-date.
Illinois’ Local Economy Has Been Shaky
Digging deeper, it’s not hard to see the threads connecting these announcements. Illinois’ economy has been a mixed bag this year: strong in logistics and healthcare, but hammered by inflation’s lingering bite and shifting consumer habits.
For the workers caught in this, the fallout is immediate and personal. Imagine clocking out on a Friday, only to learn your team’s been deemed “non-essential” come mid-month.
“It’s devastating,” one anonymous employee shared in a Reddit post that went semi-viral this week.
“We’ve poured years into this company, and now? We’re the ones needing saving.”
No sugarcoating there—it’s the raw edge of corporate calculus clashing with human reality.
State officials aren’t standing idle, either. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) has ramped up its Rapid Response teams, offering resume workshops, job placement fairs, and even emergency unemployment extensions tailored for these WARN cases.
Governor JB Pritzker’s office issued a statement several weeks before the latest layoff announcements in Illinois:
“Illinois has built a strong economy and proven its fiscal responsibility, but Trump’s disastrous policies threaten to undo that progress.
Trump and Congressional Republicans sealed one of the largest wealth transfers in American history, stripping health care, food assistance, and other essential supports for working families to fund permanent tax breaks for the wealthy.
I’m taking executive action to mitigate the impact of Trump’s economic policies on our state finances, maintain critical services, and preserve our economic stability.”
Related: A New Poll Shows Economy is Worse Under Trump
What Happens Next?
Zooming out, November’s spike feels ominous against the backdrop of 2025’s broader trends. Nationally, WARN filings are up 15% year-over-year, per federal labor stats, with recessions fears bubbling under the surface.
Economists are watching closely: Is this a blip from seasonal retail shifts, or the leading edge of something bigger, like AI-driven automation accelerating white-collar cuts?
If you’re one of the affected—or know someone who is—resources are out there.
The DCEO’s WARN hotline (217) 782-1710 can connect you to local services, and sites like IllinoisJobLink.com have real-time postings in rebounding fields.
Unions like the Teamsters and SEIU are also stepping up with legal clinics to review severance packages.
This isn’t just numbers on a spreadsheet; it’s communities bracing for change.
As December dawns, the hope is that these warnings lead to new beginnings, not just endings.
We’ll keep tracking the filings—because in times like these, transparency is the first line of defense.
Also Read: A DOJ Whistleblower Now Makes Revelation That Undermines the Judicial System’s Integrity
