Macy’s makes mass layoff announcement
The department store chain Macy’s Inc. has revealed that it will be shuttering a fulfilment and distribution center in Connecticut and laying off over 1,000 employees.
According to notices recently filed with the Connecticut Department of Labor, the company is closing the facilities in the towns of South Windsor and Cheshire, and letting go of 1,050 workers in total.
In a statement to USA Today, Macy’s said that the closures and associated layoffs were “part of our ongoing work to modernize our supply chain to better serve customers, while simplifying how we operate.”
Newsweek has contacted Macy’s outside of regular hours via email for comment.
Why It Matters
Last year, 2025, was marked by a significant number of layoffs, adding to the prevalent fears about the health of the job market as consecutive reports charted sluggish hiring in the U.S.
According to the outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, job cut announcements reached 1.2 million last year, up 58 percent from 2024 and marking the highest total since 2020.
And experts believe cautious hiring and headcount reductions are likely to persist in 2026, with economic uncertainty as well as technological changes weighing on employers’ hiring and firing plans over the next year.
What To Know
The company currently operates 424 locations, according to Macy’s website, alongside 21 ‘Small Format’ locations and five off-price Backstage stores. Earlier in January, Macy’s said it would be shuttering 14 underperforming stores across the U.S., Forbes reported, having shut 66 in 2025 and 55 in 2024 as part of its CEO Tony Spring’s Bold New Chapter initiative.
According to the notices filed with the Connecticut Department of Labor last week, employees were informed of the impending layoffs on January 12 at the South Windsor distribution center, and on January 13 for the fulfilment centre in Cheshire.
Some 57 employees will be laid off from the former, while the closure of the latter will see 993 permanently let go, including 485 fulfilment associates and 193 power equipment operators.
What People Are Saying
CEO Tony Spring, in a letter to employees in early January, wrote: “Nearly two years into our Bold New Chapter strategy, the focus of our work remains the same: strengthen our stores, simplify how we operate, and invest in the experiences that matter most to our customers. Today, that work is centered on disciplined execution and continuous improvement, with strategic investments that are guided by what customers value most.”
Macy’s, in a statement to USA Today this week, said: “We are grateful to have been a part of these communities and appreciate the important role each facility and its colleagues have played in supporting our customers over the years.”
What Happens Next
In the notice and letter sent to the Connecticut Department of Labor and Cheshire Mayor Peter Talbot, Macy’s said the layoffs will commence in mid-March and continue through August, with a small number of employees staying on until April to assist with the decommissioning of the fulfilment center.
Macy’s said affected employees will receive information regarding benefits and severance, with some also given the opportunity to transfer to open positions at other nearby facilities.
