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AT&T Layoffs 2026: Latest Cuts, Timeline & WARN Notices

Oct 8, 2026 · 18 min read

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Short answer

AT&T layoffs 2026: Southeast surplus dates, New Jersey WARN filings, 2,160 fewer employees since December, union vs. management rules and what severance pays.

The notice says 'surplus.' Your first questions are about your job, your pay and how long you have to decide.

A forum post offers a severance formula. Another predicts the next round. You still need to know what signing means for your own job and benefits.

Latest update (as of October 9, 2026)

The Q4 surplus report identifies positions at risk.

AT&T layoffs: what changed in the last 90 days
  • September 23, 2026: WIRED reported an 85,000-employee target for 2030; AT&T called that figure inaccurate.
  • September 15, 2026 (PDF creation date, UTC): the Q4 Southeast report lists 19 positions at risk across six states, with requested payroll end dates of October 31 and December 26, 2026.
  • September 15, 2026: scheduled effective date for 138 AT&T positions in Cumberland County, New Jersey; the WARN entry was posted in June and does not identify a specific facility.
  • July 22, 2026: AT&T reported 130,870 employees at June 30.
Sources: WIRED's September report, New Jersey's 2026 WARN list, and AT&T's Q2 operating data.
The CWA Local 3111 surplus PDF breaks down as follows. Technician codes are reproduced from the report; each row is classified as Technological/Operational Efficiency.
StateTitle or codePositions at riskRequested last day on payroll
AlabamaOffice Assistants (OA)2Dec 26, 2026
FloridaProvisioning/Maintenance (ST)8Dec 26, 2026
GeorgiaMachine Operators (MO)2Oct 31, 2026
MississippiProvisioning/Maintenance (FT: 2; ST: 1)3Dec 26, 2026
South CarolinaMachine Operators (MO)2Oct 31, 2026
TennesseeField Services Technician (FST)2Dec 26, 2026

ATT layoffs timeline: 2023 to 2026

Union notices, state records and SEC filings measure different things. Headcount changes are shown separately from planned reductions.

DateWhat happenedScaleWho and whereSource
Q4 2026 (PDF created Sep 15)Southeast surplus report19 positions at riskAL, FL, GA, MS, SC and TN; requested last days on payroll Oct 31 and Dec 26CWA Local 3111 PDF
Jul 22, 2026Q2 headcount reported130,870 employees; 2,160 fewer than Dec 31, 2025 (net)Company-wideAT&T operating data (SEC)
Jun 15 to 16, 2026CWA local posted Q3 Southeast surplus and upfront SIPP offers for service representatives and electronic technicians; its Jun 16 update reported withdrawal of that upfront offerCount not published by the localAtlantaCWA Local 3204
Feb to Jun 2026Three New Jersey WARN entries300 positionsBedminster (75 and 87) and Cumberland County (138); effective May 4 to Sep 15, 2026NJ DOL 2026 list
Aug 2025Internal help desks consolidated from 22 locations to six hubs; managers given two weeks to relocate or leave with severanceCount not disclosedHubs in Atlanta; Mesa, AZ; Miami; Orlando; Richardson, TX; Tulsa, OK. Union staff kept their offices in other rolesPeople Matters, citing Business Insider
2025Net headcount decline; the 10-K says 2025 restructuring expenses "primarily relate to restructuring severance charges"140,990 to 133,030 (7,960 net)Company-wide; WARN filings in California, Florida and Alabama (see below)AT&T 2025 10-K
2024Net headcount declineAbout 149,900 (Jan 31) to 140,990 (Dec 31)Company-wide; WARN filings in San Ramon, CA, Bedminster, NJ and Fleming Island, FLAT&T 2024 10-K, 2023 annual report
Aug 28, 2023Surplus notification to Legacy T membersCount not published"Other Company-Wide Corporate Functions & Business Solutions"CWA
Aug 1, 2023Bloomberg reported expansion of a $6 billion savings program by another $2 billion+; about 350 U.S. offices consolidated into nine hubs; about 60,000 managers told to report in person, some facing relocation or dismissal74,130 fewer employees since the start of 2021, including divestituresMain hubs in Dallas and AtlantaBloomberg via Yahoo Finance
Jun to Aug 2023New Jersey and Illinois WARN entries136 in New Jersey; 34 initially in Peoria, with six additional layoffs reported in AugustBedminster, Middletown, Paramus, Mercer County and Trenton, NJ; Peoria, ILNJ DOL 2023 list, Illinois June report, August update
Key Takeaway

AT&T's workforce shrank by about 19,000 net between January 2024 and June 2026. That comparison does not identify how many departures were layoffs, or which teams were affected.

AT&T WARN notices by state

An entry is advance notice, not proof that the layoff happened.

Federal WARN generally covers employers with 100 or more employees and requires 60 days' notice of qualifying closings or mass layoffs at a single site. Smaller losses may count together under 30- and 90-day aggregation rules. A union surplus process does not itself exempt an employer: for represented employees, WARN notice goes to the union. New Jersey's law requires 90 days' notice and mandatory severance for covered events.
StateSite and entityPositions listedNotice / state receipt or postingScheduled effective dateSource
NJCumberland County (AT&T); specific site not identified138Posted June 2026Sep 15, 2026NJ DOL 2026
NJBedminster (AT&T)87Posted April 2026May 4 and May 19, 2026NJ DOL 2026
NJBedminster (AT&T)75Posted February 2026May 19, 2026NJ DOL 2026
ALHuntsville (AT&T Alabama)73Initial report Jun 20, 2025Sep 20, 2025Alabama WARN list
CASherman Oaks, 4480 Kester Ave. (AT&T)47Notice and receipt Mar 14, 2025May 13, 2025California EDD 2024-25
FLSunrise, 13450 W. Sunrise Blvd. (AT&T)88State notification Mar 14, 2025May 13, 2025FloridaCommerce 2025
CASan Ramon, 5005 Executive Pkwy. (AT&T)8Notice and receipt Jan 23, 2025Mar 24, 2025California EDD 2024-25
FLFleming Island, 2000 Town Center Blvd. (AT&T)138State notification Dec 17, 2024Jan 21 to Feb 11, 2025FloridaCommerce 2024
NJBedminster (AT&T)51Posted November 2024Feb 20, 2025NJ DOL 2024
NJBedminster (AT&T)100Posted August 2024Nov 24 and Dec 6, 2024NJ DOL 2024
CASan Ramon, 5001 Executive Pkwy. (AT&T)15Notice Dec 2; received Dec 3, 2024Jan 31, 2025EDD 2024-25
CASan Ramon, 5005 Executive Pkwy. (AT&T)34Notice Nov 22; received Nov 26, 2024Jan 21, 2025EDD 2024-25
CASan Ramon, 5001 Executive Pkwy. (AT&T)22Notice Nov 22; received Nov 26, 2024Jan 21, 2025EDD 2024-25
CASan Ramon, 5001 Executive Pkwy. (AT&T)10Notice and receipt Aug 26, 2024Oct 25, 2024EDD 2024-25
CASan Ramon, 5005 Executive Pkwy. (AT&T)10Notice and receipt Aug 26, 2024Oct 25, 2024EDD 2024-25
CASan Ramon, 5001 Executive Pkwy. (AT&T)3Notice Jul 26; received Jul 31, 2024Sep 24, 2024EDD 2024-25
CASan Ramon, 5005 Executive Pkwy. (AT&T)5Notice Jul 26; received Jul 31, 2024Sep 24, 2024EDD 2024-25
CASan Ramon, 5001 Executive Pkwy. (AT&T)19Notice and receipt Jun 25, 2024Aug 24, 2024EDD 2023-24
CASan Ramon, 5005 Executive Pkwy. (AT&T)37Notice and receipt Jun 25, 2024Aug 24, 2024EDD 2023-24
NJMiddletown (AT&T)12Posted August 2023Nov 23, 2023NJ DOL 2023
NJBedminster (AT&T)29Posted August 2023Nov 23, 2023NJ DOL 2023
NJParamus (AT&T)20Posted August 2023Nov 23, 2023NJ DOL 2023
NJTrenton (AT&T)1Posted August 2023Nov 23, 2023NJ DOL 2023
ILPeoria, 320 Fulton St. (AT&T)6 additional layoffsAugust report retains Jun 26, 2023 receipt dateAug 28 to Oct 24, 2023Illinois August report
NJBedminster, Middletown, Paramus and Mercer County (AT&T)74Posted June 2023Sep 20, 2023NJ DOL 2023
ILPeoria, 320 Fulton St. (AT&T)34Received Jun 26, 2023Sep 13, 2023Illinois June report
ALBirmingham (AT&T Alabama)23Initial report Dec 13, 2022Jan 16, 2023Alabama WARN list

New Jersey publishes posting months, not receipt dates. California distinguishes the employer's notice date from state receipt. The nine San Ramon entries received in 2024 list 155 positions; the five New Jersey entries posted in 2023 list 136. These are notice counts and scheduled dates, not a national layoff total.

Limits of the state records
No AT&T company entry was found in the Texas WARN dataset reviewed, which covers 2019 through notices dated June 23, 2026. That does not cover later 2026 notices. Movate's AT&T Project in Temple lists 71 contractor positions, received July 8, 2025; those are not AT&T employees. California's 2025-26 report and current report through October 7, 2026, and Alabama's list through September 21, contain no 2026 AT&T entry. Other states' archives and dashboards were not comprehensively verified. A missing entry does not prove no employees were cut.
How WARN works, in detail
Thresholds, exceptions and what to do if you think notice was owed: see how WARN notices work and what to do if you're affected.
Key Takeaway

Match an AT&T WARN entry to the employer, site and dates in your notice. Check the state record before treating a tracker's count as your layoff round.

Why AT&T job cuts are happening

AT&T's earnings release links lower personnel and other costs to its shrinking legacy copper business.

  • Copper retirement. AT&T plans to stop serving the large majority of its domestic copper-based network by the end of 2029, subject to regulatory and contractual obligations, per its Q2 2026 earnings release. That is not a promise to close the entire copper network in 2029.
  • Fiber and wireless. AT&T closed its $5.756 billion purchase of substantially all of Lumen's Mass Markets fiber business on February 2, 2026 (Q2 2026 10-Q). Investment is going to fiber and wireless, not the legacy network.
  • Cost targets. AT&T's December 2024 investor-day plan targeted $2 billion+ in run-rate cost savings by mid-2026 and $3 billion+ by the end of 2027 (AT&T release). These are savings targets, not layoff quotas.
  • Automation and AI. WIRED's September reporting connects workforce changes with automation in customer service, network work and software development. Rival carriers are cutting too: see T-Mobile layoffs.
  • Fewer offices. The 2023 office-hub consolidation and the 2025 help-desk consolidation created relocate-or-leave decisions, as reported in the timeline sources above.
If AI is part of your worry
The AI layoffs survival guide covers which roles are most exposed to automation and how to reposition before a surplus reaches your title.
Key Takeaway

AT&T links savings to copper decommissioning while investing in fiber and wireless. A company-wide cost target does not identify which employee's job will be cut.

Union surplus vs. management cuts

About 43% of AT&T's workforce was represented by the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and other unions at the end of 2025, according to its 2025 10-K. For them, a job cut usually arrives as a surplus, not a layoff letter.
In the Southeast, CWA Local 3121 lists quarterly declarations for 2025 and the first three quarters of 2026. Article 7.01A3 of the 2024 BST Core Contract allows upfront SIPP (Supplemental Income Protection Plan) offers before adjusting forces. Eligible employees need at least one year of seniority and have 10 calendar days to accept; AT&T sets the off-payroll date. SIPP is granted by seniority within the specified work group and exchange, up to the number AT&T authorizes.
The tradeoff: accepting upfront SIPP gives up Partnership Job Bank and recall rights. Acceptance cannot be revoked after the 10-day period. Ask the steward to compare the payout with reassignment options before signing. This acceptance window is not a layoff notice period. For a parallel case, see how CWA surplus declarations work at Verizon.
ContractStatusJob security and payout terms
Southeast (CWA District 3)Five-year deal reached after a 30-day strike that ended Sep 15, 2024; ratified October 2024Quarterly surplus declarations; upfront SIPP offers under Article 7.01A3 (LPM, RCR Wireless)
West (CWA District 9)Runs through April 4, 2028Article 8 ESB long-service payments capped at 35 years (120 weeks) after April 2026; new hires have a separate table (District 9 report)
Southwest (CWA District 6)Four-year deal ratified May 2025Fiber work reserved for union members, not contractors (NABET-CWA)
Midwest (CWA District 4)Four-year deal ratified March 2026, effective April 12Employment security language preserved (CWA)
Legacy TRatified March 2026Joint committee on AI's impact on members (CWA)
Mobility OrangeFour-year deal covering about 9,000 workers in 36 states and D.C.; ratification announced May 22, 2026CWA's ratification announcement confirms new job-security provisions. Local notice and severance terms are summarized below.
QuestionManagement (non-union) employeesCWA-represented employees
How cuts arriveReorganizations, relocation decisions and individual separation agreementsSurplus declarations; contract procedures for buyouts, reassignment or layoff
NoticeIndividual WARN notice where the event qualifies, plus applicable plan termsContract notice plus WARN where applicable; federal WARN notice goes to the union
Payout rulesCompany plan and separation agreement; no public formula verified hereApplicable agreement's payment table, eligibility rules and cap
Key Takeaway

A union card changes the process, not the certainty of keeping the job. The regional contract decides the notice, the buyout and the payout, so the surplus notice and the steward matter more than any headline.

AT&T severance: what is documented

Management employees need their plan document; no public formula was verified in the sources reviewed. Documented union and statutory terms include:

Documented AT&T severance and separation facts
  • Company charges: AT&T's 2025 10-K reports $838 million of asset impairment, abandonment and restructuring expense for 2025, primarily restructuring severance. That is an accounting total, not a per-person amount.
  • AT&T West: Article 8 ESB long-service payments capped at 35 years/120 weeks after April 2026. New hires have a separate table.
  • Mobility Orange: Local 9333's undated 2026 summary lists a $21,000 severance cap and 30 days' surplus notice (60 for 50+ employees at one location). Confirm the signed agreement and eligibility with the steward.
  • New Jersey: covered events require one week of pay per full year of employment, plus four weeks if less than the required 90 days' notice is given. Where another entitlement exceeds statutory severance, the greater amount applies.
Sources: AT&T 2025 10-K, District 9 report, Local 9333's undated summary, and New Jersey's law.
Your paperwork beats any forum formula
Ask HR for the severance plan document and your separation agreement before you sign. A formula quoted online may describe an older plan or one person's offer. This page is general information, not legal advice. For typical amounts, taxes and negotiating, see the full severance guide.
Key Takeaway

Before estimating AT&T severance, verify the plan or agreement, eligibility, payment table and cap that cover your position.

What AT&T employees are saying (unverified)

These are anonymous or self-reported accounts, not verified employment records.

  • Timing and relocation worries. Readers searching 'thelayoff AT&T' reach TheLayoff.com's AT&T board. In early October, visible posts ask about October notices and describe relocation followed by separation. They do not establish a company-wide notification calendar or count.
  • Buyout and household finances. The readable r/ATT thread Major layoffs today includes self-reported surplus experiences, questions about payouts and concerns about losing income after long service. Anonymous experiences cannot establish the terms that apply to another employee.
How to check a rumor

Look for a surplus notice from your local, a WARN entry or an AT&T filing. An anonymous date is a question for HR or your steward, not proof.

If you were laid off from AT&T: first steps

Start with the dates in your notice, not the forum.

AT&T-specific first steps
0/6
The Department of Labor's unemployment fact sheet explains where and when to apply, and HealthCare.gov compares COBRA with Marketplace coverage.
Questions to send HR (or your steward) before you sign
Hi [Name],

Before I sign my separation documents, could you confirm the following in writing?

1. My last day on payroll and my separation date.
2. How my severance is calculated (weeks per year of service and any cap), and which plan or contract article applies.
3. What happens to my unvested equity, incentive pay and unused vacation.
4. When my medical, dental and vision coverage ends, and my COBRA election deadline.
5. My pension or 401(k) status as of my separation date.
6. Whether I am eligible for rehire and can apply for open AT&T roles.
7. How many days I have to review and sign the release.

[Union members, add:] Which reassignment options I have if I decline the buyout offer, at what pay and location, and which Job Bank or recall rights I give up if I accept.

Thank you,
[Your name]
Next: the general plan
Once the AT&T-specific deadlines are handled, follow the first-week action plan after a layoff. For what a layoff (rather than a firing) means for unemployment and references, see laid off vs fired. When interviews start, use these scripts for explaining a layoff. On medical leave? Read whether you can be laid off while on FMLA.
Telecom experience carries over to fiber construction, utilities, data centers and customer operations, but only if your resume swaps internal AT&T titles for those employers' words. Run it through how to get your resume past ATS, and if the search grinds you down, use the job application burnout recovery plan.
Key Takeaway

After an AT&T layoff or surplus, the contract or plan deadlines come first: buyout windows, relocation decisions and release reviews are short.

Will there be more AT&T layoffs?

The verified upcoming dates are the Southeast surplus report's requested last days on payroll: October 31 and December 26, 2026. That report does not set a later company-wide layoff date or count.

AT&T's published network plan extends through 2029, when it intends to stop serving the large majority of its domestic copper network. Its CTO described a changing workforce in WIRED's September 23 report:

"We're not going to have the same headcount in five years as we do today."

Jeremy Legg, Chief Technology Officer, AT&T (to WIRED, September 2026)
Key Takeaway

The Southeast report gives requested payroll dates for identified positions. It does not establish a notification calendar or national layoff quota.

AT&T layoffs: key points
  1. 01June 2026 headcount: 130,870, down 2,160 net since year-end 2025. This is not a layoff count.
  2. 02Q4 Southeast: 19 positions at risk. New Jersey's 2026 WARN entries: 300 positions listed.
  3. 03The network plan retires the large majority of domestic copper service by 2029, subject to obligations.
  4. 04Union separation terms vary by agreement. Upfront Southeast SIPP gives up Job Bank and recall rights.
FAQ

Is AT&T laying off in October 2026?

The Q4 Southeast surplus report requests October 31 as the last day on payroll for four machine operators in Georgia and South Carolina, and December 26 for 15 other positions. As of October 9, those are planned dates. Forum posts about October notices do not verify a separate company-wide round.

How many employees has AT&T laid off in 2026?

The filings do not provide a national total. Headcount fell by 2,160 net in the first half of 2026, to 130,870. That includes hiring and voluntary departures as well as layoffs. WARN and surplus counts are partial records.

Did AT&T have layoffs in 2025?

Yes. WARN records list planned 2025 reductions, and internal help desks were consolidated from 22 locations to six hubs. Year-end headcount was 133,030, down 7,960 net. The 10-K identifies restructuring severance charges but does not count all layoffs separately.

Does AT&T give severance?

Yes, under the applicable plan or contract. CWA agreements have different payment tables and caps. Covered New Jersey events require one week per full year of employment, or the greater contractual entitlement. Management employees need their plan document.

What is an AT&T surplus?

An AT&T surplus declares excess staff in a job title or work group. The applicable agreement governs buyout, reassignment and layoff procedures. Southeast declarations come quarterly.

Where can I find AT&T WARN notices?

Start with state labor departments. New Jersey's 2026 list contains three AT&T entries totaling 300 positions. California EDD, FloridaCommerce, Alabama Workforce and Illinois workNet publish the historical entries listed above.

Is AT&T replacing workers with AI?

The quarterly headcount tables do not separate AI-related layoffs from other workforce changes. Hiring and voluntary departures also affect the net figure, so it cannot establish how many jobs automation replaced.

Will there be more AT&T layoffs?

The Q4 Southeast report requests payroll dates through December 26, 2026. AT&T's network plan extends through 2029. It does not establish dates or employee counts for later layoff rounds.

Editorial Policy →
Bogdan Serebryakov
Reviewed byBogdan Serebryakov

Researching Job Market & Building AI Tools for careerists · since December 2020

Sources
  1. 01AT&T Is Automating Away Jobs and Its Old Telecom Empire, September 23, 2026 (WIRED)
  2. 02AT&T selected financial statements and operating data, Q2 2026: total employees (SEC Exhibit 99.2)
  3. 03AT&T selected financial statements and operating data, Q4 2025: total employees (SEC Exhibit 99.2)
  4. 04AT&T second-quarter 2026 earnings release, July 22, 2026 (SEC Exhibit 99.1)
  5. 05AT&T Form 10-Q for Q2 2026: Lumen closing and restructuring (SEC)
  6. 06AT&T Form 10-K for 2025: headcount, union representation, 2026 contracts and severance charges (SEC)
  7. 07AT&T Form 10-K for 2024: headcount at December 31, 2024 (SEC)
  8. 08AT&T 2023 annual report: headcount at January 31, 2024 (AT&T investor relations PDF)
  9. 09AT&T investor day release, December 3, 2024: cost savings and copper targets (SEC Exhibit 99.1)
  10. 10AT&T HR chief is leaving as company cuts thousands of jobs, August 1, 2023 (Bloomberg via Yahoo Finance)
  11. 11Relocate or resign: AT&T pushes managers under culture reset drive, August 20, 2025 (People Matters, citing Business Insider)
  12. 12AT&T Southeast Q4 2026 surplus declaration report (CWA Local 3111 PDF; created September 15, UTC)
  13. 13AT&T surplus announcements and Article 7.01A3 SIPP offers, June 2026 (CWA Local 3204)
  14. 142024 BST Core Contract, Article 7.01A3: upfront SIPP eligibility, deadlines and rights (CWA Local 3111 PDF)
  15. 15Surplus declaration reports, 2025 and 2026 (CWA Local 3121)
  16. 16Surplus notification for AT&T Legacy T members, August 28, 2023 (CWA)
  17. 17CWA District 4 and Legacy T members ratify AT&T contracts, March 19, 2026 (CWA)
  18. 18CWA members at AT&T Mobility ratify new union contract covering 9,000 workers, May 22, 2026 (CWA)
  19. 192026 AT&T Mobility Orange contract summary, undated (CWA Local 9333)
  20. 20Final bargaining report, CWA District 9 and AT&T, 2024-2028 (CWA District 9 PDF)
  21. 21CWA members at AT&T Southwest ratify new contract, May 8, 2025 (NABET-CWA)
  22. 22Strike ends for AT&T union workers in nine states, September 16, 2024 (Louisville Public Media)
  23. 23AT&T ratifies new worker contracts with CWA union, October 21, 2024 (RCR Wireless News)
  24. 242026 WARN notices (New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development PDF)
  25. 252024 WARN notices (New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development PDF)
  26. 262023 WARN notices (New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development PDF)
  27. 27WARN report, July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025 (California Employment Development Department PDF)
  28. 28WARN report, July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024 (California Employment Development Department PDF)
  29. 29WARN report, July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026 (California EDD PDF)
  30. 30Current WARN report through October 7, 2026 (California EDD spreadsheet)
  31. 31WARN notices, 2025 (FloridaCommerce)
  32. 32WARN notices, 2024 (FloridaCommerce)
  33. 33WARN list (Alabama Department of Workforce)
  34. 34June 2023 monthly WARN report: 34 Peoria positions (Illinois workNet spreadsheet)
  35. 35August 2023 monthly WARN report: six additional Peoria layoffs (Illinois workNet spreadsheet)
  36. 36Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notices dataset (Texas Workforce Commission via data.texas.gov)
  37. 37New Jersey WARN law as amended in 2023, N.J.S.A. 34:21-1 et seq. (NJ Department of Labor PDF)
  38. 38WARN advisor: covered employers (U.S. Department of Labor)
  39. 39WARN advisor: 30- and 90-day aggregation (U.S. Department of Labor)
  40. 40WARN advisor: notice periods and notice to unions (U.S. Department of Labor)
  41. 41AT&T discussion board, unverified employee reports (TheLayoff.com)
  42. 42Major layoffs today, unverified employee reports (Reddit r/ATT)
  43. 43Unemployment Insurance Program Fact Sheet (U.S. Department of Labor PDF)
  44. 44COBRA coverage and Marketplace options (HealthCare.gov)

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