Nearly 500 Jobs Lost Across Iowa This Holiday Season

According to the Iowa WARN system seven different employers across the state of Iowa will release 488 workers from their positions this holiday season. Cities impacted by these layoffs include Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, West Des Moines, Mason City, and North Liberty. Industries laying off employees include banks, doctors offices, tech, auto, and several others.

Get our free mobile app

Layoffs are never pleasant and have effects even beyond those individuals that lose their livelihood. Economic impacts are seen immediately in the loss of tax revenue for local governments, as well as a loss of return investment created by the loss of local wages. Even worse is a holiday season spent trying to find a job when everyone is taking vacation or PTO. Layoffs make the holiday season even more stressful than it already is.

Iowa Job Cuts: Employer-by-Employer

Wells Fargo (West Des Moines)

Wells Fargo continues to trim its Iowa operations this season. The bank is cutting 26 jobs on January 2nd, 2026, on top of December cuts of 63 at its West Des Moines Jordan Creek Parkway office. Wells Fargo has stated that it works to find job opportunities for affected employees in the company elsewhere, provides severance pay, and offers career counseling if jobs are not available. Either way, it’s a tough pill to swallow, especially right around the holidays.

Insane Impact, LLC (Des Moines)

Insane Impact, a Des Moines company that builds mobile LED displays, is being bought out by a larger lighting company. As a result, 90 employees are being laid off. However, this one seems to have a much happier ending. Musco Lighting, which bought out Insane Impact, states that all 90 employees were offered jobs, with plans to add 15 to 20 more in the coming year. In this case, the WARN filing was simply said to be "a formality."

Network Imaging Solutions, LLC (North Liberty / Des Moines area)

Network Imaging Solutions, which handles assembly, packaging, and warehousing, is closing its North Liberty facility. Seventy employees will lose their jobs. For workers in supply chain, packaging, or warehousing roles, closures like this often come with little warning (it was announced on Nov. 14). With many employers slowing hiring during the holidays, finding a new full-time position can be a challenge.

RELCO, a Wabtec Company (Cedar Rapids)

In Cedar Rapids, RELCO, a locomotive-manufacturing and repair plant owned by Wabtec, is laying off 34 employees. Wabtec is shifting work to other sites across North America to more cost competitive third-party providers or regional Wabtec sites. This isn’t just a loss for employees; it’s a hit to Cedar Rapids’ manufacturing base.

Toyota Financial Services (Cedar Rapids)

Toyota Financial Services is closing its remaining Cedar Rapids operations, resulting in 54 layoffs. Many roles had already shifted to remote work over the past few years, but this final cut still carries weight locally. For workers who had hoped remote roles offered long-term security, this is a tough blow as positions were offered to all employees who wished to continue with the company, but would require working from one of the regional facilities in either Texas, Georgia, or Arizona. For Cedar Rapids, losing another chunk of a major auto-employer puts additional pressure on the local economy.

RTX (Cedar Rapids)

RTX, known nationally for its aerospace and defense work through Collins Aerospace, is laying off three workers in Cedar Rapids. While small compared to other cuts, these layoffs are part of a larger restructuring that has already affected many employees in the area.

Mason City Clinic, P.C. (Mason City)

Mason City Clinic, a multi-specialty medical practice serving northeastern Iowa, will lay off 147 employees on Dec 31st, 2025 This is the largest single hit in this wave of layoffs, affecting both workers and the community. Losing this many clinic staff not only impacts families counting on paychecks but also affects access to local health services. Additionally, this WARN notification created a lawsuit when the employer was said to have not provided at least 60 days' notice.

What This Means for Iowa — And for You

Between banks, manufacturing, healthcare, and supply-chain companies, this round of layoffs touches a wide cross-section of Iowa’s economy, and it only spans one month. From Cedar Rapids to Des Moines, nearly 500 people are dusting off job-search plans instead of decking the halls and stacking gifts under the tree.

The ripple goes beyond just those who lost work: local businesses lose customers, communities lose tax revenue, and public services like hospitals, suppliers, and schools feel the strain. It’s a rough holiday season for many. It’s also a reminder of just how connected Iowa’s towns and industries really are.