MA Layoffs: 260 Jobs Lost at Panera, Zipcar & Thermo Fisher – Economic Concerns Rise
- A series of layoff announcements will result in 260 Massachusetts workers losing their jobs, sparking concerns about the state’s economic competitiveness.
- Panera Bread plans to lay off 92 employees at its Franklin facility between March 25-27, according to a recently filed notice.
- The job losses are prompting criticism that Massachusetts is becoming an increasingly expensive and challenging environment for businesses.
Layoffs Impact Massachusetts Workforce, Raise Economic Concerns
A series of layoff announcements will result in 260 Massachusetts workers losing their jobs, sparking concerns about the state’s economic competitiveness. The layoffs, impacting companies in Boston and Franklin, come as the Healey administration grapples with affordability issues and a reported population exodus.
Panera Bread plans to lay off 92 employees at its Franklin facility between March 25-27, according to a recently filed notice. Zipcar intends to terminate 65 workers in Boston from April 1-14. Thermo Fisher Scientific will be laying off 103 employees in Franklin, with separations occurring between December 31, 2026, and December 31, 2027.
The job losses are prompting criticism that Massachusetts is becoming an increasingly expensive and challenging environment for businesses. Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance Executive Director Paul Diego Craney stated on Monday, “These are not isolated decisions. They are rational business responses to a state that has become increasingly expensive, unpredictable, and hostile to employers. High taxes, crushing energy costs, and rigid Net Zero climate mandates are making it harder every day for companies to justify staying in Massachusetts.” Craney further warned that without addressing these issues, the trend will continue, impacting working families.
Data indicates a population decline in Massachusetts, with 33,340 residents leaving for other states between July 1, 2024, and July 1, 2025.
Governor Healey, in her State of the Commonwealth address, emphasized the importance of talent, stating, “That’s why, when it comes to competing for jobs – my bet’s always on Massachusetts.” She cited recent decisions by Hasbro, LEGO, Alnylam, and Transmedics to establish or expand operations in the state as evidence of its appeal.
However, recent employment data from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston paints a less optimistic picture. The report, released last month, showed that while Maine, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island experienced declines in nonfarm payroll employment, Massachusetts saw only a minimal increase of 0.05% between November 2025 and November 2024.
Zipcar is consolidating functions from its Boston headquarters to Avis Budget Group’s U.S. Headquarters in Parsippany, New Jersey. According to a statement from Avis, Zipcar’s regional field and fleet operations teams will remain in Boston and other local markets to maintain service levels. “Zipcar remains fully operational and members should expect the same service and experience they rely on today,” the statement read.
Panera is closing its Franklin Fresh Dough Facility on March 27 as it implements a new bakery operating model. The company is offering affected employees severance packages, job placement assistance within Panera, and outplacement services, including a job fair scheduled for .
Thermo Fisher Scientific plans to eventually close its Franklin facility, which provides GMP biologics storage and cell therapy clinical trial support. The layoffs will begin on December 31, 2026, and may continue through the following year. The losses reflect headwinds in the life sciences sector, which lost over 1,000 biopharma research and development jobs from 2023 to 2024. Massachusetts has invested $500 million in the life sciences initiative over the next decade, but Thermo Fisher has not received state tax credits from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center.
The announcement of the Thermo Fisher layoffs drew criticism from Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Shortsleeve, who tweeted on January 30, “Did every mid-size manufacturing plant in Massachusetts make a New Years Resolution to flee the state in 2026? Thermo Fisher Scientific is the largest publicly traded company in Massachusetts. When they close a home-turf plant, you know it’s bad.”
Campbell’s Company also announced plans to close its Hyannis facility in April, ending Cape Cod potato chip production on Cape Cod. The company stated the Hyannis plant produces only 4% of total Cape Cod chip volume and “no longer makes economic sense for the business.”
Republican gubernatorial candidates Mike Kennealy and Mike Minogue also weighed in on the economic situation. Kennealy, a former housing and economic development secretary, stated that Massachusetts has experienced stagnant economic growth under Governor Healey, while Minogue asserted that the state is struggling to keep businesses within its borders.