US Layoffs — November 1998
The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers posted 50 WARN Act notices in November 1998, affecting an estimated 7,659 workers — reflecting a significant uptick compared to October and up 504% versus November 1997. Filings came from 5 states and territories, with an average of 153 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 24 | 2,892 |
| Alabama | 3 | 1,964 |
| Ohio | 13 | 1,626 |
| Kentucky | 8 | 1,177 |
| Kansas | 2 | 0 |
Florida led the nation with 2,892 workers affected across 24 notices , followed by Alabama (1,964 workers) and Ohio (1,626 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 21 | 3,684 |
| Accommodation & Food | 9 | 1,179 |
| Retail | 4 | 636 |
| Construction | 4 | 455 |
| Healthcare | 2 | 454 |
| Information & Technology | 1 | 232 |
| Transportation | 2 | 224 |
| Mining & Energy | 2 | 200 |
| Finance & Insurance | 1 | 104 |
| Government | 1 | 100 |
The Manufacturing sector saw the heaviest impact with 3,684 workers across 21 notices. On a related front, Accommodation & Food reported 1,179 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 9 | 2,866 |
| Layoff | 4 | 275 |
Closures accounted for 37% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reynolds Metals | Muscle Shoals, Alabama | 1,600 | Closure |
| Harry M. Stevens, Inc. (STEVENS) | Hallandale, Florida | 395 | |
| Veranda Nursing & Rehab Center | Orlando, Florida | 367 | |
| Rust Constructors | Decatur, Alabama | 282 | Closure |
| Primestar | Kettering, Ohio | 232 | |
| IMC-Agrico | Mulberry, Florida | 230 | |
| Camelot Music | North Canton, Ohio | 202 | |
| Kentucky Apparel Summer Shade Plant Fountain Run Plant | Fountain Run, Kentucky | 197 | Closure |
| Rieter Automotive System | Oregon, Ohio | 185 | |
| Federated Logist. & Operations | Cincinnati, Ohio | 175 |
The largest notice was filed by Reynolds Metals in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, reporting 1,600 affected workers. Harry M. Stevens, Inc. (STEVENS) followed with 395 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This marks the third consecutive month of rising layoff activity.
The trends suggest mounting pressure on the the nation labor market, with activity running above both recent and year-ago benchmarks. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in November 1998. The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act requires employers with 100+ employees to provide 60-day advance notice of mass layoffs and plant closings. Data is sourced from official state filings and updated daily by LaborCurrent, which also tracks SEC 8-K filings, bankruptcy proceedings, H-1B visa petitions, and unemployment claims across all six datasets. API access and data exports available.