US Layoffs — December 1998
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers filed 20 WARN Act notices in December 1998, impacting roughly 3,245 workers — representing a pullback from November and up 136% versus December 1997. Filings came from 3 states and territories, with an average of 162 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
Ohio led the nation with 1,482 workers affected across 9 notices , followed by Alabama (923 workers) and Florida (840 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 13 | 2,740 |
| Healthcare | 2 | 180 |
| Transportation | 1 | 82 |
| Professional Services | 1 | 75 |
| Finance & Insurance | 1 | 75 |
| Information & Technology | 1 | 47 |
| Wholesale Trade | 1 | 46 |
The Manufacturing sector led the way in workforce reductions with 2,740 workers across 13 notices. In a parallel development, Healthcare reported 180 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 1 | 473 |
| Layoff | 1 | 450 |
Closures accounted for 15% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pillowtex | Opelika, Alabama | 473 | Closure |
| Brazos Sportswear | Batavia, Ohio | 466 | |
| International Paper | Mobile, Alabama | 450 | Layoff |
| ITT Industries | Cincinnati, Ohio | 300 | |
| Lykes Pasco | Dade City, Florida | 209 | |
| PMC Industries | Wickcliffe, Ohio | 160 | |
| The Stroh Brewery | Tampa, Florida | 154 | |
| Jefferson Smurfit | Circleville, Ohio | 123 | |
| Nu-Tek Foods | Wapakoneta, Ohio | 123 | |
| Jupiter Medical Center | Jupiter, Florida | 100 |
The single largest action involved Pillowtex in Opelika, Alabama, reporting 473 affected workers. Brazos Sportswear followed with 466 workers.
Trend & Outlook
The data underscores a mixed picture for the nation's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in December 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.