US Layoffs — January 1999
The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers posted 65 WARN Act notices in January 1999, affecting an estimated 6,564 workers — reflecting a significant uptick compared to December and up 164% versus January 1998. Filings came from 6 states and territories, with an average of 101 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 19 | 2,281 |
| Texas | 19 | 1,700 |
| Ohio | 11 | 1,680 |
| Alabama | 6 | 577 |
| Kentucky | 5 | 326 |
| Kansas | 5 | 0 |
Florida led the nation with 2,281 workers affected across 19 notices , followed by Texas (1,700 workers) and Ohio (1,680 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 24 | 2,649 |
| Retail | 16 | 1,233 |
| Healthcare | 2 | 480 |
| Real Estate | 2 | 457 |
| Mining & Energy | 3 | 431 |
| Information & Technology | 1 | 326 |
| Professional Services | 2 | 245 |
| Finance & Insurance | 7 | 243 |
| Accommodation & Food | 1 | 180 |
| Transportation | 2 | 169 |
The Manufacturing sector saw the heaviest impact with 2,649 workers across 24 notices. On a related front, Retail reported 1,233 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 8 | 667 |
| Layoff | 8 | 236 |
Closures accounted for 10% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Department of Children & Families | Clearwater, Florida | 350 | |
| APAC TeleServices | Boynton Beach, Florida | 326 | |
| LTV Steel | Cleveland, Ohio | 325 | |
| DeGeorge Home Alliance | Boca Raton, Florida | 300 | |
| Russell | Marianna, Florida | 246 | |
| Tokheim Equipment | Bonham, Texas | 200 | |
| Washington Steel | Massillon, Ohio | 200 | |
| Dresser Oil & Tools | Dallas, Texas | 190 | |
| Carlisle Container Manufacturing | Green Cove Springs, Florida | 185 | |
| Frindly's Food Service | Troy, Ohio | 180 |
The largest notice was filed by Florida Department of Children & Families in Clearwater, Florida, reporting 350 affected workers. APAC TeleServices followed with 326 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
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 January 1999. 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 WARN Firehose, 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.