US Layoffs — February 1999
The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers filed 50 WARN Act notices in February 1999, impacting roughly 7,010 workers — representing a notable rise over January and up 18% versus February 1998. Filings came from 6 states and territories, with an average of 140 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 9 | 3,154 |
| Ohio | 17 | 1,818 |
| Florida | 12 | 1,232 |
| Kentucky | 5 | 547 |
| Alabama | 3 | 259 |
| Kansas | 4 | 0 |
Texas led the nation with 3,154 workers affected across 9 notices , followed by Ohio (1,818 workers) and Florida (1,232 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 21 | 4,389 |
| Retail | 8 | 784 |
| Construction | 5 | 417 |
| Transportation | 4 | 340 |
| Utilities | 1 | 250 |
| Healthcare | 1 | 167 |
| Accommodation & Food | 2 | 125 |
| Agriculture | 1 | 115 |
| Finance & Insurance | 1 | 111 |
| Real Estate | 1 | 85 |
The Manufacturing sector led the way in workforce reductions with 4,389 workers across 21 notices. In a parallel development, Retail reported 784 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 5 | 624 |
| Layoff | 7 | 182 |
Closures accounted for 9% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guidant Corp./Sulzer Intermedics | Angleton, Texas | 2,000 | |
| Stroh's Brewery | Longview, Texas | 365 | |
| American Garment Finishers | El Paso, Texas | 300 | |
| Lockheed Martin Utility Svcs | Portsmouth, Ohio | 250 | |
| Cooper Bussmann | Maysville, Kentucky | 200 | Closure |
| Kaiser Aluminum Chemical | Canton, Ohio | 177 | |
| Columbia Clearwater Community Hospital | Clearwater, Florida | 167 | |
| Hon Allsteel | Sulphur Springs, Texas | 160 | |
| ElectroAlloys | Elyria, Ohio | 149 | |
| Montgomery Ward & Comp | Tampa, Florida | 144 |
The single largest action involved Guidant Corp./Sulzer Intermedics in Angleton, Texas, reporting 2,000 affected workers. Stroh's Brewery followed with 365 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This marks the third consecutive month of rising layoff activity.
The data underscores 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 February 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 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.