US Layoffs — November 1999
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers logged 25 WARN Act notices in November 1999, involving roughly 3,001 workers — falling below October and down 61% versus November 1998. Filings came from 8 states and territories, with an average of 120 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 4 | 750 |
| Florida | 8 | 708 |
| Alabama | 4 | 496 |
| Kentucky | 3 | 387 |
| Ohio | 3 | 323 |
| Illinois | 1 | 250 |
| Oklahoma | 1 | 87 |
| Kansas | 1 | 0 |
Texas led the nation with 750 workers affected across 4 notices , followed by Florida (708 workers) and Alabama (496 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 10 | 1,677 |
| Finance & Insurance | 2 | 346 |
| Healthcare | 3 | 271 |
| Wholesale Trade | 1 | 195 |
| Retail | 3 | 180 |
| Transportation | 1 | 137 |
| Information & Technology | 2 | 111 |
| Professional Services | 2 | 54 |
The Manufacturing sector dominated layoff filings with 1,677 workers across 10 notices. Meanwhile, Finance & Insurance reported 346 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 7 | 1,103 |
| Relocation | 1 | 30 |
| Layoff | 1 | 0 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Garment Finishers | El Paso, Texas | 343 | |
| Jockey International | Kenosha, Kentucky | 326 | Closure |
| St Paul Federal Bank | Mount Prospect, Illinois | 250 | Closure |
| Russell Corp., Columbia | Columbia, Alabama | 235 | Closure |
| Fleming Foods | San Antonio, Texas | 195 | |
| Russell Athletic | Crestview, Florida | 185 | |
| Ball | Tampa, Florida | 169 | |
| Darlington House | Toledo, Ohio | 150 | |
| Dillard’S, Inc., Distribution Center | Mobile, Alabama | 137 | Closure |
| AK Steel | Dover, Ohio | 119 |
The biggest impact was at American Garment Finishers in El Paso, Texas, reporting 343 affected workers. Jockey International followed with 326 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This is the third consecutive month of declining layoff activity.
This data points to a easing in workforce disruptions across the nation, with filings falling below both recent and year-ago levels. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in November 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.