US Layoffs — February 2000

The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers recorded 94 WARN Act notices in February 2000, covering approximately 14,924 workers — marking a sharp increase from January and up 117% versus February 1999. Filings came from 9 states and territories, with an average of 159 workers per notice.

Top States by Workers Affected

Maryland led the nation with 2,849 workers affected across 6 notices , followed by Florida (2,760 workers) and Ohio (2,318 workers) .

Industry Breakdown

The Manufacturing sector accounted for the largest share of job cuts with 4,815 workers across 33 notices. At the same time, Retail reported 2,711 workers.

Layoff Type Analysis

Closures accounted for 37% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.

Largest Layoffs

Leading the list was Us Airways in Linthicum, Maryland, reporting 2,301 affected workers. PHS Physician Mgmt. Of Ohio followed with 1,300 workers.

Trend & Outlook

This marks the third consecutive month of rising layoff activity.

The filings reflect 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 2000. 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.