US Layoffs — March 2000
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers posted 79 WARN Act notices in March 2000, affecting an estimated 10,615 workers — reflecting a cooling compared to February and up 32% versus March 1999. Filings came from 8 states and territories, with an average of 134 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio | 17 | 3,176 |
| Florida | 19 | 1,810 |
| Alabama | 9 | 1,518 |
| Illinois | 11 | 1,346 |
| Michigan | 6 | 1,045 |
| Kentucky | 6 | 824 |
| Texas | 9 | 669 |
| Maryland | 2 | 227 |
Ohio led the nation with 3,176 workers affected across 17 notices , followed by Florida (1,810 workers) and Alabama (1,518 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 22 | 3,062 |
| Healthcare | 12 | 1,788 |
| Retail | 9 | 1,222 |
| Wholesale Trade | 7 | 740 |
| Finance & Insurance | 5 | 660 |
| Transportation | 6 | 579 |
| Accommodation & Food | 3 | 445 |
| Information & Technology | 4 | 381 |
| Professional Services | 2 | 321 |
| Construction | 1 | 193 |
The Manufacturing sector saw the heaviest impact with 3,062 workers across 22 notices. On a related front, Healthcare reported 1,788 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 27 | 4,104 |
| Layoff | 1 | 32 |
Closures accounted for 39% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vanity Fair Intimates | Jackson, Alabama | 543 | Closure |
| PHS-St. Michael Hospital | Cleveland, Ohio | 472 | |
| Kirsch Newell | Sturgis, Michigan | 470 | Closure |
| PHS-Mt. Sinai-East | Richmond Heights, Ohio | 448 | |
| Youngstown Osteopathic Hosp | Youngstown, Ohio | 336 | |
| Fruit of the Loom | Bowling Green, Kentucky | 300 | |
| J.C. Penny | Harper Woods, Michigan | 286 | Closure |
| Star-Kist Foods | Newport, Kentucky | 260 | |
| SunTrust BankCard, N.A | Orlando, Florida | 250 | |
| Bristol Hotel & Resorts | Addison, Texas | 250 |
The largest notice was filed by Vanity Fair Intimates in Jackson, Alabama, reporting 543 affected workers. PHS-St. Michael Hospital followed with 472 workers.
Trend & Outlook
The trends suggest 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 March 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 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.