US Layoffs — April 2000
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers filed 57 WARN Act notices in April 2000, impacting roughly 6,571 workers — representing a pullback from March and up 32% versus April 1999. Filings came from 8 states and territories, with an average of 115 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 15 | 1,429 |
| Illinois | 12 | 1,342 |
| Michigan | 8 | 1,171 |
| Ohio | 8 | 1,033 |
| Kentucky | 6 | 1,027 |
| Alabama | 3 | 304 |
| Florida | 4 | 185 |
| Maryland | 1 | 80 |
Texas led the nation with 1,429 workers affected across 15 notices , followed by Illinois (1,342 workers) and Michigan (1,171 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 28 | 3,561 |
| Transportation | 7 | 585 |
| Healthcare | 4 | 515 |
| Information & Technology | 4 | 464 |
| Wholesale Trade | 3 | 421 |
| Retail | 2 | 257 |
| Accommodation & Food | 3 | 208 |
| Utilities | 1 | 187 |
| Government | 2 | 135 |
| Professional Services | 1 | 119 |
The Manufacturing sector led the way in workforce reductions with 3,561 workers across 28 notices. In a parallel development, Transportation reported 585 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 20 | 2,288 |
| Layoff | 4 | 609 |
Closures accounted for 35% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Becker Group | Sterling Heights, Michigan | 400 | Layoff |
| Crothall Healthcare | Louisville, Kentucky | 350 | |
| Pearl Brewing | San Antonio, Texas | 340 | |
| Mr. Coffee | Glenwillow, Ohio | 320 | |
| Personal Products | Wilmington, Illinois | 249 | Closure |
| Celestica | Georgetown, Kentucky | 218 | |
| Tucker Housewares Division | Arlington, Texas | 200 | |
| PG&E Energy Trading | Houston, Texas | 187 | |
| JCPenney | Champaign, Illinois | 185 | Closure |
| Landstar | Hopkins, Kentucky | 178 |
The single largest action involved Becker Group in Sterling Heights, Michigan, reporting 400 affected workers. Crothall Healthcare followed with 350 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This is the third consecutive month of declining layoff activity.
The data underscores 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 April 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.