US Layoffs — February 2001
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers reported 131 WARN Act notices in February 2001, displacing an estimated 20,242 workers — signaling a deceleration from January and up 38% versus February 2000. Filings came from 11 states and territories, with an average of 155 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 15 | 4,492 |
| Texas | 23 | 3,375 |
| Ohio | 18 | 3,074 |
| Georgia | 20 | 3,071 |
| Pennsylvania | 16 | 1,758 |
| Florida | 8 | 1,579 |
| Kentucky | 9 | 938 |
| Alabama | 11 | 761 |
| Michigan | 4 | 565 |
| Maryland | 5 | 461 |
| Oklahoma | 2 | 168 |
Illinois led the nation with 4,492 workers affected across 15 notices , followed by Texas (3,375 workers) and Ohio (3,074 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 63 | 10,716 |
| Information & Technology | 14 | 2,567 |
| Finance & Insurance | 11 | 1,844 |
| Retail | 5 | 1,005 |
| Government | 3 | 980 |
| Wholesale Trade | 5 | 815 |
| Transportation | 5 | 458 |
| Healthcare | 4 | 394 |
| Accommodation & Food | 5 | 389 |
| Professional Services | 4 | 366 |
The Manufacturing sector topped the list of affected industries with 10,716 workers across 63 notices. Notably, Information & Technology reported 2,567 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 45 | 7,316 |
| Layoff | 13 | 1,581 |
Closures accounted for 36% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motorola Cellular Manufacturing | Harvard, Illinois | 2,500 | Closure |
| Customer Communication Center, Inc. Tampa Call and Collection Center | Tampa, Florida | 950 | |
| Washington Mutual Bank | Houston, Texas | 600 | |
| Premier Farnell Corp. - Cleveland | Cleveland, Ohio | 446 | |
| Amazon | McDonough, Georgia | 442 | |
| U S Marine | Valdosta, Georgia | 402 | |
| Nokia - Tarrant2 | Fort Worth, Texas | 400 | |
| Lexmark International | Lexington, Kentucky | 375 | Layoff |
| Pillowtex | Hawkinsville, Georgia | 367 | |
| Textile Services | Youngstown, Ohio | 364 |
The most significant filing came from Motorola Cellular Manufacturing in Harvard, Illinois, reporting 2,500 affected workers. Customer Communication Center, Inc. Tampa Call and Collection Center followed with 950 workers.
Trend & Outlook
The numbers illustrate 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 February 2001. 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.