US Layoffs — April 2001
The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers recorded 130 WARN Act notices in April 2001, covering approximately 28,406 workers — marking a sharp increase from March and up 324% versus April 2000. Filings came from 11 states and territories, with an average of 219 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 21 | 6,702 |
| Ohio | 15 | 5,095 |
| Texas | 26 | 4,413 |
| Pennsylvania | 18 | 2,619 |
| Kentucky | 8 | 2,419 |
| Georgia | 14 | 2,397 |
| Michigan | 11 | 2,019 |
| Florida | 7 | 1,685 |
| Alabama | 4 | 694 |
| Maryland | 5 | 290 |
| Oklahoma | 1 | 73 |
Illinois led the nation with 6,702 workers affected across 21 notices , followed by Ohio (5,095 workers) and Texas (4,413 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 72 | 20,201 |
| Finance & Insurance | 9 | 2,167 |
| Information & Technology | 8 | 1,490 |
| Wholesale Trade | 9 | 1,017 |
| Transportation | 9 | 1,003 |
| Retail | 5 | 671 |
| Healthcare | 4 | 596 |
| Professional Services | 4 | 305 |
| Accommodation & Food | 2 | 203 |
| Real Estate | 1 | 193 |
The Manufacturing sector accounted for the largest share of job cuts with 20,201 workers across 72 notices. At the same time, Finance & Insurance reported 2,167 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 42 | 10,611 |
| Layoff | 23 | 4,034 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| DaimlerChrysler | Toledo, Ohio | 2,035 | |
| Daimler Chrysler | Belvidere, Illinois | 1,420 | Closure |
| Brach'S Confections | Chicago, Illinois | 1,120 | Closure |
| Mattel-Murray | Murray, Kentucky | 980 | Layoff |
| LTV Steel | Cleveland, Ohio | 901 | |
| Quebecor World/Wcx, L.L.C | Salem, Illinois | 872 | Closure |
| Three (3) Com | Mount Prospect, Illinois | 865 | Closure |
| Michigan National Bank | Farmington Hills, Michigan | 850 | Closure |
| Solectron | Austin, Texas | 850 | |
| Motorola | Boynton Beach, Florida | 800 |
Leading the list was DaimlerChrysler in Toledo, Ohio, reporting 2,035 affected workers. Daimler Chrysler followed with 1,420 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
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 April 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.