US Layoffs — August 2001
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers reported 134 WARN Act notices in August 2001, displacing an estimated 18,327 workers — signaling a deceleration from July and up 90% versus August 2000. Filings came from 11 states and territories, with an average of 137 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 32 | 5,467 |
| Georgia | 22 | 2,769 |
| Illinois | 20 | 2,573 |
| Florida | 19 | 2,281 |
| Ohio | 6 | 1,766 |
| Texas | 19 | 1,743 |
| Michigan | 6 | 774 |
| Alabama | 4 | 626 |
| Maryland | 3 | 223 |
| Kentucky | 1 | 105 |
| Kansas | 2 | 0 |
Pennsylvania led the nation with 5,467 workers affected across 32 notices , followed by Georgia (2,769 workers) and Illinois (2,573 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 59 | 9,043 |
| Information & Technology | 20 | 3,252 |
| Transportation | 8 | 1,430 |
| Retail | 6 | 1,215 |
| Wholesale Trade | 7 | 1,016 |
| Finance & Insurance | 14 | 738 |
| Professional Services | 5 | 414 |
| Government | 3 | 327 |
| Utilities | 4 | 257 |
| Education | 2 | 143 |
The Manufacturing sector topped the list of affected industries with 9,043 workers across 59 notices. Notably, Information & Technology reported 3,252 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 41 | 5,173 |
| Layoff | 27 | 4,595 |
Closures accounted for 28% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emery Worldwide Airlines | Vandalia, Ohio | 767 | |
| Agere Systems | Reading, Pennsylvania | 636 | Layoff |
| AT&T-San Antonio3 | San Antonio, Texas | 563 | |
| Agere Systems | Breinigsville, Pennsylvania | 555 | Layoff |
| Tellabs | Bolingbrook, Illinois | 540 | Layoff |
| Agere Systems | Allentown, Pennsylvania | 523 | Layoff |
| Victoria's Secret Direct | Columbus, Ohio | 459 | |
| Cingular Wireless | Boca Raton, Florida | 434 | |
| Precision Response | Jacksonville, Florida | 400 | |
| Arvinmeritor | Fayette, Alabama | 371 | Closure |
The most significant filing came from Emery Worldwide Airlines in Vandalia, Ohio, reporting 767 affected workers. Agere Systems followed with 636 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 August 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 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.