US Layoffs — September 2002
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers submitted 95 WARN Act notices in September 2002, putting at risk an estimated 11,117 workers — down from August and down 65% versus September 2001. Filings came from 10 states and territories, with an average of 117 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio | 10 | 2,741 |
| Pennsylvania | 16 | 2,561 |
| Texas | 29 | 1,497 |
| Georgia | 5 | 1,271 |
| Illinois | 7 | 865 |
| Florida | 9 | 734 |
| Maryland | 8 | 707 |
| Michigan | 6 | 493 |
| Alabama | 3 | 248 |
| Kansas | 2 | 0 |
Ohio led the nation with 2,741 workers affected across 10 notices , followed by Pennsylvania (2,561 workers) and Texas (1,497 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 30 | 4,785 |
| Transportation | 21 | 3,781 |
| Information & Technology | 24 | 856 |
| Retail | 4 | 416 |
| Healthcare | 3 | 316 |
| Finance & Insurance | 5 | 290 |
| Professional Services | 3 | 209 |
| Agriculture | 1 | 176 |
| Accommodation & Food | 2 | 176 |
| Wholesale Trade | 1 | 62 |
The Manufacturing sector emerged as the hardest-hit sector with 4,785 workers across 30 notices. Separately, Transportation reported 3,781 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 27 | 3,749 |
| Layoff | 15 | 1,125 |
Closures accounted for 34% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consolidated Freightways | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 1,351 | Closure |
| L.G. Phillips | Ottawa, Ohio | 1,177 | |
| Durango - Georgia Paper | St. Marys, Georgia | 903 | |
| Consolidated Freightways | Richfield, Ohio | 560 | |
| Consolidated Freightways | Dallas, Texas | 530 | |
| Consolidated Freightways | Columbus, Ohio | 317 | |
| Ciena | A.a, Maryland | 269 | Layoff |
| Durakon Industries | Lapeer, Michigan | 244 | Closure |
| Rock Creek Center | Lemont, Illinois | 240 | Closure |
| JCPenney | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 191 | Closure |
Topping the list was Consolidated Freightways in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, reporting 1,351 affected workers. L.G. Phillips followed with 1,177 workers.
Trend & Outlook
These figures highlight a easing in workforce disruptions across the nation, with filings falling below both recent and year-ago levels. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in September 2002. 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.