US Layoffs — November 2002
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers logged 112 WARN Act notices in November 2002, involving roughly 11,437 workers — falling below October and down 63% versus November 2001. Filings came from 11 states and territories, with an average of 102 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 36 | 2,693 |
| Pennsylvania | 15 | 2,146 |
| Georgia | 8 | 1,930 |
| Florida | 20 | 1,794 |
| Ohio | 8 | 903 |
| Illinois | 8 | 742 |
| Oklahoma | 1 | 350 |
| Michigan | 5 | 349 |
| Alabama | 3 | 286 |
| Maryland | 3 | 244 |
| Kansas | 5 | 0 |
Texas led the nation with 2,693 workers affected across 36 notices , followed by Pennsylvania (2,146 workers) and Georgia (1,930 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 62 | 5,479 |
| Transportation | 10 | 2,049 |
| Finance & Insurance | 7 | 777 |
| Information & Technology | 9 | 756 |
| Professional Services | 4 | 442 |
| Government | 2 | 425 |
| Wholesale Trade | 5 | 380 |
| Retail | 3 | 270 |
| Accommodation & Food | 2 | 178 |
| Mining & Energy | 1 | 163 |
The Manufacturing sector dominated layoff filings with 5,479 workers across 62 notices. Meanwhile, Transportation reported 2,049 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Layoff | 20 | 2,152 |
| Closure | 19 | 1,615 |
Closures accounted for 14% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Lines | Atlanta, Georgia | 1,025 | |
| Wyeth Pharmaceuticals | Marietta, Pennsylvania | 800 | Layoff |
| Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) | Austin, Texas | 750 | |
| Alcatel USA, Inc. - Plano | Plano, Texas | 642 | |
| City Of Atlanta | Atlanta, Georgia | 375 | |
| International Business Machines (IBM) | Oklahoma | 350 | |
| US Airways - Tampa Heavy Maintenance | Tampa, Florida | 317 | |
| PHP Holdings | Coral Gables, Florida | 235 | |
| DynKePRO | York, Pennsylvania | 197 | Layoff |
| PHP Holdings | Tampa, Florida | 194 |
The biggest impact was at Delta Air Lines in Atlanta, Georgia, reporting 1,025 affected workers. Wyeth Pharmaceuticals followed with 800 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This data points to 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 November 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 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.