US Layoffs — February 2003
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers recorded 108 WARN Act notices in February 2003, covering approximately 15,462 workers — marking a decline from January and down 12% versus February 2002. Filings came from 11 states and territories, with an average of 143 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 10 | 3,699 |
| Texas | 27 | 2,332 |
| Ohio | 12 | 2,200 |
| Pennsylvania | 16 | 2,000 |
| Michigan | 8 | 1,913 |
| Georgia | 12 | 1,836 |
| Florida | 5 | 718 |
| Maryland | 6 | 372 |
| Alabama | 1 | 250 |
| Oklahoma | 1 | 142 |
| Kansas | 10 | 0 |
Illinois led the nation with 3,699 workers affected across 10 notices , followed by Texas (2,332 workers) and Ohio (2,200 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 44 | 9,210 |
| Information & Technology | 21 | 1,274 |
| Retail | 8 | 1,032 |
| Transportation | 9 | 879 |
| Healthcare | 6 | 865 |
| Finance & Insurance | 11 | 832 |
| Wholesale Trade | 2 | 397 |
| Mining & Energy | 2 | 276 |
| Government | 1 | 142 |
| Other | 1 | 139 |
The Manufacturing sector accounted for the largest share of job cuts with 9,210 workers across 44 notices. At the same time, Information & Technology reported 1,274 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 31 | 7,685 |
| Layoff | 20 | 549 |
Closures accounted for 50% of all affected workers nationally, indicating significant structural workforce adjustments.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scient | Granite City, Illinois | 2,700 | Closure |
| Robert Bosch | Kentwood, Michigan | 1,350 | Closure |
| Cagle's | Pine Mountian Vall, Georgia | 622 | |
| Medco Health Solutions of Mechanicsburg (Medco Health) | Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania | 575 | Closure |
| Sara Lee Underwear | Tamaqua, Pennsylvania | 460 | Closure |
| Lexmark | Orlando, Florida | 397 | |
| Goodrich | Aurora, Ohio | 370 | |
| Bassett Furniture Industries | Dublin, Georgia | 301 | |
| America West Airlines | Columbus, Ohio | 300 | |
| Komatsu America | Peoria, Illinois | 276 | Closure |
Leading the list was Scient in Granite City, Illinois, reporting 2,700 affected workers. Robert Bosch followed with 1,350 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This is the third consecutive month of declining layoff activity.
The filings reflect 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 February 2003. 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.