US Layoffs — September 2003
The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers posted 109 WARN Act notices in September 2003, affecting an estimated 17,660 workers — reflecting a significant uptick compared to August and up 59% versus September 2002. Filings came from 11 states and territories, with an average of 162 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 9 | 5,339 |
| Texas | 26 | 2,849 |
| Illinois | 18 | 2,396 |
| Michigan | 9 | 1,991 |
| Florida | 12 | 1,720 |
| Ohio | 8 | 1,282 |
| Georgia | 7 | 841 |
| Pennsylvania | 9 | 519 |
| Maryland | 4 | 386 |
| Oklahoma | 2 | 337 |
| Kansas | 5 | 0 |
Alabama led the nation with 5,339 workers affected across 9 notices , followed by Texas (2,849 workers) and Illinois (2,396 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 43 | 6,671 |
| Information & Technology | 13 | 4,283 |
| Wholesale Trade | 8 | 1,207 |
| Transportation | 4 | 977 |
| Accommodation & Food | 2 | 909 |
| Professional Services | 7 | 784 |
| Retail | 5 | 662 |
| Education | 1 | 402 |
| Finance & Insurance | 7 | 278 |
| Construction | 3 | 275 |
The Manufacturing sector saw the heaviest impact with 6,671 workers across 43 notices. On a related front, Information & Technology reported 4,283 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 36 | 9,437 |
| Layoff | 18 | 1,194 |
Closures accounted for 53% of all affected workers nationally, indicating significant structural workforce adjustments.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dyncorp Technical Services | Daleville, Alabama | 3,157 | Closure |
| Sara Lee Bakery Group | Fort Payne, Alabama | 800 | Closure |
| Levi Strauss & Company - San Antonio | San Antonio, Texas | 800 | |
| National Maunfacturing | Sterling, Illinois | 710 | Closure |
| Daimler Chrysler Glass Plant | Detroit, Michigan | 648 | Closure |
| Northwest Airlines | Livonia, Michigan | 588 | Closure |
| Gold Kist | Trussville, Alabama | 490 | Closure |
| University Hospitals Health System | Cleveland, Ohio | 402 | |
| West | Mobile, Alabama | 395 | Closure |
| ADT Security Services | Bradenton, Florida | 383 |
The largest notice was filed by Dyncorp Technical Services in Daleville, Alabama, reporting 3,157 affected workers. Sara Lee Bakery Group followed with 800 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
The trends suggest 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 September 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 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.