US Layoffs — October 2003
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers filed 91 WARN Act notices in October 2003, impacting roughly 13,258 workers — representing a pullback from September and down 33% versus October 2002. Filings came from 11 states and territories, with an average of 146 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 23 | 3,473 |
| Ohio | 10 | 2,757 |
| Florida | 14 | 1,872 |
| Texas | 15 | 1,593 |
| Alabama | 2 | 1,210 |
| Georgia | 9 | 971 |
| Michigan | 5 | 674 |
| Maryland | 3 | 565 |
| Oklahoma | 1 | 103 |
| Pennsylvania | 1 | 40 |
| Kansas | 8 | 0 |
Illinois led the nation with 3,473 workers affected across 23 notices , followed by Ohio (2,757 workers) and Florida (1,872 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 46 | 7,397 |
| Retail | 14 | 3,460 |
| Information & Technology | 10 | 633 |
| Professional Services | 4 | 437 |
| Finance & Insurance | 3 | 388 |
| Construction | 1 | 261 |
| Government | 1 | 216 |
| Transportation | 3 | 179 |
| Wholesale Trade | 2 | 157 |
| Utilities | 2 | 79 |
The Manufacturing sector led the way in workforce reductions with 7,397 workers across 46 notices. In a parallel development, Retail reported 3,460 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 27 | 4,476 |
| Layoff | 15 | 1,486 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Bear | Columbus, Ohio | 1,773 | |
| Goodyear Dunlop Tire | Huntsville, Alabama | 1,160 | Closure |
| Textron | Rockford, Illinois | 700 | Layoff |
| Sony Semiconductor Co. of America | San Antonio, Texas | 600 | |
| Internal Revenue Service | Bloomington, Illinois | 510 | Closure |
| Medco Health Solutions of Sabal Park | Tampa, Florida | 467 | |
| Nevamar | Odenton, Maryland | 360 | Closure |
| Lear | Traverse City, Michigan | 331 | Closure |
| Blue Bird North Georgia | Lafayette, Georgia | 300 | |
| Triad Financial | Margate, Florida | 275 |
The single largest action involved Big Bear in Columbus, Ohio, reporting 1,773 affected workers. Goodyear Dunlop Tire followed with 1,160 workers.
Trend & Outlook
The data underscores 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 October 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.