US Layoffs — May 2004
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers posted 85 WARN Act notices in May 2004, affecting an estimated 8,197 workers — reflecting a cooling compared to April and down 29% versus May 2003. Filings came from 13 states and territories, with an average of 96 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 22 | 1,901 |
| Ohio | 10 | 969 |
| Illinois | 7 | 915 |
| Georgia | 7 | 795 |
| Maryland | 5 | 764 |
| Michigan | 5 | 763 |
| Florida | 8 | 651 |
| Texas | 8 | 508 |
| New Jersey | 5 | 432 |
| Kentucky | 3 | 352 |
| Alabama | 1 | 95 |
| Washington | 1 | 52 |
| Kansas | 3 | 0 |
Pennsylvania led the nation with 1,901 workers affected across 22 notices , followed by Ohio (969 workers) and Illinois (915 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 38 | 3,180 |
| Information & Technology | 9 | 789 |
| Transportation | 7 | 735 |
| Healthcare | 4 | 649 |
| Real Estate | 5 | 577 |
| Finance & Insurance | 4 | 525 |
| Professional Services | 4 | 440 |
| Government | 3 | 407 |
| Accommodation & Food | 3 | 251 |
| Wholesale Trade | 1 | 197 |
The Manufacturing sector saw the heaviest impact with 3,180 workers across 38 notices. On a related front, Information & Technology reported 789 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 31 | 3,357 |
| Layoff | 13 | 1,133 |
Closures accounted for 41% of all affected workers nationally, indicating significant structural workforce adjustments.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tecumseh Products | Tecumseh, Michigan | 346 | Layoff |
| Tyco Healthcare | Marietta, Georgia | 335 | |
| Keebler | Elmhurst, Illinois | 318 | Closure |
| Giant Food | Landover, Maryland | 264 | Layoff |
| Micro Craft | Novi, Michigan | 237 | Closure |
| Second National Bank | Warren, Ohio | 220 | |
| USF Red Star | Harrisburg, Pennsylvania | 218 | Closure |
| Premier | Oak Brook, Illinois | 200 | Closure |
| USF Red Star | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 198 | Closure |
| USF Red Star | Baltimore City, Maryland | 197 | Closure |
The largest notice was filed by Tecumseh Products in Tecumseh, Michigan, reporting 346 affected workers. Tyco Healthcare followed with 335 workers.
Trend & Outlook
The trends suggest 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 May 2004. 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.