US Layoffs — October 2004
The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers recorded 90 WARN Act notices in October 2004, covering approximately 13,058 workers — marking a sharp increase from September and down 2% versus October 2003. Filings came from 13 states and territories, with an average of 145 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 12 | 2,761 |
| Texas | 13 | 2,327 |
| Georgia | 11 | 1,912 |
| Florida | 16 | 1,671 |
| Ohio | 6 | 1,157 |
| New Jersey | 8 | 1,110 |
| Michigan | 4 | 751 |
| Alabama | 4 | 399 |
| Kentucky | 3 | 362 |
| Pennsylvania | 7 | 240 |
| Maryland | 2 | 218 |
| Washington | 2 | 150 |
| Kansas | 2 | 0 |
Illinois led the nation with 2,761 workers affected across 12 notices , followed by Texas (2,327 workers) and Georgia (1,912 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 50 | 6,182 |
| Finance & Insurance | 10 | 1,483 |
| Healthcare | 4 | 1,444 |
| Information & Technology | 7 | 1,356 |
| Transportation | 1 | 1,050 |
| Professional Services | 4 | 495 |
| Wholesale Trade | 5 | 374 |
| Retail | 3 | 205 |
| Construction | 1 | 110 |
| Accommodation & Food | 2 | 103 |
The Manufacturing sector accounted for the largest share of job cuts with 6,182 workers across 50 notices. At the same time, Finance & Insurance reported 1,483 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 22 | 3,712 |
| Layoff | 11 | 807 |
Closures accounted for 28% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Osteopathic Medical Center of Texas | Fort Worth, Texas | 1,188 | |
| Chicago Transit Authority | Chicago, Illinois | 1,050 | Closure |
| Glad Manufacturing | Cartersville, Georgia | 475 | |
| Cingular Wireless | Woodbridge, New Jersey | 387 | |
| Metropolitan Life Insurance Comp | Southfield, Michigan | 370 | Layoff |
| Capital One Services | Tampa, Florida | 362 | |
| Kraft Foods | Niles, Illinois | 345 | Closure |
| Kellogg's | Columbus, Ohio | 309 | |
| Inflation Systems | Lagrange, Georgia | 308 | |
| Wexler Meat | Chicago, Illinois | 300 | Closure |
Leading the list was Osteopathic Medical Center of Texas in Fort Worth, Texas, reporting 1,188 affected workers. Chicago Transit Authority followed with 1,050 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
The filings reflect a mixed picture for the nation's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in October 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.