US Layoffs — March 2005
The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers submitted 97 WARN Act notices in March 2005, putting at risk an estimated 17,015 workers — up substantially from February and down 12% versus March 2004. Filings came from 13 states and territories, with an average of 175 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Michigan | 9 | 5,390 |
| Illinois | 6 | 2,251 |
| Florida | 13 | 1,802 |
| New Jersey | 10 | 1,574 |
| Ohio | 9 | 1,401 |
| Texas | 11 | 1,138 |
| Maryland | 5 | 661 |
| Washington DC | 6 | 607 |
| Georgia | 6 | 599 |
| Washington | 7 | 574 |
| Alabama | 3 | 556 |
| Pennsylvania | 5 | 323 |
| Kansas | 7 | 139 |
Michigan led the nation with 5,390 workers affected across 9 notices , followed by Illinois (2,251 workers) and Florida (1,802 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 42 | 9,032 |
| Finance & Insurance | 7 | 1,802 |
| Retail | 9 | 1,679 |
| Information & Technology | 15 | 1,391 |
| Professional Services | 4 | 972 |
| Accommodation & Food | 6 | 663 |
| Transportation | 5 | 543 |
| Wholesale Trade | 2 | 260 |
| Healthcare | 2 | 172 |
| Construction | 1 | 160 |
The Manufacturing sector emerged as the hardest-hit sector with 9,032 workers across 42 notices. Separately, Finance & Insurance reported 1,802 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 25 | 7,082 |
| Layoff | 23 | 3,419 |
Closures accounted for 42% of all affected workers nationally, indicating significant structural workforce adjustments.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Motors Lansing Car Assem | Lansing, Michigan | 2,200 | Closure |
| General Motors (Lansing Car Ass'y) | Lansing, Michigan | 1,775 | Closure |
| Sears Store Support | Hoffman Estates, Illinois | 1,000 | Layoff |
| Citicorp Credit Services Inc. - Houston | Houston, Texas | 712 | |
| Collins & Aikman, Rantoul Division | Rantoul, Illinois | 696 | Layoff |
| Steelcase | Grand Rapids, Michigan | 600 | Closure |
| Coupon Services | Jersey City, New Jersey | 434 | |
| PNC Bank | Riverdale, Maryland | 403 | Layoff |
| Conagra Foods | Montgomery, Alabama | 365 | Closure |
| Citicorp Data Services | Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey | 363 |
Topping the list was General Motors Lansing Car Assem in Lansing, Michigan, reporting 2,200 affected workers. General Motors (Lansing Car Ass'y) followed with 1,775 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This marks the third consecutive month of rising layoff activity.
These figures highlight 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 March 2005. 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.