US Layoffs — January 2006
The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers logged 135 WARN Act notices in January 2006, involving roughly 22,725 workers — climbing above December and up 121% versus January 2005. Filings came from 18 states and territories, with an average of 168 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | 5 | 3,756 |
| Pennsylvania | 21 | 3,076 |
| Ohio | 13 | 2,287 |
| New Jersey | 12 | 2,218 |
| Illinois | 8 | 1,741 |
| Georgia | 8 | 1,401 |
| New York | 7 | 1,339 |
| Texas | 14 | 1,230 |
| Florida | 6 | 1,113 |
| Iowa | 7 | 1,033 |
| Michigan | 8 | 978 |
| Washington | 10 | 849 |
| Alabama | 4 | 671 |
| Kentucky | 5 | 418 |
| Maryland | 3 | 416 |
| Vermont | 1 | 189 |
| Washington DC | 1 | 10 |
| Kansas | 2 | 0 |
Oklahoma led the nation with 3,756 workers affected across 5 notices , followed by Pennsylvania (3,076 workers) and Ohio (2,287 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 57 | 11,635 |
| Retail | 19 | 3,953 |
| Finance & Insurance | 15 | 1,282 |
| Information & Technology | 15 | 1,033 |
| Mining & Energy | 1 | 950 |
| Professional Services | 5 | 767 |
| Accommodation & Food | 1 | 685 |
| Healthcare | 4 | 584 |
| Transportation | 5 | 553 |
| Construction | 2 | 465 |
The Manufacturing sector dominated layoff filings with 11,635 workers across 57 notices. Meanwhile, Retail reported 3,953 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 40 | 6,556 |
| Layoff | 36 | 3,975 |
Closures accounted for 29% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Motors | Oklahoma, Oklahoma | 2,400 | |
| Wyeth Pharmaceuticals | Rouses Point, New York | 1,150 | Closure |
| Maytag | Herrin, Illinois | 1,000 | Layoff |
| Charbroil | Columbus, Georgia | 950 | |
| Fontainebleau Resorts | Miami Beach, Florida | 685 | |
| Delta Faucet | Chickasha, Oklahoma | 586 | |
| OfficeMax | Shaker Heights, Ohio | 494 | |
| Macy’S/Strawbridge’S | Cherry Hill, New Jersey | 419 | |
| GM Craft Center | Lansing, Michigan | 400 | Closure |
| Asec Delphi | Catoosa, Oklahoma | 400 |
The biggest impact was at General Motors in Oklahoma, Oklahoma, reporting 2,400 affected workers. Wyeth Pharmaceuticals followed with 1,150 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
This data points to 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 January 2006. 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.