US Layoffs — July 2006
The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers logged 87 WARN Act notices in July 2006, involving roughly 12,492 workers — climbing above June and down 5% versus July 2005. Filings came from 15 states and territories, with an average of 144 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Missouri | 5 | 2,082 |
| Illinois | 14 | 2,023 |
| Alabama | 3 | 1,506 |
| Michigan | 9 | 1,110 |
| Ohio | 5 | 929 |
| Washington | 7 | 909 |
| Florida | 8 | 695 |
| Georgia | 7 | 666 |
| Texas | 7 | 639 |
| New York | 9 | 564 |
| Iowa | 2 | 422 |
| New Jersey | 4 | 410 |
| Pennsylvania | 5 | 327 |
| Oklahoma | 1 | 160 |
| Washington DC | 1 | 50 |
Missouri led the nation with 2,082 workers affected across 5 notices , followed by Illinois (2,023 workers) and Alabama (1,506 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 29 | 5,109 |
| Retail | 11 | 2,333 |
| Finance & Insurance | 10 | 1,027 |
| Information & Technology | 7 | 857 |
| Professional Services | 4 | 731 |
| Healthcare | 6 | 700 |
| Transportation | 5 | 468 |
| Wholesale Trade | 2 | 328 |
| Mining & Energy | 1 | 179 |
| Arts & Entertainment | 1 | 179 |
The Manufacturing sector dominated layoff filings with 5,109 workers across 29 notices. Meanwhile, Retail reported 2,333 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 38 | 6,313 |
| Layoff | 17 | 2,680 |
Closures accounted for 51% of all affected workers nationally, indicating significant structural workforce adjustments.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bf Goodrich Tire Mfg., Opelika | Opelika, Alabama | 1,350 | Closure |
| May Department Stores | St. Louis, Missouri | 1,254 | Layoff |
| NuTone | Cincinnati, Ohio | 414 | |
| Unisoruce Services | Chicago, Illinois | 376 | Closure |
| Federal Mogul | St. Louis, Missouri | 340 | Closure |
| QualChoice | Cleveland, Ohio | 268 | |
| Pall Life Sciences | Ann Arbor, Michigan | 260 | Closure |
| Bank of America | Seattle, Washington | 255 | Closure |
| Jewel Food Stores | Springfield, Illinois | 254 | Closure |
| Bunn Capitol | Sprinfield, Illinois | 250 | Closure |
The biggest impact was at Bf Goodrich Tire Mfg., Opelika in Opelika, Alabama, reporting 1,350 affected workers. May Department Stores followed with 1,254 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
This data points to 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 July 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.