US Layoffs — December 2006
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers reported 85 WARN Act notices in December 2006, displacing an estimated 10,959 workers — signaling a deceleration from November and up 16% versus December 2005. Filings came from 17 states and territories, with an average of 129 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | 12 | 2,457 |
| Georgia | 8 | 1,545 |
| New York | 14 | 948 |
| Oklahoma | 1 | 900 |
| Ohio | 8 | 844 |
| Illinois | 6 | 805 |
| Maryland | 3 | 580 |
| Florida | 5 | 547 |
| Texas | 7 | 439 |
| Missouri | 3 | 422 |
| Pennsylvania | 4 | 419 |
| Alabama | 3 | 408 |
| Michigan | 2 | 285 |
| Washington | 4 | 187 |
| District of Columbia | 2 | 110 |
| Iowa | 2 | 63 |
| Kansas | 1 | 0 |
New Jersey led the nation with 2,457 workers affected across 12 notices , followed by Georgia (1,545 workers) and New York (948 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 36 | 4,100 |
| Information & Technology | 9 | 1,722 |
| Healthcare | 3 | 1,406 |
| Retail | 8 | 1,011 |
| Transportation | 3 | 598 |
| Accommodation & Food | 4 | 516 |
| Finance & Insurance | 3 | 450 |
| Construction | 1 | 218 |
| Mining & Energy | 1 | 123 |
| Utilities | 2 | 114 |
The Manufacturing sector topped the list of affected industries with 4,100 workers across 36 notices. Notably, Information & Technology reported 1,722 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 24 | 3,063 |
| Layoff | 20 | 1,164 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| America On Line (AOL) | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | 900 | |
| Pbi Medical Center | Passaic, New Jersey | 890 | |
| Icelandic Seafood | Cambridge, Maryland | 426 | Closure |
| Automated Distribution | Edison, New Jersey | 399 | |
| Carson Pirie Scott | Chicago, Illinois | 350 | Closure |
| Collins & Aikman | Americus, Georgia | 350 | |
| Champion Mortgage | Parsippany, New Jersey | 349 | |
| Northlake Medical Center | Tucker, Georgia | 346 | |
| Springs Global Us | Calhoun, Georgia | 324 | |
| Merck | Albany, Georgia | 273 |
The most significant filing came from America On Line (AOL) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, reporting 900 affected workers. Pbi Medical Center followed with 890 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This is the third consecutive month of declining layoff activity.
The numbers illustrate 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 December 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.