US Layoffs — May 2007
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers posted 104 WARN Act notices in May 2007, affecting an estimated 11,943 workers — reflecting a cooling compared to April and down 25% versus May 2006. Filings came from 18 states and territories, with an average of 115 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Michigan | 11 | 1,801 |
| Florida | 18 | 1,710 |
| Alabama | 6 | 1,376 |
| New York | 13 | 1,224 |
| Ohio | 5 | 1,104 |
| Pennsylvania | 11 | 1,044 |
| Georgia | 7 | 862 |
| Illinois | 7 | 681 |
| Texas | 8 | 593 |
| New Jersey | 3 | 524 |
| Iowa | 4 | 283 |
| Washington DC | 3 | 271 |
| Missouri | 1 | 265 |
| Oklahoma | 1 | 81 |
| South Dakota | 1 | 48 |
| Washington | 3 | 48 |
| Louisiana | 1 | 28 |
| Kansas | 1 | 0 |
Michigan led the nation with 1,801 workers affected across 11 notices , followed by Florida (1,710 workers) and Alabama (1,376 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 48 | 5,724 |
| Transportation | 11 | 1,586 |
| Information & Technology | 7 | 1,382 |
| Finance & Insurance | 11 | 1,132 |
| Healthcare | 5 | 620 |
| Construction | 3 | 345 |
| Accommodation & Food | 4 | 329 |
| Wholesale Trade | 5 | 256 |
| Real Estate | 1 | 112 |
| Agriculture | 1 | 81 |
The Manufacturing sector saw the heaviest impact with 5,724 workers across 48 notices. On a related front, Transportation reported 1,586 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 43 | 5,852 |
| Layoff | 17 | 1,141 |
Closures accounted for 49% of all affected workers nationally, indicating significant structural workforce adjustments.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Hoover | Canton, Ohio | 806 | |
| Westpoint Home-Abbeville | Abbeville, Alabama | 700 | Closure |
| ARAMARK Management Services | Jacksonville, Florida | 670 | |
| Digitron Packaging | Redford, Michigan | 436 | Closure |
| Lear | Walker, Michigan | 400 | Closure |
| Westpoint Home-Opelika Finishing Plant | Opelika, Alabama | 350 | Closure |
| Cummins Filtration | Waynesboro, Georgia | 329 | |
| Nacom | Griffin, Georgia | 270 | |
| Image Screen Printing | Passaic, New Jersey | 265 | |
| Northrop Grumman/Interconnect Technologies | Springfield, Missouri | 265 | Closure |
The largest notice was filed by The Hoover in Canton, Ohio, reporting 806 affected workers. Westpoint Home-Abbeville followed with 700 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This is the third consecutive month of declining layoff activity.
The trends suggest a easing in workforce disruptions across the nation, with filings falling below both recent and year-ago levels. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in May 2007. 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.