US Layoffs — January 2008
The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers posted 166 WARN Act notices in January 2008, affecting an estimated 21,189 workers — reflecting a significant uptick compared to December and up 36% versus January 2007. Filings came from 20 states and territories, with an average of 128 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio | 13 | 2,132 |
| Florida | 18 | 1,977 |
| Kansas | 6 | 1,963 |
| New York | 12 | 1,929 |
| Pennsylvania | 10 | 1,695 |
| New Jersey | 12 | 1,649 |
| Illinois | 12 | 1,628 |
| Arizona | 11 | 1,547 |
| Texas | 17 | 1,122 |
| Michigan | 9 | 1,067 |
| Missouri | 7 | 785 |
| Georgia | 11 | 778 |
| Kentucky | 7 | 698 |
| Oklahoma | 4 | 630 |
| Maryland | 5 | 606 |
| Alabama | 3 | 363 |
| Washington | 5 | 309 |
| Iowa | 1 | 244 |
| South Dakota | 1 | 58 |
| District of Columbia | 2 | 9 |
Ohio led the nation with 2,132 workers affected across 13 notices , followed by Florida (1,977 workers) and Kansas (1,963 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 69 | 9,225 |
| Retail | 19 | 2,931 |
| Finance & Insurance | 18 | 2,463 |
| Transportation | 9 | 1,766 |
| Information & Technology | 20 | 1,435 |
| Healthcare | 4 | 726 |
| Professional Services | 6 | 479 |
| Arts & Entertainment | 3 | 476 |
| Wholesale Trade | 5 | 438 |
| Utilities | 3 | 342 |
The Manufacturing sector saw the heaviest impact with 9,225 workers across 69 notices. On a related front, Retail reported 2,931 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 40 | 5,906 |
| Layoff | 36 | 5,070 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tyson Fresh Meats | Emporia, Kansas | 1,550 | Layoff |
| Bank of America | Chicago, Illinois | 600 | Closure |
| Saint James Hospital | Newark, New Jersey | 541 | |
| American Airlines Customer Reservations Center | Cincinnati, Ohio | 477 | |
| Meijer (Stores #59 and #60) | Columbus, Ohio | 441 | |
| Altria Group, Inc. and Altria Client Services, Inc. formerly known as Altria Corporate Services | New York, New York | 440 | Closure |
| Universal Maritime Services | Port Everglades, Florida | 430 | |
| Bartlett Collins | Sapulpa, Oklahoma | 425 | |
| SuperValu | Livonia, Michigan | 366 | Closure |
| Yorktowne Inc. - Plant #6 | Red Lion, Pennsylvania | 349 | Layoff |
The largest notice was filed by Tyson Fresh Meats in Emporia, Kansas, reporting 1,550 affected workers. Bank of America followed with 600 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
The trends suggest 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 2008. 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.