US Layoffs — February 2008

The US labor market showed continued flux as employers filed 129 WARN Act notices in February 2008, impacting roughly 15,427 workers — representing a pullback from January and up 21% versus February 2007. Filings came from 18 states and territories, with an average of 120 workers per notice.

Top States by Workers Affected

Texas led the nation with 2,337 workers affected across 16 notices , followed by Georgia (1,699 workers) and Ohio (1,661 workers) .

Industry Breakdown

The Manufacturing sector led the way in workforce reductions with 7,250 workers across 52 notices. In a parallel development, Information & Technology reported 1,495 workers.

Layoff Type Analysis

Closures accounted for 27% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.

Largest Layoffs

The single largest action involved Blackhawk Automotive Plastics in Mason, Ohio, reporting 724 affected workers. Macy's followed with 659 workers.

Trend & Outlook

The data underscores 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 February 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 WARN Firehose, 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.