US Layoffs — December 2008
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers recorded 266 WARN Act notices in December 2008, covering approximately 40,693 workers — marking a decline from November and up 174% versus December 2007. Filings came from 21 states and territories, with an average of 153 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 22 | 6,955 |
| New York | 46 | 5,868 |
| Ohio | 27 | 5,315 |
| Michigan | 20 | 3,009 |
| Texas | 32 | 2,605 |
| Florida | 19 | 2,551 |
| Missouri | 10 | 2,258 |
| Georgia | 16 | 2,169 |
| Pennsylvania | 11 | 1,837 |
| Indiana | 17 | 1,738 |
| Alabama | 5 | 1,212 |
| Kansas | 4 | 1,028 |
| Arizona | 3 | 941 |
| New Jersey | 7 | 924 |
| Oklahoma | 6 | 521 |
| Delaware | 2 | 401 |
| Kentucky | 5 | 388 |
| Maryland | 5 | 381 |
| Washington | 4 | 347 |
| District of Columbia | 3 | 175 |
| Iowa | 2 | 70 |
Illinois led the nation with 6,955 workers affected across 22 notices , followed by New York (5,868 workers) and Ohio (5,315 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 102 | 16,628 |
| Transportation | 66 | 6,666 |
| Information & Technology | 25 | 3,847 |
| Finance & Insurance | 15 | 3,481 |
| Healthcare | 8 | 2,343 |
| Wholesale Trade | 2 | 1,938 |
| Retail | 9 | 1,492 |
| Professional Services | 6 | 1,222 |
| Accommodation & Food | 4 | 657 |
| Government | 5 | 357 |
The Manufacturing sector accounted for the largest share of job cuts with 16,628 workers across 102 notices. At the same time, Transportation reported 6,666 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 78 | 14,124 |
| Layoff | 58 | 9,384 |
Closures accounted for 35% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Steel | Granite City, Illinois | 1,796 | Closure |
| Gareda Diversified Business Svcs | Calumet City, Illinois | 1,458 | Closure |
| Severstal Warren | Warren, Ohio | 1,263 | |
| Citigroup Inc. and its NY Subsidiaries | New York, New York | 1,004 | Layoff |
| ABX Air | Wilmington, Ohio | 838 | |
| Caterpillar | Mossville, Illinois | 814 | Closure |
| Credit Suisse Securities (USA) | New York, New York | 759 | Layoff |
| DHL Information System (Americas) | Scottsdale, Arizona | 750 | |
| Gildan | Fort Payne, Alabama | 738 | Closure |
| Anheuser-Busch InBev | St. Louis, Missouri | 658 | Layoff |
Leading the list was US Steel in Granite City, Illinois, reporting 1,796 affected workers. Gareda Diversified Business Svcs followed with 1,458 workers.
Trend & Outlook
The filings reflect 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 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.