US Layoffs — April 2009

The US labor market showed continued flux as employers filed 385 WARN Act notices in April 2009, impacting roughly 31,758 workers — representing a pullback from March and up 31% versus April 2008. Filings came from 25 states and territories, with an average of 82 workers per notice.

Top States by Workers Affected

California led the nation with 8,160 workers affected across 139 notices , followed by Florida (2,841 workers) and Ohio (2,546 workers) .

Industry Breakdown

The Manufacturing sector led the way in workforce reductions with 15,380 workers across 181 notices. In a parallel development, Information & Technology reported 2,726 workers.

Layoff Type Analysis

Closures accounted for 22% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.

Largest Layoffs

The single largest action involved Smithfield Packing in Plant City, Florida, reporting 720 affected workers. First Student followed with 660 workers.

Trend & Outlook

This is the third consecutive month of declining layoff activity.

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 April 2009. 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.