US Layoffs — November 2009

The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers submitted 251 WARN Act notices in November 2009, putting at risk an estimated 25,749 workers — up substantially from October and down 36% versus November 2008. Filings came from 27 states and territories, with an average of 103 workers per notice.

Top States by Workers Affected

New York led the nation with 5,351 workers affected across 22 notices , followed by California (4,348 workers) and Pennsylvania (2,849 workers) .

Industry Breakdown

The Manufacturing sector emerged as the hardest-hit sector with 9,602 workers across 105 notices. Separately, Transportation reported 7,668 workers.

Layoff Type Analysis

Closures accounted for 35% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.

Largest Layoffs

Topping the list was The Penn Traffic Company/P&C Quality Stores/Warehouses in Syracuse, New York, reporting 4,142 affected workers. The Penn Traffic Company Bi-Lo Quality, P&C Stores and Distribution Centers followed with 1,441 workers.

Trend & Outlook

This marks the third consecutive month of rising layoff activity.

These figures highlight 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 November 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 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.