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US Layoffs — October 2010

The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers recorded 227 WARN Act notices in October 2010, covering approximately 21,671 workers — marking a sharp increase from September and down 10% versus October 2009. Filings came from 25 states and territories, with an average of 95 workers per notice.

227
Total Notices
21,671
Workers Affected
25
States Reporting
95
Avg per Notice
48
Closures

Top States by Workers Affected

State-by-state layoff summary
StateNoticesWorkers
New York254,622
California753,646
New Jersey112,935
Pennsylvania101,797
Texas271,327
Illinois111,309
Florida6839
Indiana5676
Georgia5624
Iowa3550
Ohio3549
Louisiana4467
Mississippi4348
Michigan2327
Maryland4270
Utah2253
Oregon3207
Washington2183
Virginia4182
Arizona2133
Alabama3126
Missouri2121
Rhode Island2115
Oklahoma265
Kansas100

New York led the nation with 4,622 workers affected across 25 notices , followed by California (3,646 workers) and New Jersey (2,935 workers) .

Industry Breakdown

Industry breakdown
IndustryNoticesWorkers
Manufacturing774,914
Accommodation & Food73,030
Admin & Support Services12,065
Transportation101,881
Healthcare301,820
Professional Services181,727
Information & Technology181,456
Retail111,022
Finance & Insurance18893
Agriculture7817

The Manufacturing sector accounted for the largest share of job cuts with 4,914 workers across 77 notices. At the same time, Accommodation & Food reported 3,030 workers.

Layoff Type Analysis

Layoff types breakdown
TypeNoticesWorkers
Closure488,475
Layoff351,735

Closures accounted for 39% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.

Largest Layoffs

Largest layoff notices
CompanyLocationWorkersType
Home Services SystemsAstoria, New York2,065Closure
Resorts International HotelAtlantic City, New Jersey2,022
Express ScriptsBensalem, Pennsylvania992Closure
Atlantic Paratrans of NYCMaspeth, New York610Closure
Ocwen Loan ServicingNorth Highlands, California452
Avon ProductsSpringdale, Ohio407
Rite Aid Distribution CenterRome, New York355Closure
Agri-Best HoldingsChicago, Illinois309Closure
Hilton Reservation WorldwideHemet, California295
ElectroluxWebster City, Iowa295Closure

Leading the list was Home Services Systems in Astoria, New York, reporting 2,065 affected workers. Resorts International Hotel followed with 2,022 workers.

Trend & Outlook

After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.

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 October 2010. 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.

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