US Layoffs — January 2011
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers posted 199 WARN Act notices in January 2011, affecting an estimated 20,275 workers — reflecting a cooling compared to December and down 10% versus January 2010. Filings came from 27 states and territories, with an average of 102 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 17 | 3,383 |
| California | 57 | 3,207 |
| Texas | 17 | 2,055 |
| Ohio | 9 | 1,260 |
| New Jersey | 7 | 1,044 |
| Georgia | 10 | 850 |
| Pennsylvania | 9 | 794 |
| Iowa | 4 | 767 |
| Missouri | 4 | 741 |
| Indiana | 6 | 722 |
| Illinois | 8 | 695 |
| Alabama | 5 | 687 |
| Michigan | 5 | 645 |
| Florida | 8 | 571 |
| Delaware | 1 | 530 |
| Kentucky | 4 | 518 |
| Virginia | 8 | 513 |
| Washington | 2 | 468 |
| Oklahoma | 2 | 163 |
| Louisiana | 1 | 152 |
| Mississippi | 3 | 130 |
| Maryland | 3 | 123 |
| Arizona | 1 | 79 |
| Utah | 1 | 72 |
| Kansas | 5 | 40 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | 36 |
| Washington DC | 1 | 30 |
New York led the nation with 3,383 workers affected across 17 notices , followed by California (3,207 workers) and Texas (2,055 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 71 | 5,428 |
| Healthcare | 11 | 3,244 |
| Information & Technology | 24 | 3,030 |
| Retail | 23 | 2,602 |
| Transportation | 11 | 1,250 |
| Professional Services | 9 | 962 |
| Construction | 6 | 769 |
| Finance & Insurance | 7 | 489 |
| Accommodation & Food | 5 | 464 |
| Wholesale Trade | 5 | 375 |
The Manufacturing sector saw the heaviest impact with 5,428 workers across 71 notices. On a related front, Healthcare reported 3,244 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 37 | 5,424 |
| Layoff | 30 | 2,633 |
Closures accounted for 27% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Continuum Health Partners/Long Island Hospital SUNY Health Sciences Center | New York, New York | 2,458 | Closure |
| HSBC Card and Retail Services | New Castle, Delaware | 530 | |
| Electrolux | Webster City, Iowa | 510 | |
| Usec | Piketon, Ohio | 500 | |
| Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies | Dexter, Missouri | 483 | Layoff |
| Technicolor | Studio City, California | 394 | |
| J.C. Penny Call Center | Wyoming, Michigan | 365 | Closure |
| Grocery Haulers | Avenel, New Jersey | 329 | |
| Chugach World Services | Alabama | 317 | Closure |
| Sony Music Holdings | Pitman, New Jersey | 300 |
The largest notice was filed by Continuum Health Partners/Long Island Hospital SUNY Health Sciences Center in New York, New York, reporting 2,458 affected workers. HSBC Card and Retail Services followed with 530 workers.
Trend & Outlook
The trends suggest a easing in workforce disruptions across the nation, with filings falling below both recent and year-ago levels. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in January 2011. 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.