US Layoffs — January 2012

The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers logged 302 WARN Act notices in January 2012, involving roughly 24,399 workers — climbing above December and up 20% versus January 2011. Filings came from 33 states and territories, with an average of 81 workers per notice.

Top States by Workers Affected

California led the nation with 2,751 workers affected across 54 notices , followed by Texas (2,479 workers) and Alabama (1,807 workers) .

Industry Breakdown

The Manufacturing sector dominated layoff filings with 5,665 workers across 90 notices. Meanwhile, Retail reported 5,105 workers.

Layoff Type Analysis

Closures accounted for 37% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.

Largest Layoffs

The biggest impact was at Anniston Army Depot in Anniston, Alabama, reporting 975 affected workers. MetLife (Horizon) followed with 600 workers.

Trend & Outlook

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

This data points to mounting pressure on the the nation labor market, with activity running above both recent and year-ago benchmarks. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.

This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in January 2012. 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.