US Layoffs — October 2012

The US labor market showed continued flux as employers filed 219 WARN Act notices in October 2012, impacting roughly 17,809 workers — representing a pullback from September and down 10% versus October 2011. Filings came from 27 states and territories, with an average of 81 workers per notice.

Top States by Workers Affected

California led the nation with 3,434 workers affected across 45 notices , followed by New York (3,002 workers) and Florida (1,368 workers) .

Industry Breakdown

The Manufacturing sector led the way in workforce reductions with 5,894 workers across 78 notices. In a parallel development, Information & Technology reported 2,284 workers.

Layoff Type Analysis

Closures accounted for 30% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.

Largest Layoffs

The single largest action involved Schweizer Aircraft Corp. (d/b/a Sikorsky Military Completions Center) in Horseheads, New York, reporting 573 affected workers. Lovin Oven followed with 571 workers.

Trend & Outlook

The data underscores 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 October 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.