US Layoffs — November 2014
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers logged 175 WARN Act notices in November 2014, involving roughly 16,237 workers — falling below October and down 29% versus November 2013. Filings came from 33 states and territories, with an average of 93 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 11 | 2,744 |
| California | 58 | 2,584 |
| Pennsylvania | 6 | 2,365 |
| Missouri | 7 | 816 |
| Texas | 8 | 799 |
| Illinois | 7 | 742 |
| New Jersey | 5 | 718 |
| New York | 20 | 715 |
| Ohio | 6 | 660 |
| Louisiana | 1 | 450 |
| Indiana | 5 | 440 |
| Oklahoma | 2 | 426 |
| Georgia | 5 | 317 |
| Idaho | 2 | 312 |
| Michigan | 2 | 282 |
| North Carolina | 3 | 249 |
| South Dakota | 1 | 227 |
| Virginia | 3 | 192 |
| Mississippi | 4 | 184 |
| Washington | 2 | 181 |
| Vermont | 1 | 148 |
| Tennessee | 3 | 140 |
| Oregon | 1 | 133 |
| Alabama | 1 | 131 |
| Utah | 1 | 115 |
| Delaware | 1 | 58 |
| Arizona | 1 | 55 |
| Connecticut | 1 | 30 |
| Nebraska | 2 | 19 |
| Iowa | 1 | 5 |
| Maine | 1 | 0 |
| Kansas | 2 | 0 |
| Kentucky | 1 | 0 |
Florida led the nation with 2,744 workers affected across 11 notices , followed by California (2,584 workers) and Pennsylvania (2,365 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 53 | 3,619 |
| Retail | 13 | 3,183 |
| Healthcare | 14 | 1,355 |
| Wholesale Trade | 2 | 1,319 |
| Mining & Energy | 9 | 1,280 |
| Information & Technology | 36 | 1,260 |
| Transportation | 7 | 859 |
| Professional Services | 10 | 842 |
| Finance & Insurance | 13 | 781 |
| Education | 4 | 662 |
The Manufacturing sector dominated layoff filings with 3,619 workers across 53 notices. Meanwhile, Retail reported 3,183 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 37 | 3,318 |
| Layoff | 79 | 3,034 |
| Temporary Closure | 1 | 13 |
Closures accounted for 21% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bottom Dollar Food Stores (49 Retail Stores) | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 1,623 | |
| Gold Coast Beverage Distributors | Fort Pierce, Florida | 902 | |
| Envoy Air | Miami, Florida | 478 | |
| Bottom Dollar Food NE | Salisbury, New Jersey | 460 | |
| Hercules Offshore | Houston, Louisiana | 450 | |
| Liberty Medical Supply | Port St. Lucie, Florida | 417 | |
| Alpha Natural Resources | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | 412 | |
| Senior Healthcare Services | Fort Lauderdale, Florida | 348 | |
| American Cotton Growers | Littlefield, Texas | 340 | |
| Penguin Random House | Kirkwood, New York | 286 | Closure |
The biggest impact was at Bottom Dollar Food Stores (49 Retail Stores) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, reporting 1,623 affected workers. Gold Coast Beverage Distributors followed with 902 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This data points to 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 November 2014. 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.