US Layoffs — December 2017
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers recorded 191 WARN Act notices in December 2017, covering approximately 17,224 workers — marking a decline from November and down 22% versus December 2016. Filings came from 31 states and territories, with an average of 90 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 14 | 4,165 |
| California | 34 | 3,354 |
| New York | 22 | 1,683 |
| New Jersey | 11 | 1,133 |
| Kentucky | 6 | 681 |
| Ohio | 5 | 538 |
| Florida | 4 | 513 |
| Pennsylvania | 6 | 509 |
| Georgia | 9 | 479 |
| Illinois | 7 | 423 |
| Louisiana | 3 | 398 |
| Nebraska | 20 | 349 |
| Virginia | 3 | 341 |
| Oregon | 2 | 322 |
| Connecticut | 3 | 285 |
| Missouri | 4 | 283 |
| Tennessee | 3 | 271 |
| Indiana | 4 | 268 |
| Wisconsin | 4 | 212 |
| Utah | 1 | 195 |
| Maine | 9 | 156 |
| North Carolina | 2 | 140 |
| Oklahoma | 1 | 98 |
| Minnesota | 2 | 93 |
| Iowa | 2 | 89 |
| Colorado | 5 | 84 |
| Washington | 1 | 65 |
| Michigan | 1 | 61 |
| Maryland | 1 | 25 |
| South Carolina | 1 | 11 |
| Kansas | 1 | 0 |
Texas led the nation with 4,165 workers affected across 14 notices , followed by California (3,354 workers) and New York (1,683 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 60 | 4,399 |
| Healthcare | 27 | 3,561 |
| Education | 4 | 2,577 |
| Professional Services | 15 | 1,307 |
| Information & Technology | 15 | 1,072 |
| Transportation | 6 | 962 |
| Accommodation & Food | 18 | 921 |
| Mining & Energy | 6 | 685 |
| Finance & Insurance | 8 | 424 |
| Construction | 5 | 366 |
The Manufacturing sector accounted for the largest share of job cuts with 4,399 workers across 60 notices. At the same time, Healthcare reported 3,561 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 68 | 5,605 |
| Layoff | 38 | 1,941 |
Closures accounted for 33% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas County Schools | Dallas, Texas | 2,456 | |
| Pacific Alliance Medical Center | Los Angeles, California | 750 | Closure |
| Baylor Scott & White Medical Center | Dallas, Texas | 711 | |
| Shiel Holdings | Rockleigh, New Jersey | 538 | |
| Hopkins County Coal Madisonville Office | Hopkins, Kentucky | 427 | |
| NIKE, Inc. (Niketown Midtown) | New York, New York | 357 | Closure |
| Union Metal | Canton, Ohio | 339 | |
| Depomed | Newark, California | 328 | Closure |
| Boston Scientific | Valencia, California | 289 | Layoff |
| Lutheran Augustana Center for Extended Care & Rehabilitation (NYU Langone Health) | Brooklyn, New York | 286 | Closure |
Leading the list was Dallas County Schools in Dallas, Texas, reporting 2,456 affected workers. Pacific Alliance Medical Center followed with 750 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This is the third consecutive month of declining layoff activity.
The filings reflect 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 December 2017. 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.