US Layoffs — May 2018

The US labor market showed continued flux as employers submitted 274 WARN Act notices in May 2018, putting at risk an estimated 28,811 workers — down from April and down 2% versus May 2017. Filings came from 37 states and territories, with an average of 105 workers per notice.

Top States by Workers Affected

California led the nation with 5,960 workers affected across 64 notices , followed by Texas (2,521 workers) and New York (2,478 workers) .

Industry Breakdown

The Manufacturing sector emerged as the hardest-hit sector with 5,402 workers across 71 notices. Separately, Healthcare reported 4,850 workers.

Layoff Type Analysis

Closures accounted for 43% of all affected workers nationally, indicating significant structural workforce adjustments.

Largest Layoffs

Topping the list was Jt3 in Las Vegas, Nevada, reporting 1,526 affected workers. Bay Area Regional Medical Center followed with 956 workers.

Trend & Outlook

These figures highlight 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 May 2018. 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.