US Layoffs — May 2019
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers posted 352 WARN Act notices in May 2019, affecting an estimated 29,038 workers — reflecting a cooling compared to April and roughly flat versus May 2018. Filings came from 39 states and territories, with an average of 82 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | 98 | 6,141 |
| Pennsylvania | 16 | 2,611 |
| Kentucky | 8 | 2,216 |
| Washington | 3 | 1,410 |
| Indiana | 6 | 1,386 |
| Florida | 15 | 1,300 |
| New York | 19 | 1,192 |
| Minnesota | 53 | 1,120 |
| Tennessee | 2 | 961 |
| Texas | 15 | 912 |
| Georgia | 3 | 911 |
| West Virginia | 2 | 797 |
| Louisiana | 4 | 761 |
| Iowa | 6 | 759 |
| Illinois | 8 | 607 |
| Michigan | 6 | 605 |
| Nebraska | 23 | 579 |
| Ohio | 6 | 490 |
| New Jersey | 4 | 430 |
| Oregon | 2 | 390 |
| Missouri | 2 | 388 |
| Virginia | 4 | 366 |
| Mississippi | 1 | 343 |
| Connecticut | 4 | 259 |
| North Carolina | 5 | 245 |
| Arizona | 5 | 230 |
| Wisconsin | 4 | 222 |
| Oklahoma | 4 | 216 |
| New Mexico | 1 | 189 |
| Colorado | 4 | 174 |
| Maryland | 3 | 173 |
| Nevada | 2 | 110 |
| South Carolina | 3 | 105 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | 101 |
| Alabama | 1 | 98 |
| Maine | 2 | 92 |
| South Dakota | 1 | 90 |
| Kansas | 5 | 49 |
| Hawaii | 1 | 10 |
California led the nation with 6,141 workers affected across 98 notices , followed by Pennsylvania (2,611 workers) and Kentucky (2,216 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 82 | 8,161 |
| Healthcare | 51 | 3,691 |
| Information & Technology | 23 | 3,611 |
| Transportation | 18 | 2,915 |
| Retail | 51 | 2,624 |
| Professional Services | 13 | 917 |
| Accommodation & Food | 13 | 781 |
| Finance & Insurance | 10 | 677 |
| Mining & Energy | 9 | 652 |
| Wholesale Trade | 11 | 604 |
The Manufacturing sector saw the heaviest impact with 8,161 workers across 82 notices. On a related front, Healthcare reported 3,691 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 148 | 12,084 |
| Layoff | 59 | 6,458 |
Closures accounted for 42% of all affected workers nationally, indicating significant structural workforce adjustments.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security Industry Specialists | Seattle, Washington | 1,066 | Layoff |
| Wood-Mode | Kreamer, Pennsylvania | 938 | Closure |
| XPO Logistics | Shelby County, Tennessee | 881 | |
| Trane U.S | Lexington, Kentucky | 659 | Layoff |
| Trane USA | Lexington, Kentucky | 659 | Layoff |
| Verso | Beverly, West Virginia | 657 | Closure |
| Tenneco | Hartwell, Georgia | 564 | |
| UnitedHealthcare Community & State | West Des Moines, Iowa | 549 | Layoff |
| Fayette Regional Health System | Connersville, Indiana | 437 | |
| Ryder Integrated Logistics | Plainfield, Indiana | 436 |
The largest notice was filed by Security Industry Specialists in Seattle, Washington, reporting 1,066 affected workers. Wood-Mode followed with 938 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This is the third consecutive month of declining layoff activity.
The trends suggest a mixed picture for the nation's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in May 2019. 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.