US Layoffs — February 2021

The US labor market showed continued flux as employers recorded 199 WARN Act notices in February 2021, covering approximately 24,276 workers — marking a decline from January and down 40% versus February 2020. Filings came from 34 states and territories, with an average of 122 workers per notice.

Top States by Workers Affected

California led the nation with 9,470 workers affected across 60 notices , followed by Missouri (1,997 workers) and Pennsylvania (1,826 workers) .

Industry Breakdown

The Transportation sector accounted for the largest share of job cuts with 8,585 workers across 21 notices. At the same time, Manufacturing reported 5,479 workers.

Layoff Type Analysis

Closures accounted for 20% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.

Largest Layoffs

Leading the list was United Airlines - SFO in San Francisco, California, reporting 3,139 affected workers. American Airlines followed with 1,173 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 Transportation sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.

This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in February 2021. 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.