US Layoffs — March 2021

The US labor market showed continued flux as employers posted 217 WARN Act notices in March 2021, affecting an estimated 19,014 workers — reflecting a cooling compared to February and down 98% versus March 2020. Filings came from 37 states and territories, with an average of 88 workers per notice.

Top States by Workers Affected

California led the nation with 2,974 workers affected across 50 notices , followed by Illinois (2,568 workers) and Texas (1,965 workers) .

Industry Breakdown

The Manufacturing sector saw the heaviest impact with 5,603 workers across 55 notices. On a related front, Healthcare reported 3,002 workers.

Layoff Type Analysis

Closures accounted for 36% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.

Largest Layoffs

The largest notice was filed by Mercy Hospital and Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, reporting 1,264 affected workers. YMCA of Greater Seattle followed with 1,213 workers.

Trend & Outlook

This is the third consecutive month of declining layoff activity.

The trends suggest 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 March 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.