US Layoffs — May 2021
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers submitted 133 WARN Act notices in May 2021, putting at risk an estimated 14,233 workers — down from April and down 91% versus May 2020. Filings came from 30 states and territories, with an average of 107 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | 41 | 3,280 |
| West Virginia | 1 | 1,246 |
| Texas | 9 | 1,112 |
| Illinois | 8 | 1,020 |
| South Carolina | 4 | 962 |
| Georgia | 7 | 961 |
| Arizona | 1 | 727 |
| Florida | 7 | 688 |
| New Jersey | 4 | 551 |
| North Carolina | 2 | 391 |
| Mississippi | 3 | 339 |
| New York | 4 | 291 |
| Minnesota | 2 | 268 |
| Maryland | 6 | 266 |
| Virginia | 3 | 250 |
| Ohio | 3 | 245 |
| Oklahoma | 3 | 220 |
| Washington | 5 | 208 |
| Indiana | 2 | 200 |
| Kentucky | 2 | 197 |
| Pennsylvania | 1 | 154 |
| Tennessee | 1 | 139 |
| Missouri | 2 | 130 |
| Wisconsin | 2 | 121 |
| Nevada | 1 | 99 |
| Michigan | 1 | 78 |
| Kansas | 3 | 45 |
| Iowa | 2 | 40 |
| Maine | 1 | 5 |
| Colorado | 2 | 0 |
California led the nation with 3,280 workers affected across 41 notices , followed by West Virginia (1,246 workers) and Texas (1,112 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 34 | 4,794 |
| Transportation | 15 | 1,943 |
| Healthcare | 21 | 1,874 |
| Information & Technology | 14 | 934 |
| Wholesale Trade | 3 | 828 |
| Finance & Insurance | 9 | 779 |
| Education | 9 | 777 |
| Accommodation & Food | 7 | 563 |
| Retail | 2 | 535 |
| Government | 5 | 482 |
The Manufacturing sector emerged as the hardest-hit sector with 4,794 workers across 34 notices. Separately, Transportation reported 1,943 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 44 | 5,785 |
| Layoff | 30 | 2,329 |
Closures accounted for 41% of all affected workers nationally, indicating significant structural workforce adjustments.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mylan Pharmaceuticals | Morgantown, West Virginia | 1,246 | Closure |
| SPS N95 Manufacturing | Phoenix, Arizona | 727 | |
| Genpact | Jacksonville, Florida | 489 | |
| C & S Wholesales | Greenville, South Carolina | 366 | Closure |
| C & S Wholesale Grocers | Greenville, South Carolina | 366 | |
| CORE Community Organized Relief Effort at Dodgers Stadium | Los Angeles, California | 364 | Closure |
| Geodis | Monroe Township, New Jersey | 363 | |
| SDH Services West LLC (Sodexo) at Long Beach Medical Center | Long Beach, California | 362 | Layoff |
| Vantec Hitachi Transport System | Canton, Mississippi | 337 | Closure |
| The RealReal | Brisbane, California | 327 | Closure |
Topping the list was Mylan Pharmaceuticals in Morgantown, West Virginia, reporting 1,246 affected workers. SPS N95 Manufacturing followed with 727 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This is the third consecutive month of declining layoff activity.
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 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.