US Layoffs — May 2022
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers posted 189 WARN Act notices in May 2022, affecting an estimated 15,507 workers — reflecting a cooling compared to April and up 9% versus May 2021. Filings came from 36 states and territories, with an average of 82 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | 88 | 3,584 |
| Illinois | 11 | 1,632 |
| Pennsylvania | 4 | 963 |
| Michigan | 4 | 728 |
| Indiana | 1 | 691 |
| Colorado | 3 | 658 |
| Iowa | 8 | 625 |
| Florida | 6 | 597 |
| Missouri | 2 | 545 |
| Wisconsin | 5 | 505 |
| New Jersey | 3 | 475 |
| South Carolina | 4 | 466 |
| Alaska | 2 | 364 |
| Mississippi | 4 | 327 |
| Ohio | 3 | 318 |
| North Carolina | 4 | 289 |
| Georgia | 5 | 286 |
| Massachusetts | 1 | 277 |
| Nevada | 4 | 270 |
| Oklahoma | 2 | 220 |
| Alabama | 1 | 214 |
| Minnesota | 3 | 199 |
| Maryland | 1 | 196 |
| District of Columbia | 1 | 192 |
| Washington | 4 | 183 |
| Virginia | 2 | 181 |
| Oregon | 3 | 142 |
| Connecticut | 1 | 111 |
| Texas | 1 | 81 |
| Kentucky | 1 | 61 |
| Louisiana | 1 | 59 |
| Arizona | 1 | 40 |
| Maine | 1 | 15 |
| New Mexico | 1 | 13 |
| Kansas | 2 | 0 |
| Hawaii | 1 | 0 |
California led the nation with 3,584 workers affected across 88 notices , followed by Illinois (1,632 workers) and Pennsylvania (963 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 36 | 4,119 |
| Healthcare | 22 | 2,161 |
| Transportation | 22 | 2,024 |
| Information & Technology | 18 | 1,395 |
| Retail | 9 | 1,258 |
| Finance & Insurance | 32 | 1,206 |
| Accommodation & Food | 6 | 953 |
| Education | 16 | 675 |
| Professional Services | 6 | 394 |
| Wholesale Trade | 2 | 217 |
The Manufacturing sector saw the heaviest impact with 4,119 workers across 36 notices. On a related front, Healthcare reported 2,161 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 58 | 6,119 |
| Layoff | 88 | 5,343 |
| Temporary Layoff | 1 | 58 |
Closures accounted for 39% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miller's Health Systems | Indianapolis, Indiana | 691 | Closure |
| Watsonville Community Hospital | Watsonville, Colorado | 658 | Closure |
| Armstrong Flooring | Lancaster, Pennsylvania | 606 | Layoff |
| StarTek | Farmington, Missouri | 472 | Layoff |
| Penske Logistics | Romulus, Michigan | 426 | |
| Armstrong Flooring | Kankakee, Illinois | 337 | Closure |
| Toyota Financial Services | Cedar Rapids, Iowa | 322 | Closure |
| Preferred Meal Systems | Berkeley, Illinois | 307 | Closure |
| Talbot's Inc./Talbot's Distribution Center | Lakeville, Massachusetts | 277 | |
| NDSM Chemung | Harvard, Illinois | 247 | Closure |
The largest notice was filed by Miller's Health Systems in Indianapolis, Indiana, reporting 691 affected workers. Watsonville Community Hospital followed with 658 workers.
Trend & Outlook
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 2022. 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.