US Layoffs — August 2022

The US labor market showed continued flux as employers reported 241 WARN Act notices in August 2022, displacing an estimated 19,517 workers — signaling a deceleration from July and up 21% versus August 2021. Filings came from 35 states and territories, with an average of 81 workers per notice.

Top States by Workers Affected

California led the nation with 5,498 workers affected across 73 notices , followed by Texas (1,549 workers) and Illinois (1,152 workers) .

Industry Breakdown

The Manufacturing sector topped the list of affected industries with 6,652 workers across 70 notices. Notably, Finance & Insurance reported 2,388 workers.

Layoff Type Analysis

Closures accounted for 38% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.

Largest Layoffs

The most significant filing came from Watsonville Community Hospital in North Dakota, reporting 670 affected workers. Cepheid followed with 632 workers.

Trend & Outlook

The numbers illustrate 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 August 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 WARN Firehose, 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.