Skip to main content

US Layoffs — August 2023

The US labor market showed continued flux as employers filed 495 WARN Act notices in August 2023, impacting roughly 43,631 workers — representing a pullback from July and up 124% versus August 2022. Filings came from 40 states and territories, with an average of 88 workers per notice.

495
Total Notices
43,631
Workers Affected
40
States Reporting
88
Avg per Notice
137
Closures

Top States by Workers Affected

State-by-state layoff summary
StateNoticesWorkers
California2059,940
Nevada83,600
Missouri42,851
Illinois182,732
Maryland112,245
North Carolina191,803
Texas211,713
Indiana121,550
Florida201,493
Arizona111,471
Massachusetts111,380
New Jersey171,330
Washington81,048
Michigan51,022
Rhode Island4868
Ohio10864
Georgia6837
Pennsylvania9774
Oregon12746
Connecticut4652
Wisconsin6619
Mississippi6546
Kentucky3522
Virginia4519
Alabama3402
Colorado20328
Oklahoma3313
Tennessee3219
Kansas3201
Hawaii5179
New Hampshire1164
Idaho3162
Montana2159
Minnesota10116
Nebraska1107
Iowa355
South Carolina147
Alaska127
North Dakota127
West Virginia10

California led the nation with 9,940 workers affected across 205 notices , followed by Nevada (3,600 workers) and Missouri (2,851 workers) .

Industry Breakdown

Industry breakdown
IndustryNoticesWorkers
Manufacturing15313,933
Healthcare565,455
Transportation645,329
Information & Technology695,067
Accommodation & Food203,532
Professional Services232,470
Mining & Energy91,936
Finance & Insurance171,005
Retail17853
Wholesale Trade11408

The Manufacturing sector led the way in workforce reductions with 13,933 workers across 153 notices. In a parallel development, Healthcare reported 5,455 workers.

Layoff Type Analysis

Layoff types breakdown
TypeNoticesWorkers
Closure13318,490
Layoff1779,329
Temporary Closure4243
Temporary Layoff119

Closures accounted for 43% of all affected workers nationally, indicating significant structural workforce adjustments.

Largest Layoffs

Largest layoff notices
CompanyLocationWorkersType
Rio PropertiesLas Vegas, Nevada1,552Closure
Las VegasClark, Nevada1,552Closure
Tyson FoodsNoel, Missouri1,513Closure
SavorChicago, Illinois951Closure
General Dynamics Information TechnologyFrederick, Maryland950Layoff
General MotorsChandler, Arizona936
YellowLos Angeles, California709Closure
Tyson FoodsDexter, Missouri683Closure
YellowTaylor, Michigan654Closure
South City HospitalSt. Louis, Missouri563Closure

The single largest action involved Rio Properties in Las Vegas, Nevada, reporting 1,552 affected workers. Las Vegas followed with 1,552 workers.

Trend & Outlook

The data underscores 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 2023. 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.

Related Analysis

Want the full dataset?

Browse Layoff Data Get API Access