US Layoffs — February 2024
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers recorded 449 WARN Act notices in February 2024, covering approximately 37,646 workers — marking a decline from January and up 28% versus February 2023. Filings came from 37 states and territories, with an average of 84 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | 254 | 16,609 |
| Washington | 10 | 4,964 |
| Texas | 14 | 1,283 |
| Florida | 14 | 1,145 |
| Wisconsin | 12 | 1,104 |
| New Jersey | 9 | 961 |
| Ohio | 9 | 929 |
| Indiana | 8 | 920 |
| West Virginia | 1 | 885 |
| Oregon | 5 | 881 |
| Pennsylvania | 7 | 724 |
| Colorado | 7 | 674 |
| North Carolina | 8 | 628 |
| Michigan | 5 | 624 |
| Missouri | 4 | 621 |
| Virginia | 5 | 566 |
| Georgia | 4 | 487 |
| Nevada | 8 | 486 |
| Illinois | 5 | 344 |
| Connecticut | 3 | 254 |
| Maryland | 6 | 254 |
| Arizona | 2 | 244 |
| Massachusetts | 4 | 238 |
| Iowa | 6 | 238 |
| Mississippi | 8 | 230 |
| District of Columbia | 1 | 190 |
| Minnesota | 13 | 188 |
| Kentucky | 1 | 150 |
| Hawaii | 6 | 135 |
| Tennessee | 2 | 132 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | 130 |
| South Carolina | 1 | 114 |
| Utah | 1 | 106 |
| Louisiana | 2 | 103 |
| Oklahoma | 1 | 100 |
| Nebraska | 1 | 5 |
| New York | 1 | 0 |
California led the nation with 16,609 workers affected across 254 notices , followed by Washington (4,964 workers) and Texas (1,283 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 136 | 12,139 |
| Information & Technology | 50 | 6,073 |
| Professional Services | 20 | 4,715 |
| Transportation | 25 | 2,725 |
| Accommodation & Food | 43 | 1,892 |
| Healthcare | 41 | 1,503 |
| Wholesale Trade | 20 | 1,226 |
| Retail | 12 | 924 |
| Agriculture | 7 | 899 |
| Finance & Insurance | 16 | 817 |
The Manufacturing sector accounted for the largest share of job cuts with 12,139 workers across 136 notices. At the same time, Information & Technology reported 6,073 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Layoff | 260 | 20,823 |
| Closure | 87 | 7,783 |
Closures accounted for 21% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| RaterLabs | Kirkland, Washington | 3,657 | Layoff |
| Cleveland Cliffs | Weirton, West Virginia | 885 | |
| California Institute of Technology | La Canada Flintridge, California | 521 | Layoff |
| California Institute of Technology | La Canada Flintridge, California | 521 | Layoff |
| American Queen Steamboat | Clarkston, Washington | 508 | Closure |
| Activision Blizzard | Irvine, California | 479 | Layoff |
| Cisco | San Jose, California | 447 | Layoff |
| Cisco Systems | Tasman Drive San Jose, California | 447 | Layoff |
| Rio Grande Valley Sugar Growers 2024 | Santa Rosa, Texas | 435 | |
| El Dorado National (California) | Jurupa Valley, California | 425 | Layoff |
Leading the list was RaterLabs in Kirkland, Washington, reporting 3,657 affected workers. Cleveland Cliffs followed with 885 workers.
Trend & Outlook
The filings reflect 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 February 2024. 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.