US Layoffs — March 1997
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers posted 4 WARN Act notices in March 1997, affecting an estimated 552 workers — reflecting a cooling compared to February. Filings came from 1 states and territories, with an average of 138 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio | 4 | 552 |
Ohio led the nation with 552 workers affected across 4 notices .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation | 1 | 246 |
| Finance & Insurance | 1 | 155 |
| Retail | 1 | 82 |
| Manufacturing | 1 | 69 |
The Transportation sector saw the heaviest impact with 246 workers across 1 notice. On a related front, Finance & Insurance reported 155 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
Layoff type data was not available for filings this month.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Viking Freight | West Chester, Ohio | 246 | |
| John Alden Life Insurance | Dublin, Ohio | 155 | |
| JCPenney | Toledo, Ohio | 82 | |
| Russ Berrie & | Reynoldsburg, Ohio | 69 |
The largest notice was filed by Viking Freight in West Chester, Ohio, reporting 246 affected workers. John Alden Life Insurance followed with 155 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This is the third consecutive month of declining layoff activity.
The trends suggest a mixed picture for the nation's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Transportation sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in March 1997. 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.