US Layoffs — August 1997
The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers recorded 8 WARN Act notices in August 1997, covering approximately 2,840 workers — marking a sharp increase from July and up 89% versus August 1996. Filings came from 1 states and territories, with an average of 355 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio | 8 | 2,840 |
Ohio led the nation with 2,840 workers affected across 8 notices .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Healthcare | 1 | 1,996 |
| Retail | 2 | 351 |
| Manufacturing | 3 | 216 |
| Finance & Insurance | 1 | 165 |
The Healthcare sector accounted for the largest share of job cuts with 1,996 workers across 1 notice. At the same time, Retail reported 351 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
Layoff type data was not available for filings this month.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jewish Hospital of Cincinnati | Cincinnati, Ohio | 1,996 | |
| Parts America | Delaware, Ohio | 188 | |
| Manhattan National Life | Cincinnati, Ohio | 165 | |
| JCPenney | Dayton, Ohio | 163 | |
| Osf | Hilliard, Ohio | 112 | |
| Koenig Sports | Solon, Ohio | 97 | |
| Hutchinson | Fayette, Ohio | 64 | |
| Ferro | East Liverpool, Ohio | 55 |
Leading the list was Jewish Hospital of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio, reporting 1,996 affected workers. Parts America followed with 188 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
The filings reflect mounting pressure on the the nation labor market, with activity running above both recent and year-ago benchmarks. The Healthcare sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in August 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.