US Layoffs — March 1998
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers logged 29 WARN Act notices in March 1998, involving roughly 4,751 workers — falling below February and up 761% versus March 1997. Filings came from 2 states and territories, with an average of 164 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 14 | 2,567 |
| Ohio | 15 | 2,184 |
Florida led the nation with 2,567 workers affected across 14 notices , followed by Ohio (2,184 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 12 | 1,729 |
| Retail | 8 | 1,216 |
| Healthcare | 4 | 905 |
| Finance & Insurance | 2 | 734 |
| Information & Technology | 2 | 102 |
| Transportation | 1 | 65 |
The Manufacturing sector dominated layoff filings with 1,729 workers across 12 notices. Meanwhile, Retail reported 1,216 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
Layoff type data was not available for filings this month.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salomon Smith Barney | Tampa, Florida | 650 | |
| Gibson Greetings | Cincinnati, Ohio | 416 | |
| McAlpin | Dayton, Ohio | 373 | |
| Dayco Swan | Bucyrus, Ohio | 340 | |
| Florida Medical Center South | Plantation, Florida | 325 | |
| Everglades Regional Medical Center | Pahokee, Florida | 325 | |
| St. Petersburg Healthcare Center | St. Petersburg, Florida | 200 | |
| Premier Autoglass | Lancaster, Ohio | 168 | |
| Union Camp | Lakeland, Florida | 157 | |
| The Hamilton Collection | Jacksonville, Florida | 149 |
The biggest impact was at Salomon Smith Barney in Tampa, Florida, reporting 650 affected workers. Gibson Greetings followed with 416 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This data points to 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 March 1998. 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.