US Layoffs — May 1999
The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers logged 40 WARN Act notices in May 1999, involving roughly 6,880 workers — climbing above April and up 82% versus May 1998. Filings came from 6 states and territories, with an average of 172 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 17 | 2,117 |
| Alabama | 5 | 1,697 |
| Ohio | 8 | 1,256 |
| Florida | 6 | 1,041 |
| Kentucky | 3 | 704 |
| Kansas | 1 | 65 |
Texas led the nation with 2,117 workers affected across 17 notices , followed by Alabama (1,697 workers) and Ohio (1,256 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 18 | 2,747 |
| Information & Technology | 5 | 1,099 |
| Healthcare | 6 | 1,036 |
| Retail | 2 | 690 |
| Accommodation & Food | 1 | 65 |
| Wholesale Trade | 1 | 56 |
| Professional Services | 2 | 17 |
| Finance & Insurance | 1 | 8 |
The Manufacturing sector dominated layoff filings with 2,747 workers across 18 notices. Meanwhile, Information & Technology reported 1,099 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 5 | 1,461 |
| Layoff | 4 | 1,005 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| S & C Beef Processors, L.L.C | Montgomery, Alabama | 650 | Layoff |
| London International Group | Dothan, Alabama | 500 | Closure |
| Vanity Fair | Milton, Florida | 495 | |
| Pilkington Libbey-Owens-Ford | Sherman, Texas | 490 | |
| Alliance Data Systems | Dallas, Texas | 489 | |
| TicketMaster | Columbus, Ohio | 320 | |
| Saint Luke's Medical Center | Cleveland, Ohio | 320 | |
| Equitable Bag | Kentucky | 320 | Closure |
| Russell Corporation-Greenville | Greenville, Alabama | 252 | Closure |
| Silsbee Doctors Hospital | Silsbee, Texas | 230 |
The biggest impact was at S & C Beef Processors, L.L.C in Montgomery, Alabama, reporting 650 affected workers. London International Group followed with 500 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
This data points to mounting pressure on the the nation labor market, with activity running above both recent and year-ago benchmarks. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in May 1999. 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.