US Layoffs — August 1999
The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers filed 36 WARN Act notices in August 1999, impacting roughly 4,698 workers — representing a notable rise over July and up 30% versus August 1998. Filings came from 5 states and territories, with an average of 130 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 12 | 1,245 |
| Ohio | 9 | 1,149 |
| Alabama | 5 | 939 |
| Florida | 8 | 686 |
| Kentucky | 2 | 679 |
Texas led the nation with 1,245 workers affected across 12 notices , followed by Ohio (1,149 workers) and Alabama (939 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 15 | 2,008 |
| Healthcare | 4 | 396 |
| Finance & Insurance | 5 | 292 |
| Professional Services | 1 | 275 |
| Mining & Energy | 3 | 261 |
| Retail | 1 | 157 |
| Accommodation & Food | 1 | 105 |
| Information & Technology | 1 | 65 |
| Transportation | 1 | 46 |
The Manufacturing sector led the way in workforce reductions with 2,008 workers across 15 notices. In a parallel development, Healthcare reported 396 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 4 | 1,017 |
| Layoff | 3 | 601 |
Closures accounted for 22% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| CompuCom Systems | Kentucky | 370 | Closure |
| Nine West (Vanceburg and Hebron) | Kentucky | 309 | Closure |
| ASW Services | Akron, Ohio | 275 | |
| Cluett, Peabody & | Enterprise, Alabama | 273 | Closure |
| Sony Magnetic Products | Dothan, Alabama | 250 | Layoff |
| Oakwood Homes | Ennis, Texas | 200 | |
| Medpartners | Birmingham, Alabama | 200 | Layoff |
| Nocona Boot | Nocona, Texas | 180 | |
| Doral Palms Hospital | Miami, Florida | 170 | |
| National Semiconductor | Richardson, Texas | 168 |
The single largest action involved CompuCom Systems in Kentucky, reporting 370 affected workers. Nine West (Vanceburg and Hebron) followed with 309 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
The data underscores 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 August 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.