US Layoffs — October 1999
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers reported 44 WARN Act notices in October 1999, displacing an estimated 6,956 workers — signaling a deceleration from September and up 54% versus October 1998. Filings came from 6 states and territories, with an average of 158 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio | 12 | 1,856 |
| Florida | 10 | 1,848 |
| Texas | 12 | 1,196 |
| Kentucky | 5 | 975 |
| Alabama | 2 | 670 |
| Kansas | 3 | 411 |
Ohio led the nation with 1,856 workers affected across 12 notices , followed by Florida (1,848 workers) and Texas (1,196 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 25 | 4,104 |
| Healthcare | 5 | 1,078 |
| Information & Technology | 3 | 310 |
| Professional Services | 2 | 259 |
| Finance & Insurance | 3 | 252 |
| Mining & Energy | 2 | 126 |
| Transportation | 1 | 112 |
| Retail | 1 | 45 |
The Manufacturing sector topped the list of affected industries with 4,104 workers across 25 notices. Notably, Healthcare reported 1,078 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 6 | 1,215 |
| Layoff | 2 | 486 |
Closures accounted for 17% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palms of Pasadena Hospital | St. Petersburg, Florida | 900 | |
| Just For Feet | Birmingham, Alabama | 594 | Closure |
| Agco | Coldwater, Ohio | 450 | |
| Tecumseh Products | Somerset, Kentucky | 430 | Layoff |
| Gilchrist Molding Center | Mogadore, Ohio | 319 | |
| Boeing | Wichita, Kansas | 285 | |
| Decker Food | Garland, Texas | 284 | |
| Turbine Engine Components Textron | Orlando, Florida | 240 | |
| Levi Strauss & | Louisville, Kentucky | 226 | Closure |
| Teleservice Resources | Austin, Texas | 214 |
The most significant filing came from Palms of Pasadena Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida, reporting 900 affected workers. Just For Feet followed with 594 workers.
Trend & Outlook
The numbers illustrate 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 October 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.