US Layoffs — October 2001
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers recorded 201 WARN Act notices in October 2001, covering approximately 23,517 workers — marking a decline from September and up 149% versus October 2000. Filings came from 11 states and territories, with an average of 117 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 41 | 5,419 |
| Georgia | 39 | 4,454 |
| Florida | 31 | 2,681 |
| Kansas | 3 | 2,253 |
| Pennsylvania | 17 | 2,026 |
| Ohio | 15 | 1,932 |
| Michigan | 23 | 1,594 |
| Kentucky | 11 | 1,168 |
| Alabama | 7 | 1,144 |
| Maryland | 11 | 726 |
| Oklahoma | 3 | 120 |
Texas led the nation with 5,419 workers affected across 41 notices , followed by Georgia (4,454 workers) and Florida (2,681 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 75 | 9,676 |
| Information & Technology | 27 | 3,414 |
| Retail | 21 | 1,728 |
| Transportation | 14 | 1,651 |
| Professional Services | 10 | 1,154 |
| Healthcare | 2 | 889 |
| Accommodation & Food | 10 | 714 |
| Mining & Energy | 7 | 692 |
| Finance & Insurance | 6 | 526 |
| Wholesale Trade | 5 | 405 |
The Manufacturing sector accounted for the largest share of job cuts with 9,676 workers across 75 notices. At the same time, Information & Technology reported 3,414 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Layoff | 38 | 3,330 |
| Closure | 28 | 3,166 |
Closures accounted for 13% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sprint | Overland Park, Kansas | 1,300 | |
| Health Midwest - Menorah Medical Center | Overland Park, Kansas | 803 | |
| Tyco Electronics | Mesquite, Texas | 594 | |
| Lucent Technology | Norcross, Georgia | 579 | |
| Scientific Atlanta | Norcross, Georgia | 550 | |
| Flextronics | Palm Harbor, Florida | 540 | |
| Dee Howard Aircraft Maintenance | San Antonio, Texas | 492 | |
| Americold Compressors | Cullman, Alabama | 476 | Closure |
| Nokia - Tarrant | Ft. Worth, Texas | 445 | |
| Corning | Greenville, Ohio | 350 |
Leading the list was Sprint in Overland Park, Kansas, reporting 1,300 affected workers. Health Midwest - Menorah Medical Center followed with 803 workers.
Trend & Outlook
The filings reflect 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 2001. 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.