US Layoffs — November 2001
The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers posted 137 WARN Act notices in November 2001, affecting an estimated 28,874 workers — reflecting a significant uptick compared to October and up 286% versus November 2000. Filings came from 10 states and territories, with an average of 211 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio | 18 | 6,591 |
| Georgia | 17 | 6,344 |
| Texas | 36 | 5,076 |
| Alabama | 13 | 3,778 |
| Kentucky | 7 | 1,695 |
| Maryland | 10 | 1,520 |
| Pennsylvania | 11 | 1,429 |
| Florida | 17 | 1,341 |
| Michigan | 5 | 709 |
| Kansas | 3 | 391 |
Ohio led the nation with 6,591 workers affected across 18 notices , followed by Georgia (6,344 workers) and Texas (5,076 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 48 | 11,536 |
| Transportation | 8 | 4,336 |
| Information & Technology | 18 | 3,345 |
| Retail | 15 | 1,418 |
| Finance & Insurance | 6 | 1,134 |
| Utilities | 7 | 1,045 |
| Professional Services | 10 | 979 |
| Construction | 7 | 697 |
| Healthcare | 2 | 320 |
| Wholesale Trade | 1 | 30 |
The Manufacturing sector saw the heaviest impact with 11,536 workers across 48 notices. On a related front, Transportation reported 4,336 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 25 | 4,947 |
| Layoff | 20 | 4,095 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Lines | Atlanta, Georgia | 3,500 | |
| Cleveland Works (LTV Steel Company) | Cleveland, Ohio | 2,964 | |
| Sumitomo Electric Wiring Systems | Louisville, Kentucky | 926 | Layoff |
| Wachovia Bank Card Services | Atlanta, Georgia | 850 | |
| Alcatel USA, Inc. - Plano | Plano, Texas | 762 | |
| Vf Jeanswear, Oneonta | Oneonta, Alabama | 681 | Closure |
| VF Jeanswear - El Paso | El Paso, Texas | 582 | |
| Vf Jeanswear, Russellville | Russellville, Alabama | 574 | Closure |
| Vanity Fair Intimates, Atmore | Atmore, Alabama | 509 | Closure |
| GE Aircraft Engines | Cincinnati, Ohio | 500 |
The largest notice was filed by Delta Air Lines in Atlanta, Georgia, reporting 3,500 affected workers. Cleveland Works (LTV Steel Company) followed with 2,964 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
The trends suggest 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 November 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.