Michigan Layoffs — March 2002
Employers in Michigan posted 28 WARN Act notices in March 2002, affecting an estimated 2,236 workers — reflecting a significant uptick compared to February and down 7% versus March 2001. The average filing covered 80 workers, with 28 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 7 | 1,334 |
| Retail | 18 | 548 |
| Information & Technology | 2 | 288 |
| Professional Services | 1 | 66 |
The Manufacturing sector saw the heaviest impact with 1,334 workers across 7 notices. On a related front, Retail reported 548 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Wayne | 4 | 606 |
| Oakland | 4 | 439 |
| Ottawa | 1 | 317 |
| Menominee | 1 | 213 |
| Kent | 2 | 147 |
Wayne bore the heaviest burden, accounting for 27% of all affected workers with 606 workers across 4 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Holland | 1 | 317 |
| Southfield | 2 | 288 |
| Canton | 1 | 268 |
| Inkster | 1 | 234 |
| Menominee | 1 | 213 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 28 | 2,236 |
The high proportion of closures (100% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in Michigan's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Herman Miller | Holland | 317 | Closure | |
| DrawTite | Canton | 268 | Closure | |
| SBC Ameritech | Southfield | 264 | Closure | |
| Carron Industries | Inkster | 234 | Closure | |
| Emerson Tool | Menominee | 213 | Closure | |
| Newell | Lowell | 113 | Closure | |
| Jervis B. Webb | New Hudson | 107 | Closure | |
| Regal Plastics | Roseville | 82 | Closure | |
| Kmart #4393 | Taylor | 72 | Closure | |
| Midwest Metalurgical Laboratories | Marshall | 66 | Closure | |
| Kmart #3537 | Novi | 44 | Closure | |
| Kmart # 4256 | Lansing | 35 | Closure | |
| Kmart #3000 | Marquette | 34 | Closure | |
| Kmart #3344 | Kentwood | 34 | Closure | |
| Kmart #3843 | Ludington | 32 | Closure |
The largest notice was filed by Herman Miller at its Holland facility, reporting 317 affected workers. DrawTite followed with 268 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
The trends suggest a mixed picture for Michigan's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This analysis is based on official WARN Act filings reported by Michigan. The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act requires employers with 100+ employees to provide 60-day advance notice of mass layoffs and plant closings. Data is updated daily by WARN Firehose. View all Michigan WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.