US Layoffs — December 2002
The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers recorded 116 WARN Act notices in December 2002, covering approximately 14,946 workers — marking a sharp increase from November and down 3% versus December 2001. Filings came from 9 states and territories, with an average of 129 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 40 | 4,828 |
| Florida | 18 | 2,316 |
| Kansas | 6 | 1,787 |
| Pennsylvania | 15 | 1,773 |
| Ohio | 12 | 1,075 |
| Maryland | 6 | 990 |
| Georgia | 10 | 940 |
| Alabama | 3 | 871 |
| Michigan | 6 | 366 |
Texas led the nation with 4,828 workers affected across 40 notices , followed by Florida (2,316 workers) and Kansas (1,787 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 53 | 8,015 |
| Transportation | 18 | 2,008 |
| Professional Services | 9 | 1,021 |
| Utilities | 8 | 836 |
| Retail | 6 | 628 |
| Information & Technology | 7 | 547 |
| Finance & Insurance | 4 | 425 |
| Healthcare | 3 | 216 |
| Government | 1 | 177 |
| Real Estate | 1 | 91 |
The Manufacturing sector accounted for the largest share of job cuts with 8,015 workers across 53 notices. At the same time, Transportation reported 2,008 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 16 | 2,568 |
| Layoff | 14 | 1,432 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cessna | Wichita, Kansas | 1,500 | |
| Black & Decker | Easton, Maryland | 800 | Closure |
| Tyson Foods | Jacksonville, Florida | 737 | |
| Opp & Micolas Mills (Johnston Industries) | Opp, Alabama | 647 | Closure |
| Sun Apparel | El Paso, Texas | 450 | |
| Sara Lee Underwear (J.E. Morgan Knitting Mill) [Textile Operations] | Tamaqua, Pennsylvania | 420 | Layoff |
| American Airlines - Dallas | Dallas, Texas | 415 | |
| US Airways Orlando Reservation Center | Orlando, Florida | 353 | |
| UBS Warburg Energy | Houston, Texas | 304 | |
| Imperial Sugar | Sugar Land, Texas | 300 |
Leading the list was Cessna in Wichita, Kansas, reporting 1,500 affected workers. Black & Decker followed with 800 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
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 December 2002. 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.