Michigan Layoffs — January 2003
Employers in Michigan reported 17 WARN Act notices in January 2003, displacing an estimated 2,702 workers — signaling an acceleration from December and up 28% versus January 2002. The average filing covered 159 workers, with 15 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Retail | 11 | 1,737 |
| Manufacturing | 3 | 561 |
| Professional Services | 1 | 197 |
| Finance & Insurance | 1 | 115 |
| Information & Technology | 1 | 92 |
The Retail sector topped the list of affected industries with 1,737 workers across 11 notices. Notably, Manufacturing reported 561 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Wayne | 7 | 1,805 |
| Oakland | 3 | 440 |
| Macomb | 3 | 179 |
| Berrien | 2 | 161 |
| Kent | 1 | 92 |
Wayne bore the heaviest burden, accounting for 67% of all affected workers with 1,805 workers across 7 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit | 3 | 880 |
| Dearborn | 1 | 358 |
| Lincoln Park | 1 | 250 |
| Canton Township | 1 | 225 |
| Auburn Hills | 1 | 200 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 15 | 2,256 |
| Layoff | 2 | 446 |
The high proportion of closures (83% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in Michigan's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GM Detroit Hamtramack Assembly | Detroit | 400 | Layoff | |
| Kmart Corporation #4915 | Dearborn | 358 | Closure | |
| Kmart Corporation #4994 | Detroit | 283 | Closure | |
| Kmart Corporation #4949 | Lincoln Park | 250 | Closure | |
| Kmart Corporation #4990 | Canton Township | 225 | Closure | |
| Kmart | Auburn Hills | 200 | Closure | |
| Davis Tool & Engineering | Detroit | 197 | Closure | |
| Kmart Corporation #4192 | Southfield | 125 | Closure | |
| Menasha Packaging | Coloma | 115 | Closure | |
| Liberty Mutual Group | Bingham Farms | 115 | Closure | |
| Kmart Corporation #4982 | Sterling Heights | 100 | Closure | |
| Kmart Corporation #7272 | Flat Rock | 92 | Closure | |
| Alltel | Grand Rapids | 92 | Closure | |
| Dean Specialty Foods Group | Benton Harbor | 46 | Layoff | |
| Kmart Corporation #7589 | Utica | 45 | Closure |
The most significant filing came from GM Detroit Hamtramack Assembly at its Detroit facility, reporting 400 affected workers. Kmart Corporation #4915 followed with 358 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This marks the third consecutive month of rising layoff activity.
The numbers illustrate mounting pressure on the Michigan labor market, with activity running above both recent and year-ago benchmarks. The Retail 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.