US Layoffs — February 2003
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers recorded 98 WARN Act notices in February 2003, covering approximately 12,901 workers — marking a decline from January and down 25% versus February 2002. Filings came from 10 states and territories, with an average of 132 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 27 | 2,332 |
| Ohio | 12 | 2,200 |
| Pennsylvania | 16 | 2,000 |
| Michigan | 8 | 1,913 |
| Georgia | 12 | 1,836 |
| Kansas | 10 | 1,138 |
| Florida | 5 | 718 |
| Maryland | 6 | 372 |
| Alabama | 1 | 250 |
| Oklahoma | 1 | 142 |
Texas led the nation with 2,332 workers affected across 27 notices , followed by Ohio (2,200 workers) and Pennsylvania (2,000 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 40 | 6,318 |
| Healthcare | 6 | 1,503 |
| Information & Technology | 20 | 1,226 |
| Retail | 8 | 1,032 |
| Transportation | 9 | 964 |
| Wholesale Trade | 2 | 568 |
| Finance & Insurance | 7 | 417 |
| Mining & Energy | 2 | 276 |
| Government | 1 | 142 |
| Other | 1 | 139 |
The Manufacturing sector accounted for the largest share of job cuts with 6,318 workers across 40 notices. At the same time, Healthcare reported 1,503 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 21 | 3,986 |
| Layoff | 10 | 549 |
Closures accounted for 31% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Bosch | Kentwood, Michigan | 1,350 | Closure |
| Cagle's | Pine Mountian Vall, Georgia | 622 | |
| Medco Health Solutions of Mechanicsburg (Medco Health) | Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania | 575 | Closure |
| The Menninger Clinic | Topeka, Kansas | 500 | |
| Sara Lee Underwear | Tamaqua, Pennsylvania | 460 | Closure |
| Lexmark | Orlando, Florida | 397 | |
| Goodrich | Aurora, Ohio | 370 | |
| Bassett Furniture Industries | Dublin, Georgia | 301 | |
| America West Airlines | Columbus, Ohio | 300 | |
| Spartan Stores | Maumee, Ohio | 275 |
Leading the list was Robert Bosch in Kentwood, Michigan, reporting 1,350 affected workers. Cagle's followed with 622 workers.
Trend & Outlook
The filings reflect a easing in workforce disruptions across the nation, with filings falling below both recent and year-ago levels. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in February 2003. 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.