US Layoffs — April 2003
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers filed 101 WARN Act notices in April 2003, impacting roughly 12,315 workers — representing a pullback from March and down 30% versus April 2002. Filings came from 10 states and territories, with an average of 122 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 22 | 2,965 |
| Florida | 9 | 1,571 |
| Michigan | 13 | 1,470 |
| Ohio | 9 | 1,412 |
| Kansas | 7 | 1,385 |
| Texas | 26 | 1,311 |
| Georgia | 6 | 1,004 |
| Maryland | 5 | 594 |
| Alabama | 3 | 462 |
| Oklahoma | 1 | 141 |
Pennsylvania led the nation with 2,965 workers affected across 22 notices , followed by Florida (1,571 workers) and Michigan (1,470 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 60 | 7,478 |
| Information & Technology | 14 | 1,052 |
| Transportation | 6 | 1,042 |
| Healthcare | 5 | 829 |
| Arts & Entertainment | 1 | 527 |
| Professional Services | 3 | 248 |
| Retail | 1 | 189 |
| Wholesale Trade | 1 | 183 |
| Education | 5 | 130 |
| Accommodation & Food | 1 | 122 |
The Manufacturing sector led the way in workforce reductions with 7,478 workers across 60 notices. In a parallel development, Information & Technology reported 1,052 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 32 | 4,034 |
| Layoff | 11 | 1,457 |
Closures accounted for 33% 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 | 1,200 | |
| Corning Asahi Video Products | State College, Pennsylvania | 673 | Closure |
| Tecumseh Products | Douglas, Georgia | 535 | |
| Cypress Gardens | Winter Haven, Florida | 527 | |
| Werner Co. (Greenville Division) | Greenville, Pennsylvania | 450 | Layoff |
| Johnson & Johnson Medical, Inc. - Sherman | Sherman, Texas | 402 | |
| Teleflex Automotive | Hillsdale, Michigan | 371 | Closure |
| US Airways (Philadelphia International Airport) | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 361 | Layoff |
| Tyson Foods | Berlin, Maryland | 323 | Closure |
| Recoton | Lake Mary, Florida | 280 |
The single largest action involved Cessna in Wichita, Kansas, reporting 1,200 affected workers. Corning Asahi Video Products followed with 673 workers.
Trend & Outlook
The data underscores 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 April 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.