US Layoffs — October 2003
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers filed 68 WARN Act notices in October 2003, impacting roughly 10,380 workers — representing a pullback from September and down 47% versus October 2002. Filings came from 10 states and territories, with an average of 153 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio | 10 | 2,757 |
| Florida | 14 | 1,872 |
| Texas | 15 | 1,593 |
| Alabama | 2 | 1,210 |
| Georgia | 9 | 971 |
| Michigan | 5 | 674 |
| Kansas | 8 | 595 |
| Maryland | 3 | 565 |
| Oklahoma | 1 | 103 |
| Pennsylvania | 1 | 40 |
Ohio led the nation with 2,757 workers affected across 10 notices , followed by Florida (1,872 workers) and Texas (1,593 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Retail | 14 | 3,460 |
| Manufacturing | 29 | 3,412 |
| Information & Technology | 8 | 493 |
| Agriculture | 2 | 396 |
| Finance & Insurance | 2 | 325 |
| Construction | 1 | 261 |
| Professional Services | 2 | 223 |
| Government | 1 | 216 |
| Transportation | 3 | 179 |
| Utilities | 2 | 79 |
The Retail sector led the way in workforce reductions with 3,460 workers across 14 notices. In a parallel development, Manufacturing reported 3,412 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 10 | 2,466 |
| Layoff | 1 | 23 |
Closures accounted for 24% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Bear | Columbus, Ohio | 1,773 | |
| Goodyear Dunlop Tire | Huntsville, Alabama | 1,160 | Closure |
| Sony Semiconductor Co. of America | San Antonio, Texas | 600 | |
| Medco Health Solutions of Sabal Park | Tampa, Florida | 467 | |
| Nevamar | Odenton, Maryland | 360 | Closure |
| Lear | Traverse City, Michigan | 331 | Closure |
| Blue Bird North Georgia | Lafayette, Georgia | 300 | |
| Farmland | Coffeyville, Kansas | 298 | |
| Triad Financial | Margate, Florida | 275 | |
| Crane Plumbing | Mansfield, Ohio | 261 |
The single largest action involved Big Bear in Columbus, Ohio, reporting 1,773 affected workers. Goodyear Dunlop Tire followed with 1,160 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 Retail sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in October 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.