US Layoffs — November 2004
The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers posted 86 WARN Act notices in November 2004, affecting an estimated 10,918 workers — reflecting a significant uptick compared to October and down 47% versus November 2003. Filings came from 12 states and territories, with an average of 127 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio | 13 | 2,078 |
| Alabama | 3 | 1,984 |
| New Jersey | 14 | 1,681 |
| Texas | 19 | 1,529 |
| Pennsylvania | 11 | 1,105 |
| Michigan | 7 | 1,043 |
| Kentucky | 3 | 384 |
| Maryland | 4 | 343 |
| Georgia | 5 | 343 |
| Florida | 4 | 307 |
| Washington | 1 | 63 |
| Kansas | 2 | 58 |
Ohio led the nation with 2,078 workers affected across 13 notices , followed by Alabama (1,984 workers) and New Jersey (1,681 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 47 | 5,088 |
| Information & Technology | 17 | 1,433 |
| Healthcare | 2 | 617 |
| Finance & Insurance | 4 | 428 |
| Professional Services | 5 | 380 |
| Transportation | 2 | 343 |
| Retail | 2 | 285 |
| Accommodation & Food | 2 | 179 |
| Education | 1 | 101 |
| Utilities | 1 | 80 |
The Manufacturing sector saw the heaviest impact with 5,088 workers across 47 notices. On a related front, Information & Technology reported 1,433 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 17 | 3,930 |
| Layoff | 9 | 608 |
Closures accounted for 36% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wachovia | Birmingham, Alabama | 1,714 | Closure |
| Jumpking Incorporated - Mesquite | Mesquite, Texas | 550 | |
| Cole Vision | Twinsburg, Ohio | 516 | |
| Fleetwood Enterprises | Edgerton, Ohio | 324 | |
| Ny Waterway | Weehawken, New Jersey | 313 | |
| Anchor Glass | Connellsville, Pennsylvania | 312 | Closure |
| Money's Foods USA | Fennville, Michigan | 264 | Closure |
| Chubb & Son | Warren, New Jersey | 261 | |
| Oxford Automotive | Alma, Michigan | 260 | Closure |
| Bredero Shaw | Theodore, Alabama | 220 | Closure |
The largest notice was filed by Wachovia in Birmingham, Alabama, reporting 1,714 affected workers. Jumpking Incorporated - Mesquite followed with 550 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
The trends suggest 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 November 2004. 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.