US Layoffs — May 2005
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers logged 97 WARN Act notices in May 2005, involving roughly 8,813 workers — falling below April and up 19% versus May 2004. Filings came from 14 states and territories, with an average of 91 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | 12 | 1,523 |
| Georgia | 17 | 1,250 |
| Pennsylvania | 16 | 1,077 |
| Washington | 7 | 967 |
| Ohio | 4 | 916 |
| Texas | 10 | 789 |
| Florida | 5 | 495 |
| Oklahoma | 1 | 397 |
| Michigan | 5 | 373 |
| Maryland | 5 | 292 |
| Alabama | 4 | 227 |
| Washington DC | 4 | 219 |
| Kansas | 6 | 150 |
| Vermont | 1 | 138 |
New Jersey led the nation with 1,523 workers affected across 12 notices , followed by Georgia (1,250 workers) and Pennsylvania (1,077 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 35 | 3,103 |
| Finance & Insurance | 6 | 930 |
| Transportation | 10 | 852 |
| Healthcare | 4 | 578 |
| Retail | 5 | 571 |
| Professional Services | 8 | 520 |
| Government | 4 | 490 |
| Accommodation & Food | 2 | 462 |
| Information & Technology | 14 | 371 |
| Arts & Entertainment | 1 | 230 |
The Manufacturing sector dominated layoff filings with 3,103 workers across 35 notices. Meanwhile, Finance & Insurance reported 930 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 26 | 2,030 |
| Layoff | 15 | 1,125 |
Closures accounted for 23% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charter One Financial | Cleveland, Ohio | 632 | |
| Alaska Airlines | Seattle, Washington | 477 | Layoff |
| Kellogg's Keebler Company Macon Bakery | Macon, Georgia | 402 | |
| Corrections Corporation of America | Tulsa, Oklahoma | 397 | |
| Tuscan | Union, New Jersey | 388 | |
| Biovail Pharm | Bridgewater, New Jersey | 340 | |
| Pinnacle Foods Group | Erie, Pennsylvania | 290 | Closure |
| Thomas Care Center | Houston, Texas | 253 | |
| Kemps Foods | Lancaster, Pennsylvania | 250 | Closure |
| Atlantic & Pacific Tea | Edison, New Jersey | 230 |
The biggest impact was at Charter One Financial in Cleveland, Ohio, reporting 632 affected workers. Alaska Airlines followed with 477 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This is the third consecutive month of declining layoff activity.
This data points to 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 May 2005. 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.