Washington Layoffs — May 2006
Employers in Washington logged 3 WARN Act notices in May 2006, involving roughly 730 workers — climbing above April and down 25% versus May 2005. The average filing covered 243 workers, with 3 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Retail | 2 | 605 |
| Accommodation & Food | 1 | 125 |
The Retail sector dominated layoff filings with 605 workers across 2 notices. Meanwhile, Accommodation & Food reported 125 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| King | 2 | 670 |
| Chelan | 1 | 60 |
King was the epicenter of layoff activity, accounting for 92% of all affected workers with 670 workers across 2 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Bellevue | 1 | 545 |
| Seattle | 1 | 125 |
| Wenatchee | 1 | 60 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 3 | 730 |
The high proportion of closures (100% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in Washington's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Larry's Markets | Bellevue | 545 | Closure | |
| Food Services of America | Seattle | 125 | Closure | |
| K-Mart | Wenatchee | 60 | Closure |
The biggest impact was at Larry's Markets at its Bellevue facility, reporting 545 affected workers. Food Services of America followed with 125 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This marks the third consecutive month of rising layoff activity.
This data points to a mixed picture for Washington's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Retail sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This analysis is based on official WARN Act filings reported by Washington. The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act requires employers with 100+ employees to provide 60-day advance notice of mass layoffs and plant closings. Data is updated daily by WARN Firehose. View all Washington WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.