Washington Layoffs — October 2006
Employers in Washington reported 6 WARN Act notices in October 2006, displacing an estimated 577 workers — signaling an acceleration from September and down 39% versus October 2005. The average filing covered 96 workers, with 2 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 3 | 240 |
| Professional Services | 1 | 141 |
| Finance & Insurance | 1 | 140 |
| Utilities | 1 | 56 |
The Manufacturing sector topped the list of affected industries with 240 workers across 3 notices. Notably, Professional Services reported 141 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| King | 2 | 204 |
| Snohomish | 1 | 140 |
| Chelan | 1 | 102 |
| Pierce | 1 | 75 |
| Kitsap | 1 | 56 |
King was the epicenter of layoff activity, accounting for 35% of all affected workers with 204 workers across 2 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Redmond | 1 | 141 |
| Lynnwood | 1 | 140 |
| Leavenworth | 1 | 102 |
| Tacoma | 1 | 75 |
| Bothell | 1 | 63 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Layoff | 4 | 412 |
| Closure | 2 | 165 |
Closures accounted for 29% of affected workers, while the majority of filings were layoffs rather than permanent shutdowns.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spherion | Redmond | 141 | Layoff | |
| Washington Mutual | Lynnwood | 140 | Layoff | |
| Leavenworth Wood Products | Leavenworth | 102 | Closure | |
| Marine Industries Northwest | Tacoma | 75 | Layoff | |
| Glaxo Smith Kline | Bothell | 63 | Closure | |
| Electric Boat | Bremerton | 56 | Layoff |
The most significant filing came from Spherion at its Redmond facility, reporting 141 affected workers. Washington Mutual followed with 140 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
The numbers illustrate a mixed picture for Washington's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Manufacturing 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.