US Layoffs — January 2007
The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers submitted 131 WARN Act notices in January 2007, putting at risk an estimated 14,957 workers — up substantially from December and down 29% versus January 2006. Filings came from 18 states and territories, with an average of 114 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 19 | 2,391 |
| New Jersey | 12 | 1,883 |
| Michigan | 8 | 1,360 |
| Ohio | 10 | 1,305 |
| Georgia | 15 | 1,113 |
| Missouri | 7 | 990 |
| New York | 9 | 858 |
| Florida | 10 | 835 |
| Washington | 7 | 732 |
| Pennsylvania | 7 | 651 |
| Iowa | 7 | 572 |
| Louisiana | 6 | 529 |
| Maryland | 4 | 466 |
| Delaware | 2 | 401 |
| Alabama | 3 | 393 |
| Vermont | 2 | 192 |
| Kansas | 2 | 184 |
| Oklahoma | 1 | 102 |
Texas led the nation with 2,391 workers affected across 19 notices , followed by New Jersey (1,883 workers) and Michigan (1,360 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 55 | 7,156 |
| Finance & Insurance | 7 | 1,065 |
| Accommodation & Food | 8 | 941 |
| Information & Technology | 13 | 826 |
| Healthcare | 4 | 764 |
| Mining & Energy | 5 | 721 |
| Transportation | 8 | 513 |
| Retail | 6 | 436 |
| Construction | 2 | 435 |
| Professional Services | 3 | 352 |
The Manufacturing sector emerged as the hardest-hit sector with 7,156 workers across 55 notices. Separately, Finance & Insurance reported 1,065 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 38 | 5,100 |
| Layoff | 13 | 842 |
| Temporary Layoff | 1 | 80 |
Closures accounted for 34% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Collins & Aikman | Port Huron, Michigan | 515 | Closure |
| Johnson & Johnson | Morris Plains, New Jersey | 512 | |
| Avon Products | Newark, Delaware | 400 | |
| Collins & Aikman | Sterling Heights, Michigan | 400 | Closure |
| Coty | Mt. Olive, New Jersey | 360 | |
| Aon | Houston, Texas | 325 | |
| BCK Communications | Riverview, Florida | 299 | |
| Houston Town and Country Hospital | Houston, Texas | 298 | |
| Federal Mogul | St. Louis, Missouri | 285 | Closure |
| Icos | Bothell, Washington | 268 | Layoff |
Topping the list was Collins & Aikman in Port Huron, Michigan, reporting 515 affected workers. Johnson & Johnson followed with 512 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This marks the third consecutive month of rising layoff activity.
These figures highlight 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 January 2007. 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.