US Layoffs — October 2007
The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers recorded 145 WARN Act notices in October 2007, covering approximately 18,938 workers — marking a sharp increase from September and up 16% versus October 2006. Filings came from 19 states and territories, with an average of 131 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Michigan | 9 | 2,330 |
| Texas | 14 | 2,320 |
| Ohio | 15 | 2,242 |
| Pennsylvania | 20 | 2,065 |
| New York | 19 | 1,816 |
| Alabama | 5 | 1,694 |
| Florida | 21 | 1,513 |
| New Jersey | 13 | 1,362 |
| Georgia | 10 | 1,184 |
| Louisiana | 4 | 477 |
| Kentucky | 4 | 374 |
| Missouri | 2 | 340 |
| Iowa | 2 | 300 |
| Washington DC | 1 | 289 |
| Washington | 2 | 223 |
| Vermont | 1 | 207 |
| Kansas | 1 | 93 |
| South Dakota | 1 | 60 |
| Maryland | 1 | 49 |
Michigan led the nation with 2,330 workers affected across 9 notices , followed by Texas (2,320 workers) and Ohio (2,242 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 52 | 8,458 |
| Finance & Insurance | 20 | 2,277 |
| Information & Technology | 19 | 1,224 |
| Retail | 6 | 814 |
| Healthcare | 4 | 721 |
| Construction | 7 | 671 |
| Transportation | 6 | 587 |
| Wholesale Trade | 6 | 330 |
| Professional Services | 2 | 329 |
| Accommodation & Food | 1 | 289 |
The Manufacturing sector accounted for the largest share of job cuts with 8,458 workers across 52 notices. At the same time, Finance & Insurance reported 2,277 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 43 | 5,654 |
| Layoff | 20 | 3,422 |
| Temporary Closure | 1 | 268 |
| Temporary Layoff | 1 | 136 |
Closures accounted for 31% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delphi Steering Systems | Athens, Alabama | 1,020 | Closure |
| GM Lansing (Delta Twp.) | Lansing, Michigan | 1,010 | Layoff |
| GM Hamtramck "Poletown" Ass'y Plant | Detroit, Michigan | 767 | Layoff |
| Goodyear Tire | Tyler, Texas | 662 | |
| Warminster Hospital | Warminster, Pennsylvania | 559 | Closure |
| Ravenna Aluminum | Ravenna, Ohio | 461 | |
| Delphi | Columbus, Ohio | 426 | |
| CVS Caremark - Fort Worth | Fort Worth, Texas | 372 | |
| PSA Airlines | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | 361 | Closure |
| Westpoint Home-Carter Plant | Valley, Alabama | 350 | Closure |
Leading the list was Delphi Steering Systems in Athens, Alabama, reporting 1,020 affected workers. GM Lansing (Delta Twp.) followed with 1,010 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This marks the third consecutive month of rising layoff activity.
The filings reflect mounting pressure on the the nation labor market, with activity running above both recent and year-ago benchmarks. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in October 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.