US Layoffs — February 2008
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers filed 117 WARN Act notices in February 2008, impacting roughly 14,355 workers — representing a pullback from January and up 24% versus February 2007. Filings came from 17 states and territories, with an average of 123 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 17 | 2,537 |
| Georgia | 13 | 1,699 |
| Ohio | 7 | 1,661 |
| Pennsylvania | 12 | 1,423 |
| New York | 10 | 1,083 |
| Washington | 8 | 1,067 |
| New Jersey | 9 | 1,009 |
| Missouri | 3 | 788 |
| Florida | 12 | 686 |
| Michigan | 9 | 504 |
| Arizona | 5 | 474 |
| Alabama | 3 | 344 |
| Iowa | 2 | 311 |
| Kansas | 1 | 300 |
| Louisiana | 2 | 181 |
| Kentucky | 3 | 163 |
| Maryland | 1 | 125 |
Texas led the nation with 2,537 workers affected across 17 notices , followed by Georgia (1,699 workers) and Ohio (1,661 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 44 | 6,705 |
| Information & Technology | 12 | 1,281 |
| Transportation | 19 | 1,203 |
| Professional Services | 9 | 1,150 |
| Retail | 4 | 1,144 |
| Finance & Insurance | 11 | 978 |
| Healthcare | 6 | 800 |
| Agriculture | 1 | 130 |
| Accommodation & Food | 1 | 126 |
| Utilities | 1 | 76 |
The Manufacturing sector led the way in workforce reductions with 6,705 workers across 44 notices. In a parallel development, Information & Technology reported 1,281 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Layoff | 25 | 2,976 |
| Closure | 25 | 2,591 |
Closures accounted for 18% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackhawk Automotive Plastics | Mason, Ohio | 724 | |
| Macy's | St. Louis, Missouri | 659 | Layoff |
| PRC Pennsylvania Contact Center | West Mifflin, Pennsylvania | 497 | Layoff |
| Astro Air | Jacksonville, Texas | 390 | |
| Johnson Rubber | Middlefield, Ohio | 376 | |
| Group Health | Redmond, Washington | 363 | Closure |
| Trinity Universal Insurance | Dallas, Texas | 344 | |
| TeleTech Niagara Falls SDC | Niagara Falls, New York | 340 | Layoff |
| Citation Innovative Metal Components | Lufkin, Texas | 336 | |
| J.R. Simplot | Pasco, Washington | 335 | Closure |
The single largest action involved Blackhawk Automotive Plastics in Mason, Ohio, reporting 724 affected workers. Macy's followed with 659 workers.
Trend & Outlook
The data underscores 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 February 2008. 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.