Michigan Layoffs — April 2008
Employers in Michigan filed 10 WARN Act notices in April 2008, impacting roughly 2,238 workers — representing a notable rise over March and down 20% versus April 2007. The average filing covered 224 workers, with 8 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 6 | 2,040 |
| Construction | 1 | 75 |
| Wholesale Trade | 1 | 73 |
| Transportation | 1 | 29 |
| Finance & Insurance | 1 | 21 |
The Manufacturing sector led the way in workforce reductions with 2,040 workers across 6 notices. In a parallel development, Construction reported 75 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Oakland | 2 | 1,287 |
| Wayne | 3 | 415 |
| Antrim | 1 | 300 |
| Macomb | 1 | 92 |
| Saint Joseph | 1 | 73 |
Oakland absorbed the greatest share of layoffs, accounting for 58% of all affected workers with 1,287 workers across 2 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Pontiac | 1 | 1,212 |
| Mancelona | 1 | 300 |
| Romulus | 1 | 280 |
| Detroit | 2 | 135 |
| Sterling Heights | 1 | 92 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Layoff | 2 | 1,233 |
| Closure | 8 | 1,005 |
Closures accounted for 45% of affected workers, while the majority of filings were layoffs rather than permanent shutdowns.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GM Pontiac Assembly Center | Pontiac | 1,212 | Layoff | |
| Dura Automotive Systems | Mancelona | 300 | Closure | |
| Lear | Romulus | 280 | Closure | |
| Detroit ElectroCoatings | Detroit | 106 | Closure | |
| Chrysler Corporation (Sterling Hts. Ass'y IT) | Sterling Heights | 92 | Closure | |
| Centex Homes (Midwest Region) | Southfield | 75 | Closure | |
| Sturgis Iron & Metal | Sturgis | 73 | Closure | |
| Kaneka Texas | Jackson | 50 | Closure | |
| Champion Air | Detroit | 29 | Closure | |
| Citizens Bank | Hancock | 21 | Layoff |
The single largest action involved GM Pontiac Assembly Center at its Pontiac facility, reporting 1,212 affected workers. Dura Automotive Systems followed with 300 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This marks the third consecutive month of rising layoff activity.
The data underscores a mixed picture for Michigan'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 Michigan. 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 Michigan WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.