US Layoffs — December 2008
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers recorded 239 WARN Act notices in December 2008, covering approximately 33,553 workers — marking a decline from November and up 151% versus December 2007. Filings came from 20 states and territories, with an average of 140 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 44 | 5,868 |
| Ohio | 27 | 5,315 |
| Michigan | 20 | 3,009 |
| Texas | 34 | 2,666 |
| Florida | 19 | 2,551 |
| Missouri | 10 | 2,258 |
| Georgia | 16 | 2,169 |
| Pennsylvania | 11 | 1,837 |
| Indiana | 11 | 1,459 |
| Alabama | 6 | 1,245 |
| Kansas | 4 | 1,028 |
| Arizona | 3 | 941 |
| New Jersey | 7 | 924 |
| Oklahoma | 6 | 521 |
| Delaware | 2 | 401 |
| Kentucky | 5 | 388 |
| Maryland | 5 | 381 |
| Washington | 4 | 347 |
| Washington DC | 3 | 175 |
| Iowa | 2 | 70 |
New York led the nation with 5,868 workers affected across 44 notices , followed by Ohio (5,315 workers) and Michigan (3,009 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 76 | 11,908 |
| Transportation | 49 | 5,312 |
| Information & Technology | 21 | 3,263 |
| Finance & Insurance | 12 | 2,222 |
| Retail | 7 | 1,315 |
| Healthcare | 7 | 885 |
| Professional Services | 2 | 742 |
| Accommodation & Food | 4 | 657 |
| Government | 5 | 357 |
| Utilities | 4 | 341 |
The Manufacturing sector accounted for the largest share of job cuts with 11,908 workers across 76 notices. At the same time, Transportation reported 5,312 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 58 | 8,103 |
| Layoff | 51 | 7,455 |
Closures accounted for 24% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Severstal Warren | Warren, Ohio | 1,263 | |
| Citigroup Inc. and its NY Subsidiaries | New York, New York | 1,004 | Layoff |
| ABX Air | Wilmington, Ohio | 838 | |
| Credit Suisse Securities (USA) | New York, New York | 759 | Layoff |
| DHL Information System (Americas) | Scottsdale, Arizona | 750 | |
| Gildan | Fort Payne, Alabama | 738 | Closure |
| Anheuser-Busch InBev | St. Louis, Missouri | 658 | Layoff |
| Convergys, Inc. - Houston | Houston, Texas | 653 | |
| Cessna | Wichita, Kansas | 520 | |
| Pilgrim's Pride | Live Oak, Florida | 505 |
Leading the list was Severstal Warren in Warren, Ohio, reporting 1,263 affected workers. Citigroup Inc. and its NY Subsidiaries followed with 1,004 workers.
Trend & Outlook
The filings reflect 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 December 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.