Michigan Layoffs — December 2008
Employers in Michigan reported 20 WARN Act notices in December 2008, displacing an estimated 3,009 workers — signaling a deceleration from November and up 48% versus December 2007. The average filing covered 150 workers, with 9 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 11 | 1,571 |
| Transportation | 6 | 1,198 |
| Information & Technology | 2 | 172 |
| Utilities | 1 | 68 |
The Manufacturing sector topped the list of affected industries with 1,571 workers across 11 notices. Notably, Transportation reported 1,198 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Wayne | 4 | 661 |
| Ottawa | 2 | 435 |
| Berrien | 1 | 336 |
| Jackson | 1 | 299 |
| Washtenaw | 1 | 245 |
Wayne saw the most concentrated activity, accounting for 22% of all affected workers with 661 workers across 4 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Haven | 1 | 400 |
| Niles | 1 | 336 |
| Detroit | 2 | 325 |
| Jackson | 1 | 299 |
| Ypsilanti | 1 | 245 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Layoff | 11 | 1,838 |
| Closure | 9 | 1,171 |
Closures accounted for 39% of affected workers, while the majority of filings were layoffs rather than permanent shutdowns.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shape | Grand Haven | 400 | Layoff | |
| DHL Express | Niles | 336 | Closure | |
| Gerdau MacSteel | Jackson | 299 | Layoff | |
| Kalitta Air | Ypsilanti | 245 | Layoff | |
| Key Plastics | Plymouth | 238 | Layoff | |
| Kalitta Air | Oscoda | 219 | Closure | |
| DHL Express | Detroit | 200 | Closure | |
| Meridian/Magnesium Products of America | Eaton Rapids | 160 | Layoff | |
| Checker Motors | Kalamazoo | 150 | Layoff | |
| Flint Special Services | Detroit | 125 | Closure | |
| Nyloncraft | Jonesville | 110 | Layoff | |
| DHL Express | Southfield | 100 | Closure | |
| USA Jet Airlines | Belleville | 98 | Layoff | |
| Manpower | Allegan | 68 | Closure | |
| Musashi | Battle Creek | 55 | Layoff |
The most significant filing came from Shape at its Grand Haven facility, reporting 400 affected workers. DHL Express followed with 336 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This is the third consecutive month of declining layoff activity.
The numbers illustrate 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.