US Layoffs — August 2009
The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers recorded 286 WARN Act notices in August 2009, covering approximately 26,700 workers — marking a sharp increase from July and up 55% versus August 2008. Filings came from 25 states and territories, with an average of 93 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | 91 | 6,796 |
| Florida | 16 | 2,694 |
| Alabama | 9 | 2,291 |
| New York | 29 | 1,941 |
| Texas | 17 | 1,337 |
| Georgia | 13 | 1,256 |
| Michigan | 13 | 1,219 |
| Louisiana | 2 | 1,105 |
| Ohio | 12 | 954 |
| New Jersey | 9 | 945 |
| Arizona | 14 | 867 |
| Oklahoma | 3 | 829 |
| Kansas | 8 | 680 |
| Washington | 5 | 585 |
| Utah | 2 | 451 |
| Missouri | 6 | 444 |
| Maryland | 4 | 428 |
| Iowa | 7 | 410 |
| Kentucky | 5 | 355 |
| Pennsylvania | 4 | 323 |
| Washington DC | 7 | 240 |
| Idaho | 3 | 205 |
| Indiana | 3 | 196 |
| South Dakota | 2 | 83 |
| Delaware | 2 | 66 |
California led the nation with 6,796 workers affected across 91 notices , followed by Florida (2,694 workers) and Alabama (2,291 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 77 | 9,711 |
| Information & Technology | 58 | 3,387 |
| Finance & Insurance | 16 | 1,810 |
| Healthcare | 9 | 1,615 |
| Retail | 32 | 1,561 |
| Transportation | 15 | 1,401 |
| Wholesale Trade | 5 | 1,116 |
| Agriculture | 3 | 869 |
| Utilities | 7 | 678 |
| Construction | 4 | 637 |
The Manufacturing sector accounted for the largest share of job cuts with 9,711 workers across 77 notices. At the same time, Information & Technology reported 3,387 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 41 | 4,926 |
| Layoff | 45 | 3,102 |
| Temporary Closure | 1 | 187 |
Closures accounted for 19% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Continental Automotive Systems US | Huntsville, Alabama | 1,281 | Closure |
| Crossmark Home Improvement Services | New Orleans, Louisiana | 1,021 | |
| Taylor, Bean & Whitaker Mortgage | Ocala, Florida | 964 | |
| Whitman Packaging Corporation (affiliate of the Estee Lauder Companies Inc.) | Yaphank, New York | 800 | Closure |
| Farmers Group, Inc. ("Farmers") | Woodland Hills, California | 752 | |
| Nec Electronics America | Roseville, California | 750 | |
| Kindred Rehab Services | Jacksonville, Florida | 573 | |
| Samsung | Austin, Texas | 550 | |
| Lockheed Martin Corporation Information Systems | San Jose, California | 496 | |
| Gerdau Ameristeel | Sand Springs, Oklahoma | 396 |
Leading the list was Continental Automotive Systems US in Huntsville, Alabama, reporting 1,281 affected workers. Crossmark Home Improvement Services followed with 1,021 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
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 August 2009. 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.