Michigan Layoffs — August 2009
Employers in Michigan logged 13 WARN Act notices in August 2009, involving roughly 1,219 workers — climbing above July and up 21% versus August 2008. The average filing covered 94 workers, with 10 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 7 | 517 |
| Information & Technology | 3 | 424 |
| Retail | 2 | 182 |
| Government | 1 | 96 |
The Manufacturing sector dominated layoff filings with 517 workers across 7 notices. Meanwhile, Information & Technology reported 424 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Muskegon | 1 | 269 |
| Oakland | 3 | 204 |
| Wayne | 3 | 174 |
| Tuscola | 1 | 163 |
| Ontonagon | 1 | 150 |
Muskegon was the epicenter of layoff activity, accounting for 22% of all affected workers with 269 workers across 1 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Muskegon | 1 | 269 |
| Vassar | 1 | 163 |
| Ontonagon | 1 | 150 |
| Riverview | 2 | 110 |
| Troy | 1 | 102 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 10 | 1,015 |
| Layoff | 3 | 204 |
The high proportion of closures (83% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in Michigan's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yale LiftTech | Muskegon | 269 | Closure | |
| Grede Foundries | Vassar | 163 | Closure | |
| SmurfitStone Container | Ontonagon | 150 | Closure | |
| Kmart | Troy | 102 | Closure | |
| Morley Great Lakes Technology Center | Flint | 100 | Layoff | |
| Ready Set Service | 96 | Layoff | ||
| Kmart | Commerce Township | 80 | Closure | |
| Taminco Higher Amines | Riverview | 80 | Closure | |
| Chrome Craft | Highland Park | 64 | Closure | |
| Nachi Machining Technology | Macomb | 55 | Closure | |
| Syncreon Automotive | Riverview | 30 | Closure | |
| Lear | Rochester Hills | 22 | Closure | |
| NuVu | Menominee | 8 | Layoff |
The biggest impact was at Yale LiftTech at its Muskegon facility, reporting 269 affected workers. Grede Foundries followed with 163 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
This data points to mounting pressure on the Michigan labor market, with activity running above both recent and year-ago benchmarks. 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.