US Layoffs — October 2009
The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers filed 259 WARN Act notices in October 2009, impacting roughly 23,102 workers — representing a notable rise over September and down 32% versus October 2008. Filings came from 23 states and territories, with an average of 89 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | 110 | 4,375 |
| New Jersey | 14 | 3,935 |
| Texas | 17 | 2,721 |
| New York | 26 | 2,428 |
| Ohio | 8 | 1,249 |
| Pennsylvania | 5 | 886 |
| Michigan | 9 | 863 |
| Georgia | 7 | 833 |
| Maryland | 3 | 774 |
| Florida | 12 | 692 |
| Kentucky | 10 | 676 |
| Missouri | 7 | 658 |
| Louisiana | 5 | 553 |
| Washington | 5 | 436 |
| Washington DC | 2 | 411 |
| Kansas | 5 | 339 |
| Indiana | 4 | 320 |
| Oklahoma | 2 | 269 |
| Alabama | 2 | 214 |
| Arizona | 2 | 167 |
| Iowa | 2 | 130 |
| Idaho | 1 | 93 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | 80 |
California led the nation with 4,375 workers affected across 110 notices , followed by New Jersey (3,935 workers) and Texas (2,721 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 85 | 6,503 |
| Accommodation & Food | 13 | 3,555 |
| Information & Technology | 25 | 2,190 |
| Healthcare | 11 | 1,801 |
| Retail | 11 | 1,370 |
| Transportation | 9 | 1,090 |
| Professional Services | 20 | 994 |
| Finance & Insurance | 23 | 957 |
| Mining & Energy | 4 | 736 |
| Arts & Entertainment | 5 | 554 |
The Manufacturing sector led the way in workforce reductions with 6,503 workers across 85 notices. In a parallel development, Accommodation & Food reported 3,555 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 48 | 5,406 |
| Layoff | 23 | 2,070 |
Closures accounted for 23% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aramark Sports | E. Rutherford, New Jersey | 1,689 | |
| Upmc | Braddock, Pennsylvania | 654 | Closure |
| Fluor Enterprises | Sugar Land, Texas | 617 | |
| ARAMARK Oriole Park at Camden Yards | Baltimore, Maryland | 609 | Closure |
| Alstom Transportation | Hornell, New York | 502 | Layoff |
| Redcats USA | Universal City, Texas | 490 | |
| Redcats USA | Universal City, Texas | 480 | |
| Tavern on the Green | New York, New York | 405 | Closure |
| Washington Times | Washington, Washington DC | 400 | Layoff |
| Sunoco | Westville, New Jersey | 400 |
The single largest action involved Aramark Sports in E. Rutherford, New Jersey, reporting 1,689 affected workers. Upmc followed with 654 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
The data underscores 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 October 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.