Washington Layoffs — October 2009
Employers in Washington recorded 5 WARN Act notices in October 2009, covering approximately 436 workers — marking a sharp increase from September and down 67% versus October 2008. The average filing covered 87 workers, with 3 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 3 | 205 |
| Information & Technology | 1 | 171 |
| Finance & Insurance | 1 | 60 |
The Manufacturing sector accounted for the largest share of job cuts with 205 workers across 3 notices. At the same time, Information & Technology reported 171 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| King | 4 | 265 |
| Pierce | 1 | 171 |
King bore the heaviest burden, accounting for 61% of all affected workers with 265 workers across 4 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Tacoma | 1 | 171 |
| Auburn | 1 | 104 |
| Seattle | 2 | 101 |
| Kirkland | 1 | 60 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 3 | 335 |
| Layoff | 2 | 101 |
The high proportion of closures (77% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in Washington's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expedia | Tacoma | 171 | Closure | |
| Brandrud | Auburn | 104 | Closure | |
| Wells Fargo Mortgage | Kirkland | 60 | Closure | |
| Boeing | Seattle | 53 | Layoff | |
| Boeing | Seattle | 48 | Layoff |
Leading the list was Expedia at its Tacoma facility, reporting 171 affected workers. Brandrud followed with 104 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
The filings reflect a mixed picture for Washington'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 Washington. 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 Washington WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.