US Layoffs — December 2009
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers reported 210 WARN Act notices in December 2009, displacing an estimated 18,164 workers — signaling a deceleration from November and down 46% versus December 2008. Filings came from 22 states and territories, with an average of 86 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | 85 | 3,897 |
| New York | 31 | 2,780 |
| Ohio | 12 | 1,605 |
| Texas | 15 | 1,600 |
| New Jersey | 5 | 1,105 |
| Missouri | 4 | 1,023 |
| Michigan | 6 | 950 |
| Indiana | 6 | 824 |
| Maryland | 5 | 702 |
| Louisiana | 5 | 686 |
| Pennsylvania | 7 | 474 |
| Georgia | 5 | 439 |
| Alabama | 3 | 425 |
| Kentucky | 4 | 364 |
| Kansas | 3 | 252 |
| Iowa | 3 | 246 |
| New Hampshire | 2 | 206 |
| Florida | 3 | 183 |
| Washington | 3 | 136 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | 103 |
| Washington DC | 1 | 91 |
| South Dakota | 1 | 73 |
California led the nation with 3,897 workers affected across 85 notices , followed by New York (2,780 workers) and Ohio (1,605 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 62 | 6,143 |
| Information & Technology | 31 | 2,770 |
| Finance & Insurance | 24 | 2,592 |
| Transportation | 13 | 924 |
| Professional Services | 20 | 908 |
| Retail | 8 | 821 |
| Healthcare | 6 | 491 |
| Accommodation & Food | 7 | 471 |
| Construction | 2 | 270 |
| Government | 3 | 173 |
The Manufacturing sector topped the list of affected industries with 6,143 workers across 62 notices. Notably, Information & Technology reported 2,770 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 41 | 4,331 |
| Layoff | 26 | 2,618 |
| Temporary Layoff | 1 | 452 |
Closures accounted for 24% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uss-Posco Industries | Pittsburg, California | 827 | |
| US Fidelis | Wentzville, Missouri | 663 | Layoff |
| Lockheed Martin | Cleveland, Ohio | 600 | |
| Ideal Mortgage Bankers d/b/a/ Lend America | Melville, New York | 524 | Closure |
| Merck & | Kenilworth, New Jersey | 500 | |
| Cummins | Lakewood, New York | 452 | Temporary Layoff |
| The Niagara SDC operated by TeleTech Holdings | Niagara Falls, New York | 417 | Closure |
| Pfizer | Monmouth Junction, New Jersey | 400 | |
| Design Ware | Kalamazoo, Michigan | 400 | Closure |
| West Marine Products | Watsonville, California | 325 |
The most significant filing came from Uss-Posco Industries in Pittsburg, California, reporting 827 affected workers. US Fidelis followed with 663 workers.
Trend & Outlook
The numbers illustrate a easing in workforce disruptions across the nation, with filings falling below both recent and year-ago levels. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in December 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.