US Layoffs — March 2010
The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers logged 227 WARN Act notices in March 2010, involving roughly 21,371 workers — climbing above February and down 59% versus March 2009. Filings came from 22 states and territories, with an average of 94 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | 92 | 4,625 |
| New York | 31 | 2,862 |
| Kentucky | 6 | 2,092 |
| Texas | 22 | 2,005 |
| Ohio | 14 | 1,798 |
| Pennsylvania | 8 | 1,260 |
| Florida | 7 | 1,118 |
| Kansas | 5 | 1,014 |
| Maryland | 6 | 862 |
| New Jersey | 9 | 723 |
| Washington | 4 | 543 |
| Oregon | 1 | 450 |
| Indiana | 3 | 405 |
| Georgia | 5 | 388 |
| Oklahoma | 1 | 335 |
| Missouri | 3 | 233 |
| Alabama | 3 | 208 |
| Iowa | 2 | 152 |
| Alaska | 1 | 109 |
| South Dakota | 2 | 84 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | 66 |
| Louisiana | 1 | 39 |
California led the nation with 4,625 workers affected across 92 notices , followed by New York (2,862 workers) and Kentucky (2,092 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 85 | 6,229 |
| Transportation | 15 | 2,753 |
| Retail | 21 | 2,073 |
| Healthcare | 12 | 1,918 |
| Information & Technology | 17 | 1,181 |
| Education | 2 | 1,145 |
| Finance & Insurance | 8 | 954 |
| Professional Services | 18 | 708 |
| Wholesale Trade | 2 | 492 |
| Accommodation & Food | 4 | 393 |
The Manufacturing sector dominated layoff filings with 6,229 workers across 85 notices. Meanwhile, Transportation reported 2,753 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 39 | 5,626 |
| Layoff | 26 | 3,102 |
Closures accounted for 26% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regional Elite Airline Services | Cincinnati, Kentucky | 839 | Closure |
| [Unknown - KY] | Hebron, Kentucky | 839 | Closure |
| Durham School Services | Wichita, Kansas | 818 | |
| Spring Branch Medical Center | Houston, Texas | 720 | |
| MTA New York City Transit (TA) (and subsidiary, the Manhattan & Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority) | New York, New York | 600 | Layoff |
| Jackson Health System | Miami, Florida | 548 | |
| Silver Eagle | Portland, Oregon | 450 | Closure |
| Owens Illinois | Clarion, Pennsylvania | 402 | Closure |
| Karyleion | Huntington Park, California | 348 | |
| Hugo Boss Cleveland | Brooklyn, Ohio | 338 |
The biggest impact was at Regional Elite Airline Services in Cincinnati, Kentucky, reporting 839 affected workers. [Unknown - KY] followed with 839 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
This data points to 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 March 2010. 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.