US Layoffs — May 2010
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers posted 186 WARN Act notices in May 2010, affecting an estimated 17,668 workers — reflecting a cooling compared to April and down 63% versus May 2009. Filings came from 23 states and territories, with an average of 95 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | 77 | 3,917 |
| Florida | 11 | 2,909 |
| New York | 25 | 2,810 |
| Texas | 21 | 2,457 |
| Michigan | 4 | 608 |
| Georgia | 5 | 570 |
| New Jersey | 6 | 537 |
| Oklahoma | 1 | 460 |
| Delaware | 1 | 450 |
| Pennsylvania | 4 | 430 |
| Ohio | 5 | 402 |
| Washington DC | 1 | 400 |
| Kentucky | 6 | 340 |
| Maryland | 4 | 310 |
| Louisiana | 3 | 277 |
| Iowa | 2 | 189 |
| Washington | 2 | 145 |
| Alabama | 2 | 129 |
| Utah | 1 | 102 |
| Mississippi | 1 | 73 |
| Indiana | 1 | 68 |
| Missouri | 1 | 57 |
| Kansas | 2 | 28 |
California led the nation with 3,917 workers affected across 77 notices , followed by Florida (2,909 workers) and New York (2,810 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 54 | 3,920 |
| Finance & Insurance | 20 | 2,540 |
| Information & Technology | 29 | 2,308 |
| Transportation | 6 | 1,921 |
| Healthcare | 17 | 1,186 |
| Education | 8 | 638 |
| Arts & Entertainment | 4 | 467 |
| Accommodation & Food | 2 | 435 |
| Mining & Energy | 2 | 369 |
| Retail | 8 | 358 |
The Manufacturing sector saw the heaviest impact with 3,920 workers across 54 notices. On a related front, Finance & Insurance reported 2,540 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 29 | 3,750 |
| Layoff | 20 | 1,589 |
| Temporary Closure | 2 | 53 |
Closures accounted for 22% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spirit Airlines | Fort Lauderdale, Florida | 1,277 | |
| New York Racing Association Inc. (Belmont Park) | Elmont, New York | 1,014 | Closure |
| Sallie Mae | Lynn Haven, Florida | 537 | |
| HSBC Card Services | Tulsa, Oklahoma | 460 | |
| AstraZeneca | Wilmington, Delaware | 450 | |
| Theatredreams La/Chi, Lp (Union & Non-Union Emplo) | Hollywood, California | 447 | |
| VMT Long Term Care Management | Washington, Washington DC | 400 | Closure |
| Pierre (zartic, Llc.) | Rome, Georgia | 350 | |
| Norwood Promotional Products | San Antonio, Texas | 345 | |
| Brooklyn Public Library | Brooklyn, New York | 344 | Layoff |
The largest notice was filed by Spirit Airlines in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, reporting 1,277 affected workers. New York Racing Association Inc. (Belmont Park) followed with 1,014 workers.
Trend & Outlook
The trends suggest 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 May 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.