US Layoffs — August 2010
The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers reported 198 WARN Act notices in August 2010, displacing an estimated 23,208 workers — signaling an acceleration from July and down 13% versus August 2009. Filings came from 24 states and territories, with an average of 117 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | 2 | 4,798 |
| California | 62 | 3,103 |
| New York | 22 | 2,522 |
| Mississippi | 13 | 1,704 |
| New Jersey | 15 | 1,631 |
| Ohio | 8 | 1,385 |
| Texas | 18 | 1,187 |
| Maryland | 4 | 914 |
| Alabama | 4 | 846 |
| Pennsylvania | 9 | 836 |
| Arizona | 4 | 818 |
| Indiana | 3 | 613 |
| Florida | 12 | 587 |
| Virginia | 4 | 566 |
| Michigan | 4 | 564 |
| Oklahoma | 2 | 344 |
| Georgia | 2 | 203 |
| Washington | 2 | 121 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | 113 |
| Kentucky | 2 | 108 |
| Iowa | 1 | 103 |
| Missouri | 1 | 79 |
| Kansas | 2 | 32 |
| Utah | 1 | 31 |
Louisiana led the nation with 4,798 workers affected across 2 notices , followed by California (3,103 workers) and New York (2,522 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 58 | 9,707 |
| Information & Technology | 28 | 2,176 |
| Retail | 23 | 1,961 |
| Professional Services | 17 | 1,335 |
| Agriculture | 4 | 882 |
| Education | 4 | 799 |
| Accommodation & Food | 4 | 719 |
| Healthcare | 15 | 692 |
| Transportation | 5 | 468 |
| Utilities | 2 | 437 |
The Manufacturing sector topped the list of affected industries with 9,707 workers across 58 notices. Notably, Information & Technology reported 2,176 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 38 | 5,293 |
| Layoff | 28 | 3,070 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northrop Grumman | Avondale, Louisiana | 4,703 | |
| Dole Fresh Vegetables | Yuma, Arizona | 652 | |
| Iap World Services | Livermore, California | 622 | |
| Aramark @ Oriole Park at Camden Yards | Baltimore, Maryland | 613 | Closure |
| Columbia University Affiliation at Harlem Hospital Center | New York, New York | 593 | Closure |
| Metropolitan Jewish Geriatric Center or MJGC | Brooklyn, New York | 506 | Closure |
| Eli Lilly and | Indianapolis, Indiana | 500 | |
| Northrop Grumman | Pascagoula, Mississippi | 500 | Layoff |
| Quad Graphics | Corinth, Mississippi | 400 | Closure |
| Quad/Graphics | Lebanon, Ohio | 396 |
The most significant filing came from Northrop Grumman in Avondale, Louisiana, reporting 4,703 affected workers. Dole Fresh Vegetables followed with 652 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This marks the third consecutive month of rising layoff activity.
The numbers illustrate 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 August 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.