US Layoffs — October 2010
The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers recorded 220 WARN Act notices in October 2010, covering approximately 22,308 workers — marking a sharp increase from September and down 3% versus October 2009. Filings came from 24 states and territories, with an average of 101 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 24 | 4,622 |
| California | 75 | 3,646 |
| New Jersey | 11 | 2,935 |
| Kansas | 10 | 1,824 |
| Pennsylvania | 10 | 1,797 |
| Texas | 33 | 1,449 |
| Florida | 6 | 839 |
| Indiana | 5 | 676 |
| Georgia | 5 | 624 |
| Iowa | 3 | 550 |
| Ohio | 3 | 549 |
| Louisiana | 4 | 467 |
| Mississippi | 4 | 348 |
| Michigan | 2 | 327 |
| Maryland | 4 | 270 |
| Utah | 2 | 253 |
| Oregon | 3 | 207 |
| Washington | 2 | 183 |
| Virginia | 4 | 182 |
| Arizona | 1 | 133 |
| Alabama | 3 | 126 |
| Missouri | 2 | 121 |
| Rhode Island | 2 | 115 |
| Oklahoma | 2 | 65 |
New York led the nation with 4,622 workers affected across 24 notices , followed by California (3,646 workers) and New Jersey (2,935 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 65 | 5,584 |
| Accommodation & Food | 5 | 2,885 |
| Healthcare | 29 | 1,699 |
| Professional Services | 16 | 1,549 |
| Information & Technology | 16 | 1,347 |
| Transportation | 7 | 999 |
| Retail | 10 | 987 |
| Finance & Insurance | 23 | 927 |
| Agriculture | 6 | 817 |
| Utilities | 6 | 681 |
The Manufacturing sector accounted for the largest share of job cuts with 5,584 workers across 65 notices. At the same time, Accommodation & Food reported 2,885 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 36 | 7,166 |
| Layoff | 27 | 1,906 |
Closures accounted for 32% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Services Systems | Astoria, New York | 2,065 | Closure |
| Resorts International Hotel | Atlantic City, New Jersey | 2,022 | |
| Express Scripts | Bensalem, Pennsylvania | 992 | Closure |
| Cessna | Wichita, Kansas | 700 | |
| Atlantic Paratrans of NYC | Maspeth, New York | 610 | Closure |
| Ocwen Loan Servicing | North Highlands, California | 452 | |
| Avon Products | Springdale, Ohio | 407 | |
| Rite Aid Distribution Center | Rome, New York | 355 | Closure |
| Hawker Beechcraft | Wichita, Kansas | 350 | |
| Hilton Reservation Worldwide | Hemet, California | 295 |
Leading the list was Home Services Systems in Astoria, New York, reporting 2,065 affected workers. Resorts International Hotel followed with 2,022 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
The filings reflect 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 October 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.