US Layoffs — December 2010
The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers filed 179 WARN Act notices in December 2010, impacting roughly 22,218 workers — representing a notable rise over November and up 22% versus December 2009. Filings came from 24 states and territories, with an average of 124 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | 77 | 7,331 |
| New York | 24 | 2,283 |
| Kentucky | 8 | 2,170 |
| Florida | 9 | 1,575 |
| New Jersey | 4 | 1,423 |
| Ohio | 6 | 1,245 |
| Virginia | 3 | 828 |
| Texas | 5 | 763 |
| Indiana | 1 | 725 |
| Washington DC | 2 | 650 |
| Kansas | 5 | 483 |
| Washington | 2 | 450 |
| Pennsylvania | 8 | 361 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | 306 |
| Georgia | 4 | 277 |
| Alabama | 2 | 272 |
| Arizona | 6 | 240 |
| Maryland | 3 | 214 |
| Oregon | 2 | 163 |
| Mississippi | 3 | 124 |
| Iowa | 1 | 120 |
| Michigan | 1 | 100 |
| Missouri | 1 | 65 |
| Louisiana | 1 | 50 |
California led the nation with 7,331 workers affected across 77 notices , followed by New York (2,283 workers) and Kentucky (2,170 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 64 | 4,344 |
| Accommodation & Food | 13 | 2,824 |
| Healthcare | 16 | 1,892 |
| Government | 4 | 1,702 |
| Transportation | 7 | 1,690 |
| Finance & Insurance | 13 | 1,631 |
| Information & Technology | 13 | 1,340 |
| Retail | 5 | 1,284 |
| Arts & Entertainment | 4 | 1,049 |
| Real Estate | 4 | 632 |
The Manufacturing sector led the way in workforce reductions with 4,344 workers across 64 notices. In a parallel development, Accommodation & Food reported 2,824 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 33 | 4,879 |
| Layoff | 27 | 3,143 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodbridge Logistics | Avenel, New Jersey | 1,114 | |
| New York City Off Track Betting Corporation (Various wagering sites in NYC) | New York, New York | 1,034 | Closure |
| Del Mar Thoroughbred Club | Del Mar, California | 935 | |
| Hmshost | Los Angeles, California | 895 | |
| San Diego Marriott Hotel And Marina | San Diego, California | 802 | |
| AJWright | South Bend, Indiana | 725 | |
| Masco Retail Cabinet Group | Waverly, Ohio | 634 | |
| CSC Applied Technology Group | Lexington, Kentucky | 486 | Layoff |
| [Unknown - KY] | Louisville, Kentucky | 486 | Layoff |
| West Marine Products | Watsonville, California | 420 |
The single largest action involved Woodbridge Logistics in Avenel, New Jersey, reporting 1,114 affected workers. New York City Off Track Betting Corporation (Various wagering sites in NYC) followed with 1,034 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
The data underscores mounting pressure on the the nation labor market, with activity running above both recent and year-ago benchmarks. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in December 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.