US Layoffs — April 2011
The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers reported 213 WARN Act notices in April 2011, displacing an estimated 21,032 workers — signaling an acceleration from March and down 17% versus April 2010. Filings came from 23 states and territories, with an average of 99 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | 64 | 4,458 |
| New York | 27 | 2,826 |
| Texas | 20 | 2,819 |
| Pennsylvania | 20 | 2,614 |
| Kentucky | 12 | 1,578 |
| New Jersey | 5 | 1,186 |
| Georgia | 8 | 908 |
| Ohio | 6 | 668 |
| Idaho | 1 | 522 |
| Florida | 7 | 460 |
| Mississippi | 8 | 418 |
| Washington | 4 | 384 |
| Missouri | 3 | 383 |
| Kansas | 5 | 375 |
| Maryland | 4 | 287 |
| Virginia | 5 | 268 |
| Iowa | 4 | 228 |
| Alabama | 3 | 222 |
| Oklahoma | 1 | 130 |
| Arizona | 1 | 112 |
| Rhode Island | 2 | 103 |
| Indiana | 1 | 76 |
| Louisiana | 2 | 7 |
California led the nation with 4,458 workers affected across 64 notices , followed by New York (2,826 workers) and Texas (2,819 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 60 | 4,863 |
| Information & Technology | 23 | 2,511 |
| Healthcare | 12 | 1,641 |
| Transportation | 16 | 1,627 |
| Finance & Insurance | 18 | 1,594 |
| Agriculture | 6 | 1,378 |
| Professional Services | 14 | 1,279 |
| Accommodation & Food | 9 | 1,128 |
| Arts & Entertainment | 3 | 988 |
| Education | 8 | 616 |
The Manufacturing sector topped the list of affected industries with 4,863 workers across 60 notices. Notably, Information & Technology reported 2,511 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 37 | 4,192 |
| Layoff | 34 | 2,504 |
Closures accounted for 20% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community General Hospital | Syracuse, New York | 1,018 | Closure |
| New Jersey Sports and Entertainment Authority | Oceanport, New Jersey | 900 | |
| Sun World International | Bakersfield, California | 644 | |
| XL Four Star Beef | Nampa, Idaho | 522 | |
| Quad Graphics | Depew, New York | 412 | Closure |
| Ram Tech Letterkenny Army Depot | Chambersburg, Pennsylvania | 350 | |
| First Transit Company - Houston | Houston, Texas | 350 | |
| Tiburon Associates | Chambersburg, Pennsylvania | 336 | |
| LATA Evironmental Services of Kentucky | Louisville, Kentucky | 325 | Layoff |
| [Unknown - KY] | Kevil, Kentucky | 325 | Layoff |
The most significant filing came from Community General Hospital in Syracuse, New York, reporting 1,018 affected workers. New Jersey Sports and Entertainment Authority followed with 900 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
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 April 2011. 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.