US Layoffs — December 2011
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers recorded 218 WARN Act notices in December 2011, covering approximately 19,290 workers — marking a decline from November and down 13% versus December 2010. Filings came from 25 states and territories, with an average of 88 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | 94 | 6,382 |
| New York | 34 | 3,136 |
| Pennsylvania | 17 | 1,635 |
| Mississippi | 8 | 1,426 |
| Georgia | 6 | 1,252 |
| Texas | 14 | 1,248 |
| Washington | 1 | 607 |
| Kansas | 6 | 402 |
| Alabama | 2 | 345 |
| Ohio | 3 | 325 |
| Florida | 6 | 308 |
| Kentucky | 2 | 296 |
| Arizona | 2 | 290 |
| Virginia | 5 | 289 |
| New Jersey | 3 | 286 |
| Utah | 1 | 185 |
| Delaware | 1 | 150 |
| Oklahoma | 1 | 130 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | 110 |
| Louisiana | 2 | 105 |
| Maryland | 3 | 95 |
| Indiana | 2 | 92 |
| Oregon | 1 | 85 |
| Missouri | 1 | 58 |
| Iowa | 2 | 53 |
California led the nation with 6,382 workers affected across 94 notices , followed by New York (3,136 workers) and Pennsylvania (1,635 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 67 | 5,615 |
| Healthcare | 26 | 2,167 |
| Retail | 12 | 1,529 |
| Professional Services | 23 | 1,496 |
| Transportation | 14 | 1,434 |
| Information & Technology | 10 | 1,215 |
| Finance & Insurance | 13 | 1,014 |
| Accommodation & Food | 9 | 887 |
| Construction | 3 | 758 |
| Agriculture | 13 | 746 |
The Manufacturing sector accounted for the largest share of job cuts with 5,615 workers across 67 notices. At the same time, Healthcare reported 2,167 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 38 | 3,752 |
| Layoff | 23 | 2,784 |
Closures accounted for 19% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Georgia Regional Hospital | Rome, Georgia | 750 | |
| Snokist Growers | Yakima, Washington | 607 | Closure |
| Morgan Stanley (Various NYC sites) | New York, New York | 580 | Layoff |
| Health Plus Prepaid Health Services Plan | Brooklyn, New York | 510 | Closure |
| Capital Drywall | Upland, California | 506 | |
| Huntington Ingalls | Pascagoula, Mississippi | 500 | Layoff |
| Northrop Grumman | Redondo Beach, California | 500 | |
| Iap Worldwide Services | Fort Irwin, California | 438 | |
| West Marine Products | Watsonville, California | 356 | |
| Sunoco Marcus Hook Refinery | Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania | 348 |
Leading the list was Northwest Georgia Regional Hospital in Rome, Georgia, reporting 750 affected workers. Snokist Growers followed with 607 workers.
Trend & Outlook
The filings reflect 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 December 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.