Michigan Layoffs — March 2012
Employers in Michigan recorded 4 WARN Act notices in March 2012, covering approximately 598 workers — marking a sharp increase from February and up 312% versus March 2011. The average filing covered 150 workers, with 4 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Information & Technology | 1 | 499 |
| Professional Services | 1 | 75 |
| Retail | 2 | 24 |
The Information & Technology sector accounted for the largest share of job cuts with 499 workers across 1 notice. At the same time, Professional Services reported 75 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Oakland | 1 | 499 |
| Wayne | 1 | 75 |
| Ontonagon | 1 | 14 |
| Kent | 1 | 10 |
Oakland was the epicenter of layoff activity, accounting for 83% of all affected workers with 499 workers across 1 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Southfield | 1 | 499 |
| Detroit | 1 | 75 |
| Ontonagon | 1 | 14 |
| Sparta | 1 | 10 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 4 | 598 |
The high proportion of closures (100% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in Michigan's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon Wireless | Southfield | 499 | Closure | |
| Starcom | Detroit | 75 | Closure | |
| Pamida | Ontonagon | 14 | Closure | |
| Pamida | Sparta | 10 | Closure |
Leading the list was Verizon Wireless at its Southfield facility, reporting 499 affected workers. Starcom followed with 75 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
The filings reflect mounting pressure on the Michigan labor market, with activity running above both recent and year-ago benchmarks. The Information & Technology sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This analysis is based on official WARN Act filings reported by Michigan. The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act requires employers with 100+ employees to provide 60-day advance notice of mass layoffs and plant closings. Data is updated daily by WARN Firehose. View all Michigan WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.