US Layoffs — October 2012
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers filed 215 WARN Act notices in October 2012, impacting roughly 17,944 workers — representing a pullback from September and down 7% versus October 2011. Filings came from 26 states and territories, with an average of 83 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | 45 | 3,434 |
| New York | 24 | 3,002 |
| Florida | 14 | 1,368 |
| Texas | 13 | 1,063 |
| Virginia | 10 | 1,036 |
| Ohio | 9 | 787 |
| Kentucky | 12 | 766 |
| Tennessee | 12 | 737 |
| Arizona | 4 | 658 |
| New Jersey | 7 | 569 |
| North Carolina | 7 | 519 |
| Pennsylvania | 5 | 508 |
| Kansas | 4 | 436 |
| Washington | 4 | 402 |
| Michigan | 4 | 370 |
| Maryland | 4 | 364 |
| Georgia | 4 | 244 |
| New Hampshire | 3 | 243 |
| Indiana | 4 | 242 |
| Oklahoma | 2 | 241 |
| Missouri | 5 | 239 |
| Mississippi | 4 | 207 |
| Iowa | 2 | 153 |
| South Carolina | 9 | 133 |
| Idaho | 1 | 114 |
| Oregon | 3 | 109 |
California led the nation with 3,434 workers affected across 45 notices , followed by New York (3,002 workers) and Florida (1,368 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 70 | 5,525 |
| Information & Technology | 22 | 2,260 |
| Retail | 30 | 1,793 |
| Professional Services | 15 | 1,433 |
| Transportation | 16 | 1,045 |
| Accommodation & Food | 6 | 941 |
| Arts & Entertainment | 3 | 491 |
| Healthcare | 11 | 477 |
| Finance & Insurance | 4 | 281 |
| Mining & Energy | 2 | 212 |
The Manufacturing sector led the way in workforce reductions with 5,525 workers across 70 notices. In a parallel development, Information & Technology reported 2,260 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 57 | 5,080 |
| Layoff | 40 | 2,808 |
| Temporary Closure | 3 | 137 |
Closures accounted for 29% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schweizer Aircraft Corp. (d/b/a Sikorsky Military Completions Center) | Horseheads, New York | 573 | Closure |
| Lovin Oven | Azusa, California | 571 | |
| Cubic Applications | El Paso, Texas | 496 | |
| HMX Group | Rochester, New York | 431 | Closure |
| HMSHost | Phoenix, Arizona | 409 | |
| United Space Alliance | Titusville, Florida | 304 | |
| Knight Facilities Management | Warren, Michigan | 277 | Closure |
| Hallmark | Topeka, Kansas | 238 | |
| ARAMARK Sports and Entertainment Services | Luray, Virginia | 228 | Closure |
| Semiahmoo Resort | Blaine, Washington | 224 | Closure |
The single largest action involved Schweizer Aircraft Corp. (d/b/a Sikorsky Military Completions Center) in Horseheads, New York, reporting 573 affected workers. Lovin Oven followed with 571 workers.
Trend & Outlook
The data underscores 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 October 2012. 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.