US Layoffs — September 2014
The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers submitted 203 WARN Act notices in September 2014, putting at risk an estimated 21,440 workers — up substantially from August and down 18% versus September 2013. Filings came from 30 states and territories, with an average of 106 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | 56 | 4,643 |
| New Jersey | 8 | 3,877 |
| New York | 25 | 1,782 |
| Texas | 14 | 1,701 |
| Pennsylvania | 13 | 1,456 |
| Georgia | 13 | 1,401 |
| Washington | 8 | 1,287 |
| Florida | 7 | 772 |
| Michigan | 7 | 632 |
| Kentucky | 4 | 548 |
| Louisiana | 5 | 506 |
| Ohio | 5 | 485 |
| Missouri | 4 | 436 |
| Maryland | 4 | 367 |
| Indiana | 2 | 270 |
| Virginia | 4 | 266 |
| Tennessee | 6 | 235 |
| Utah | 2 | 150 |
| Mississippi | 4 | 132 |
| Illinois | 1 | 115 |
| Arizona | 1 | 105 |
| Oklahoma | 1 | 82 |
| Alabama | 1 | 75 |
| South Carolina | 1 | 67 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | 26 |
| North Carolina | 1 | 11 |
| Iowa | 2 | 6 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | 5 |
| Connecticut | 1 | 1 |
| Kansas | 1 | 1 |
California led the nation with 4,643 workers affected across 56 notices , followed by New Jersey (3,877 workers) and New York (1,782 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Information & Technology | 36 | 4,301 |
| Manufacturing | 46 | 3,860 |
| Arts & Entertainment | 2 | 3,109 |
| Retail | 23 | 2,058 |
| Healthcare | 19 | 1,875 |
| Finance & Insurance | 14 | 725 |
| Transportation | 7 | 722 |
| Professional Services | 3 | 625 |
| Accommodation & Food | 7 | 511 |
| Education | 3 | 314 |
The Information & Technology sector emerged as the hardest-hit sector with 4,301 workers across 36 notices. Separately, Manufacturing reported 3,860 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Layoff | 59 | 5,259 |
| Closure | 67 | 5,174 |
Closures accounted for 24% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trump Taj Mahal Associates | Atlantic City, New Jersey | 3,101 | |
| Turner Broadcasting | Atlanta, Georgia | 764 | |
| Microsoft | Redmond, Washington | 747 | Layoff |
| USS-POSCO Industries | Pittsburg, California | 643 | Layoff |
| Forest Laboratories | Commack, New York | 446 | Layoff |
| The Baptist Home of Philadelphia Deer Meadows Retirement Community | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 372 | |
| G4S Secure Solutions | Hancocks Bridge, New Jersey | 369 | |
| Edward White Hospital | St. Petersburg, Florida | 354 | |
| US Investigation Services | Grove City, Pennsylvania | 325 | |
| Menzies Aviation | Houston, Texas | 324 |
Topping the list was Trump Taj Mahal Associates in Atlantic City, New Jersey, reporting 3,101 affected workers. Turner Broadcasting followed with 764 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
These figures highlight a mixed picture for the nation's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Information & Technology sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in September 2014. 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.