Washington Layoffs — September 2015
Employers in Washington submitted 2 WARN Act notices in September 2015, putting at risk an estimated 1,201 workers — up substantially from August and down 7% versus September 2014. The average filing covered 600 workers, with 1 closure among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Retail | 1 | 1,073 |
| Professional Services | 1 | 128 |
The Retail sector emerged as the hardest-hit sector with 1,073 workers across 1 notice. Separately, Professional Services reported 128 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Pierce | 1 | 1,073 |
| Whatcom | 1 | 128 |
Pierce absorbed the greatest share of layoffs, accounting for 89% of all affected workers with 1,073 workers across 1 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Puyallup | 1 | 1,073 |
| Bellingham | 1 | 128 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 1 | 1,073 |
| Layoff | 1 | 128 |
The high proportion of closures (89% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in Washington's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haggen Food & Pharmacy | Puyallup | 1,073 | Closure | |
| Ch2M | Bellingham | 128 | Layoff |
Topping the list was Haggen Food & Pharmacy at its Puyallup facility, reporting 1,073 affected workers. Ch2M followed with 128 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This marks the third consecutive month of rising layoff activity.
These figures highlight a mixed picture for Washington's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Retail sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This analysis is based on official WARN Act filings reported by Washington. 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 Washington WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.