US Layoffs — February 2016
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers reported 286 WARN Act notices in February 2016, displacing an estimated 30,366 workers — signaling a deceleration from January and up 11% versus February 2015. Filings came from 38 states and territories, with an average of 106 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | 85 | 7,561 |
| Texas | 26 | 3,169 |
| North Carolina | 10 | 1,753 |
| New York | 18 | 1,703 |
| Florida | 13 | 1,450 |
| Oklahoma | 7 | 1,134 |
| Kentucky | 5 | 1,093 |
| Mississippi | 6 | 1,058 |
| Virginia | 3 | 1,055 |
| Pennsylvania | 11 | 1,055 |
| Georgia | 11 | 987 |
| Tennessee | 6 | 882 |
| Ohio | 11 | 865 |
| Indiana | 4 | 820 |
| Colorado | 9 | 797 |
| Washington | 4 | 646 |
| Missouri | 7 | 566 |
| Michigan | 5 | 501 |
| Oregon | 4 | 401 |
| Iowa | 4 | 309 |
| Alabama | 1 | 300 |
| Wisconsin | 3 | 267 |
| New Jersey | 5 | 264 |
| Connecticut | 3 | 246 |
| West Virginia | 3 | 222 |
| Kansas | 5 | 217 |
| Rhode Island | 2 | 191 |
| Delaware | 2 | 166 |
| Arizona | 1 | 162 |
| Maryland | 2 | 138 |
| South Carolina | 1 | 105 |
| North Dakota | 1 | 73 |
| Louisiana | 1 | 50 |
| New Mexico | 2 | 44 |
| Nebraska | 2 | 39 |
| Utah | 1 | 34 |
| Maine | 1 | 31 |
| Vermont | 1 | 12 |
California led the nation with 7,561 workers affected across 85 notices , followed by Texas (3,169 workers) and North Carolina (1,753 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 82 | 10,549 |
| Information & Technology | 26 | 2,403 |
| Accommodation & Food | 12 | 1,934 |
| Mining & Energy | 22 | 1,934 |
| Utilities | 9 | 1,607 |
| Professional Services | 12 | 1,593 |
| Healthcare | 21 | 1,506 |
| Finance & Insurance | 22 | 1,440 |
| Retail | 15 | 1,396 |
| Transportation | 11 | 1,258 |
The Manufacturing sector topped the list of affected industries with 10,549 workers across 82 notices. Notably, Information & Technology reported 2,403 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 77 | 9,823 |
| Layoff | 88 | 8,510 |
Closures accounted for 32% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freedom Communications | Santa Ana, California | 969 | Layoff |
| Sherwin Alumina | Gregory, Texas | 924 | |
| Jewish Home Lifecare (Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Campus) | Bronx, New York | 889 | Closure |
| Devon Energy | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | 700 | |
| Daimler Trucks North America | Mt. Holly, North Carolina | 695 | Layoff |
| Broadcom and Avago | Irvine, California | 689 | Layoff |
| Alcoa Warrick Operations | Newburgh, Indiana | 600 | |
| Concentrix | Bremerton, Washington | 520 | Closure |
| Volvo Group Trucks Operations | Dublin, Virginia | 519 | Closure |
| Daimler Trucks North America | Cleveland, North Carolina | 507 | Layoff |
The most significant filing came from Freedom Communications in Santa Ana, California, reporting 969 affected workers. Sherwin Alumina followed with 924 workers.
Trend & Outlook
The numbers illustrate a mixed picture for the nation's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in February 2016. 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.