US Layoffs — August 2016
The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers reported 230 WARN Act notices in August 2016, displacing an estimated 25,482 workers — signaling an acceleration from July and down 47% versus August 2015. Filings came from 38 states and territories, with an average of 111 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | 52 | 6,679 |
| New Jersey | 10 | 3,781 |
| Texas | 15 | 1,574 |
| New York | 20 | 1,422 |
| Indiana | 9 | 798 |
| North Carolina | 6 | 746 |
| Wisconsin | 3 | 717 |
| Pennsylvania | 7 | 712 |
| Ohio | 8 | 670 |
| Oregon | 3 | 661 |
| Connecticut | 4 | 645 |
| Iowa | 13 | 625 |
| Illinois | 6 | 541 |
| Colorado | 5 | 523 |
| Tennessee | 5 | 473 |
| Alabama | 2 | 406 |
| Louisiana | 3 | 402 |
| Florida | 7 | 392 |
| New Mexico | 2 | 388 |
| Kansas | 8 | 380 |
| Maryland | 3 | 350 |
| Arizona | 5 | 344 |
| Virginia | 3 | 342 |
| Kentucky | 2 | 277 |
| Georgia | 3 | 200 |
| Missouri | 3 | 194 |
| Washington | 2 | 180 |
| South Carolina | 2 | 178 |
| Idaho | 1 | 172 |
| Oklahoma | 4 | 127 |
| West Virginia | 1 | 125 |
| Michigan | 1 | 106 |
| Mississippi | 4 | 89 |
| Utah | 1 | 85 |
| Washington DC | 1 | 67 |
| Vermont | 2 | 54 |
| Nebraska | 3 | 47 |
| Maine | 1 | 10 |
California led the nation with 6,679 workers affected across 52 notices , followed by New Jersey (3,781 workers) and Texas (1,574 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 86 | 9,062 |
| Arts & Entertainment | 1 | 2,848 |
| Information & Technology | 16 | 2,573 |
| Healthcare | 22 | 2,190 |
| Transportation | 9 | 1,128 |
| Retail | 16 | 1,084 |
| Mining & Energy | 9 | 651 |
| Finance & Insurance | 10 | 611 |
| Accommodation & Food | 8 | 547 |
| Professional Services | 7 | 499 |
The Manufacturing sector topped the list of affected industries with 9,062 workers across 86 notices. Notably, Arts & Entertainment reported 2,848 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 56 | 7,267 |
| Layoff | 65 | 6,191 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trump Taj Mahal Assoc | Atlantic City, New Jersey | 2,848 | |
| Ashley Furniture Industries | Colton, California | 900 | Closure |
| Cisco Systems | San Jose, California | 899 | Layoff |
| JBS USA Food | Santa Fe Springs, California | 647 | Closure |
| Manitowoc Cranes | Manitowoc, Wisconsin | 528 | Closure |
| CSC Holdings | Shelton, Connecticut | 482 | Closure |
| Dyncorp International- Sheppard Flight Support System | Sheppard AFB, Texas | 479 | |
| Ericsson | San Jose, California | 435 | Closure |
| Sykes - Eugene | Eugene, Oregon | 418 | Closure |
| Lockheed Martin | Albuquerque, New Mexico | 327 |
The most significant filing came from Trump Taj Mahal Assoc in Atlantic City, New Jersey, reporting 2,848 affected workers. Ashley Furniture Industries followed with 900 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
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 August 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.