US Layoffs — September 2016
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers logged 229 WARN Act notices in September 2016, involving roughly 17,060 workers — falling below August and down 35% versus September 2015. Filings came from 34 states and territories, with an average of 74 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | 61 | 4,115 |
| New Jersey | 9 | 1,335 |
| New York | 22 | 1,016 |
| Texas | 15 | 991 |
| Illinois | 15 | 941 |
| Pennsylvania | 8 | 810 |
| Florida | 7 | 700 |
| Virginia | 3 | 658 |
| Wisconsin | 4 | 650 |
| Tennessee | 8 | 518 |
| Indiana | 4 | 508 |
| Ohio | 8 | 504 |
| Kentucky | 4 | 462 |
| New Mexico | 2 | 461 |
| Iowa | 7 | 346 |
| Maryland | 5 | 333 |
| Nebraska | 8 | 309 |
| Kansas | 3 | 278 |
| Georgia | 4 | 256 |
| Utah | 1 | 230 |
| North Carolina | 3 | 208 |
| Missouri | 5 | 199 |
| Mississippi | 4 | 189 |
| Colorado | 1 | 187 |
| South Carolina | 3 | 135 |
| Washington | 2 | 127 |
| Oklahoma | 3 | 126 |
| Vermont | 2 | 115 |
| Louisiana | 3 | 87 |
| Washington DC | 1 | 85 |
| Michigan | 1 | 79 |
| Arizona | 1 | 68 |
| Connecticut | 1 | 24 |
| North Dakota | 1 | 10 |
California led the nation with 4,115 workers affected across 61 notices , followed by New Jersey (1,335 workers) and New York (1,016 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 62 | 4,557 |
| Information & Technology | 31 | 2,383 |
| Retail | 20 | 2,366 |
| Transportation | 15 | 1,694 |
| Healthcare | 18 | 1,147 |
| Professional Services | 12 | 1,115 |
| Accommodation & Food | 8 | 844 |
| Mining & Energy | 6 | 477 |
| Finance & Insurance | 9 | 309 |
| Utilities | 12 | 270 |
The Manufacturing sector dominated layoff filings with 4,557 workers across 62 notices. Meanwhile, Information & Technology reported 2,383 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 62 | 4,750 |
| Layoff | 65 | 3,551 |
Closures accounted for 28% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Giant Food Stores (Martin's) | Richmond, Virginia | 438 | Closure |
| Gannett Satellite Information Network | Woodland Park, New Jersey | 426 | |
| Kenco Logistic Services | Robbinsville, New Jersey | 415 | |
| Walmart | Espanola, New Mexico | 353 | |
| Brillion Iron Works | Brillion, Wisconsin | 340 | Closure |
| Hotel Nikko San Francisco | San Francisco, California | 336 | Closure |
| Sodexo, Inc. Drexel | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 266 | |
| Texas Westmoreland Coal Co.- Jewett Mine | Jewett, Texas | 250 | |
| Balboa Water Group | Valencia, California | 245 | Closure |
| Convergys | South Ogden, Utah | 230 |
The biggest impact was at Giant Food Stores (Martin's) in Richmond, Virginia, reporting 438 affected workers. Gannett Satellite Information Network followed with 426 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This data points to 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 September 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.