US Layoffs — October 2016
The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers recorded 215 WARN Act notices in October 2016, covering approximately 23,435 workers — marking a sharp increase from September and down 28% versus October 2015. Filings came from 35 states and territories, with an average of 109 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | 56 | 5,419 |
| Tennessee | 4 | 2,013 |
| Texas | 18 | 1,983 |
| Illinois | 14 | 1,812 |
| New York | 14 | 1,402 |
| North Carolina | 9 | 1,318 |
| Ohio | 7 | 1,154 |
| Indiana | 5 | 904 |
| Wisconsin | 6 | 899 |
| Washington | 10 | 847 |
| Georgia | 7 | 599 |
| Iowa | 4 | 568 |
| Louisiana | 2 | 436 |
| Arizona | 2 | 375 |
| Oklahoma | 4 | 370 |
| North Dakota | 1 | 345 |
| Florida | 5 | 327 |
| Idaho | 2 | 285 |
| Nebraska | 10 | 265 |
| Pennsylvania | 2 | 259 |
| West Virginia | 5 | 245 |
| New Jersey | 3 | 242 |
| Oregon | 2 | 218 |
| Connecticut | 2 | 203 |
| South Carolina | 2 | 192 |
| Missouri | 3 | 180 |
| Maryland | 2 | 130 |
| Virginia | 2 | 117 |
| Michigan | 1 | 98 |
| Kansas | 2 | 74 |
| Colorado | 1 | 52 |
| New Hampshire | 3 | 41 |
| Mississippi | 2 | 39 |
| Vermont | 2 | 15 |
| Maine | 1 | 9 |
California led the nation with 5,419 workers affected across 56 notices , followed by Tennessee (2,013 workers) and Texas (1,983 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 70 | 9,426 |
| Transportation | 10 | 1,868 |
| Information & Technology | 19 | 1,683 |
| Professional Services | 13 | 1,529 |
| Healthcare | 25 | 1,515 |
| Retail | 14 | 1,500 |
| Finance & Insurance | 15 | 974 |
| Admin & Support Services | 2 | 907 |
| Mining & Energy | 8 | 773 |
| Accommodation & Food | 7 | 647 |
The Manufacturing sector accounted for the largest share of job cuts with 9,426 workers across 70 notices. At the same time, Transportation reported 1,868 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 63 | 7,890 |
| Layoff | 53 | 4,429 |
Closures accounted for 34% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goodman Manufacturing | Fayetteville, Tennessee | 1,800 | Closure |
| National Steel and Shipbuilding | San Diego, California | 844 | Layoff |
| Verizon Wireless (Call Center) | Rochester, New York | 648 | Closure |
| TreeHouse Private Brands | Azusa, California | 647 | Closure |
| Concentrix | Austin, Texas | 569 | |
| Syncreon | Belvidere, Illinois | 551 | |
| Manitowoc Cranes | Manitowoc, Wisconsin | 528 | |
| Ohio Valley Coal Company Powhatan No. 6 Mine | St. Clairsville, Ohio | 492 | |
| International Automotive Components, IAC | Iowa City, Iowa | 460 | Layoff |
| Paoli | Orleans, Indiana | 425 |
Leading the list was Goodman Manufacturing in Fayetteville, Tennessee, reporting 1,800 affected workers. National Steel and Shipbuilding followed with 844 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
The filings reflect 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 October 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.