Michigan Layoffs — February 2017
Employers in Michigan filed 7 WARN Act notices in February 2017, impacting roughly 1,254 workers — representing a notable rise over January and up 150% versus February 2016. The average filing covered 179 workers, with 5 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 3 | 559 |
| Retail | 2 | 420 |
| Government | 1 | 166 |
| Arts & Entertainment | 1 | 109 |
The Manufacturing sector led the way in workforce reductions with 559 workers across 3 notices. In a parallel development, Retail reported 420 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Kent | 2 | 420 |
| Eaton | 1 | 285 |
| Wayne | 2 | 280 |
| Lenawee | 1 | 160 |
| Kalamazoo | 1 | 109 |
Kent absorbed the greatest share of layoffs, accounting for 33% of all affected workers with 420 workers across 2 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids | 2 | 420 |
| Delta Twp | 1 | 285 |
| Detroit | 2 | 280 |
| Adrian | 1 | 160 |
| Kalamazoo | 1 | 109 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 5 | 928 |
| Layoff | 1 | 160 |
The high proportion of closures (74% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in Michigan's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yanfeng | Delta Twp | 285 | Closure | |
| MC Sporting Goods | Grand Rapids | 250 | Closure | |
| Family Christian Bookstores | Grand Rapids | 170 | Closure | |
| Penske Vehicle Services | Detroit | 166 | ||
| Inteva Products | Adrian | 160 | Layoff | |
| International Specialty Tube | Detroit | 114 | Closure | |
| Alamo Drafthouse Cinema | Kalamazoo | 109 | Closure |
The single largest action involved Yanfeng at its Delta Twp facility, reporting 285 affected workers. MC Sporting Goods followed with 250 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
The data underscores mounting pressure on the Michigan labor market, with activity running above both recent and year-ago benchmarks. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This analysis is based on official WARN Act filings reported by Michigan. 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 Michigan WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.