Wisconsin Layoffs — March 2017
Employers in Wisconsin filed 5 WARN Act notices in March 2017, impacting roughly 377 workers — representing a notable rise over February and down 5% versus March 2016. The average filing covered 75 workers, with 3 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Information & Technology | 2 | 161 |
| Manufacturing | 2 | 156 |
| Real Estate | 1 | 60 |
The Information & Technology sector led the way in workforce reductions with 161 workers across 2 notices. In a parallel development, Manufacturing reported 156 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee | 3 | 220 |
| La Crosse | 2 | 157 |
Milwaukee was the epicenter of layoff activity, accounting for 58% of all affected workers with 220 workers across 3 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee | 3 | 220 |
| La Crosse | 1 | 137 |
| West Salem | 1 | 20 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 3 | 216 |
The high proportion of closures (57% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in Wisconsin's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alorica | La Crosse | 137 | ||
| Tulip Molded Plastics | Milwaukee | 136 | Closure | |
| SP Plus | Milwaukee | 60 | Closure | |
| Gannett | Milwaukee | 24 | ||
| River Steel | West Salem | 20 | Closure |
The single largest action involved Alorica at its La Crosse facility, reporting 137 affected workers. Tulip Molded Plastics followed with 136 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
The data underscores a mixed picture for Wisconsin's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Information & Technology sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This analysis is based on official WARN Act filings reported by Wisconsin. 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 Wisconsin WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.