New York Layoffs — May 2017
Employers in New York reported 29 WARN Act notices in May 2017, displacing an estimated 1,965 workers — signaling an acceleration from April and up 230% versus May 2016. The average filing covered 68 workers, with 17 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation | 2 | 406 |
| Arts & Entertainment | 1 | 267 |
| Manufacturing | 4 | 257 |
| Finance & Insurance | 3 | 254 |
| Retail | 2 | 164 |
| Professional Services | 2 | 73 |
| Healthcare | 2 | 52 |
| Information & Technology | 1 | 51 |
The Transportation sector topped the list of affected industries with 406 workers across 2 notices. Notably, Arts & Entertainment reported 267 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 6 | 443 |
| Queens | 2 | 413 |
| Erie | 3 | 251 |
| Suffolk | 2 | 229 |
| Nassau | 3 | 191 |
New York absorbed the greatest share of layoffs, accounting for 23% of all affected workers with 443 workers across 6 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 6 | 443 |
| Jamaica | 1 | 378 |
| Elma | 1 | 179 |
| Islandia | 1 | 178 |
| Albany | 6 | 153 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 17 | 1,657 |
| Layoff | 12 | 308 |
The high proportion of closures (84% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in New York's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aircraft Service International, Inc. d/b/a ASIG | Jamaica | 378 | Closure | |
| Webster Hall Entertainment | New York | 267 | Closure | |
| Nationstar Mortgage | Elma | 179 | Closure | |
| Rides Unlimited of New York, Inc. dba Rides Unlimited of Nassau/Suffolk (Hoffman Lane) | Islandia | 178 | Closure | |
| Davis Vision - Manufacturing Plant | Plainview | 151 | Closure | |
| IPRO Client Site (Washington) | Albany | 104 | Layoff | |
| Walmart Store #2415 | Niskayuna | 102 | Closure | |
| Merchant Cash and Capital, LLC (and its BIZFI subsidiary) | New York | 74 | Layoff | |
| Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated (Amherst) | Amherst | 71 | Layoff | |
| Kmart Store #03837 (Kmart Corporation) | Webster | 62 | Closure | |
| B&H Foto and Electronics Corp.(warehouse) | Brooklyn | 57 | Closure | |
| ViaTech Publishing Solutions | Bay Shore | 51 | Closure | |
| Prague LLC d/b/a Schiller's Liquor Bar | New York | 48 | Closure | |
| Chelsea Hospitality Partners LLC d/b/a Avenue | New York | 42 | Closure | |
| IPRO Client Site (Corning) | Albany | 39 | Layoff |
The most significant filing came from Aircraft Service International, Inc. d/b/a ASIG at its Jamaica facility, reporting 378 affected workers. Webster Hall Entertainment followed with 267 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
The numbers illustrate mounting pressure on the New York labor market, with activity running above both recent and year-ago benchmarks. The Transportation sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This analysis is based on official WARN Act filings reported by New York. 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 New York WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.