Wisconsin Layoffs — May 2017
Employers in Wisconsin logged 4 WARN Act notices in May 2017, involving roughly 321 workers — falling below April and down 58% versus May 2016. The average filing covered 80 workers, with 3 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Retail | 2 | 207 |
| Manufacturing | 2 | 114 |
The Retail sector dominated layoff filings with 207 workers across 2 notices. Meanwhile, Manufacturing reported 114 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Dane | 2 | 158 |
| Columbia | 1 | 104 |
| Ozaukee | 1 | 59 |
Dane bore the heaviest burden, accounting for 49% of all affected workers with 158 workers across 2 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Portage | 1 | 104 |
| Madison | 1 | 103 |
| Port Washington | 1 | 59 |
| Stoughton | 1 | 55 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 3 | 266 |
The high proportion of closures (83% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in Wisconsin's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goetz Companies (dba Petro of Portage Travel Center) | Portage | 104 | Closure | |
| Colony Brands | Madison | 103 | Closure | |
| Modern Equipment | Port Washington | 59 | Closure | |
| Zalk Josephs Fabricators | Stoughton | 55 |
The biggest impact was at Goetz Companies (dba Petro of Portage Travel Center) at its Portage facility, reporting 104 affected workers. Colony Brands followed with 103 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This data points to a easing in workforce disruptions across Wisconsin, with filings falling below both recent and year-ago levels. The Retail 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.