US Layoffs — September 2017
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers submitted 221 WARN Act notices in September 2017, putting at risk an estimated 19,368 workers — down from August and up 14% versus September 2016. Filings came from 30 states and territories, with an average of 88 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | 58 | 4,564 |
| New York | 55 | 3,171 |
| Texas | 17 | 2,341 |
| Florida | 11 | 1,257 |
| South Carolina | 6 | 1,179 |
| Oklahoma | 5 | 1,151 |
| Tennessee | 3 | 1,096 |
| Illinois | 9 | 988 |
| Ohio | 5 | 417 |
| Oregon | 3 | 401 |
| Virginia | 4 | 343 |
| Indiana | 4 | 333 |
| West Virginia | 2 | 308 |
| Wisconsin | 6 | 297 |
| Kansas | 4 | 290 |
| Pennsylvania | 2 | 259 |
| Nebraska | 3 | 139 |
| Washington | 2 | 105 |
| Missouri | 1 | 97 |
| Mississippi | 3 | 95 |
| Nevada | 1 | 70 |
| Iowa | 3 | 67 |
| Georgia | 2 | 63 |
| Michigan | 1 | 62 |
| South Dakota | 1 | 58 |
| Alabama | 1 | 56 |
| Connecticut | 3 | 54 |
| Maine | 4 | 52 |
| Utah | 1 | 35 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | 20 |
California led the nation with 4,564 workers affected across 58 notices , followed by New York (3,171 workers) and Texas (2,341 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 45 | 4,783 |
| Information & Technology | 17 | 2,712 |
| Healthcare | 46 | 2,287 |
| Finance & Insurance | 35 | 1,115 |
| Transportation | 10 | 982 |
| Utilities | 4 | 861 |
| Retail | 10 | 846 |
| Professional Services | 6 | 843 |
| Construction | 2 | 729 |
| Accommodation & Food | 8 | 524 |
The Manufacturing sector emerged as the hardest-hit sector with 4,783 workers across 45 notices. Separately, Information & Technology reported 2,712 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 62 | 5,967 |
| Layoff | 88 | 5,485 |
Closures accounted for 31% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oracle America | Santa Clara, California | 964 | Layoff |
| General Motors | Spring Hill, Tennessee | 680 | |
| Scana | Jenkinsville, South Carolina | 617 | Layoff |
| ABM Aviation | Jamaica, New York | 560 | Closure |
| Opinion Access | Long Island City, New York | 460 | Closure |
| CB&I, Inc. | Beaumont, Texas | 455 | |
| Capital One | Rolling Meadows, Illinois | 452 | |
| Convergy's- Lubbock | Lubbock, Texas | 406 | |
| Fresh Creative Foods | Moore, Oklahoma | 375 | |
| Fresh Creative Foods | Moore, Oklahoma | 367 |
Topping the list was Oracle America in Santa Clara, California, reporting 964 affected workers. General Motors followed with 680 workers.
Trend & Outlook
These figures highlight 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 September 2017. 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.