North Carolina Layoffs — May 2018
Employers in North Carolina reported 9 WARN Act notices in May 2018, displacing an estimated 1,089 workers — signaling an acceleration from April and down 30% versus May 2017. The average filing covered 121 workers, with 6 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Professional Services | 1 | 377 |
| Manufacturing | 4 | 257 |
| Agriculture | 1 | 200 |
| Healthcare | 1 | 101 |
| Retail | 1 | 100 |
| Finance & Insurance | 1 | 54 |
The Professional Services sector topped the list of affected industries with 377 workers across 1 notice. Notably, Manufacturing reported 257 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Cumberland | 1 | 377 |
| Wilson | 2 | 301 |
| Wayne | 2 | 125 |
| Vance | 1 | 100 |
| Harnett | 1 | 69 |
Cumberland was the epicenter of layoff activity, accounting for 35% of all affected workers with 377 workers across 1 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte | 3 | 531 |
| Lawsonville | 1 | 200 |
| Smithfield | 2 | 125 |
| Wilson | 1 | 101 |
| Durham | 1 | 69 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 6 | 587 |
| Layoff | 3 | 502 |
The high proportion of closures (54% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in North Carolina's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sykes | Charlotte | 377 | Layoff | |
| LM Farms, LLC DBA Gardens Alive! Farms | Lawsonville | 200 | Closure | |
| Cooper Standard Automotive | Smithfield | 122 | Layoff | |
| WILSON MEDICAL CENTER (A Duke Lifepoint Hospital) | Wilson | 101 | Closure | |
| Staples Contract and Commercial | Charlotte | 100 | Closure | |
| Edwards Brothers Malloy | Durham | 69 | Closure | |
| Parkdale Mills (Plant 25) | Kannapolis | 63 | Closure | |
| Home Point Financial | Charlotte | 54 | Closure | |
| Cooper Standard Automotive | Smithfield | 3 | Layoff |
The most significant filing came from Sykes at its Charlotte facility, reporting 377 affected workers. LM Farms, LLC DBA Gardens Alive! Farms followed with 200 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
The numbers illustrate a mixed picture for North Carolina's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Professional Services sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This analysis is based on official WARN Act filings reported by North Carolina. 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 North Carolina WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.