US Layoffs — November 2018
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers submitted 261 WARN Act notices in November 2018, putting at risk an estimated 24,081 workers — down from October and down 5% versus November 2017. Filings came from 35 states and territories, with an average of 92 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | 61 | 5,830 |
| Texas | 37 | 2,355 |
| New York | 24 | 1,584 |
| Florida | 12 | 1,481 |
| North Carolina | 10 | 1,370 |
| New Jersey | 4 | 1,200 |
| Ohio | 7 | 1,089 |
| South Carolina | 3 | 870 |
| Minnesota | 13 | 786 |
| Illinois | 10 | 775 |
| Mississippi | 4 | 716 |
| Michigan | 6 | 565 |
| Maryland | 8 | 558 |
| Iowa | 4 | 521 |
| Pennsylvania | 7 | 499 |
| Georgia | 3 | 456 |
| Arizona | 2 | 359 |
| Virginia | 3 | 343 |
| Wisconsin | 4 | 333 |
| Nevada | 5 | 273 |
| Indiana | 2 | 262 |
| Connecticut | 3 | 256 |
| Missouri | 2 | 245 |
| Kansas | 3 | 210 |
| Idaho | 1 | 175 |
| Tennessee | 1 | 173 |
| Oregon | 3 | 159 |
| Maine | 8 | 116 |
| Kentucky | 2 | 95 |
| Vermont | 2 | 92 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | 83 |
| West Virginia | 1 | 75 |
| South Dakota | 1 | 67 |
| Washington | 1 | 67 |
| Nebraska | 3 | 43 |
California led the nation with 5,830 workers affected across 61 notices , followed by Texas (2,355 workers) and New York (1,584 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 55 | 4,500 |
| Healthcare | 43 | 2,762 |
| Information & Technology | 18 | 2,589 |
| Retail | 26 | 2,315 |
| Accommodation & Food | 12 | 2,252 |
| Transportation | 24 | 1,659 |
| Professional Services | 11 | 1,516 |
| Finance & Insurance | 21 | 1,367 |
| Agriculture | 5 | 1,229 |
| Arts & Entertainment | 4 | 746 |
The Manufacturing sector emerged as the hardest-hit sector with 4,500 workers across 55 notices. Separately, Healthcare reported 2,762 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 81 | 7,106 |
| Layoff | 61 | 6,626 |
Closures accounted for 30% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| ABM Industries | Newark, New Jersey | 821 | |
| Ovations Fanfare, L.P. DBA Spectra Food | Oakland, California | 763 | Closure |
| Ihg | North Charleston, South Carolina | 626 | Closure |
| Pyxus International, Inc. (f/k/a Alliance One Internternational, Inc.) | Wilson, North Carolina | 565 | Layoff |
| West Coast Berry Farms | Salinas, California | 465 | Layoff |
| Wells Fargo | West Des Moines, Iowa | 418 | Layoff |
| Cisco Systems | San Jose, California | 405 | Layoff |
| Alorica | Beaumont, Texas | 367 | |
| Horseshoe Casino/Tunica Roadhouse | Robinsonville, Mississippi | 350 | Closure |
| Mid-Town Health | Cincinnati, Ohio | 349 |
Topping the list was ABM Industries in Newark, New Jersey, reporting 821 affected workers. Ovations Fanfare, L.P. DBA Spectra Food followed with 763 workers.
Trend & Outlook
These figures highlight a easing in workforce disruptions across the nation, with filings falling below both recent and year-ago levels. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in November 2018. 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.