Michigan Layoffs — November 2018
Employers in Michigan filed 6 WARN Act notices in November 2018, impacting roughly 565 workers — representing a notable rise over October and up 36% versus November 2017. The average filing covered 94 workers, with 5 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Retail | 3 | 371 |
| Manufacturing | 2 | 134 |
| Accommodation & Food | 1 | 60 |
The Retail sector led the way in workforce reductions with 371 workers across 3 notices. In a parallel development, Manufacturing reported 134 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Genesee | 2 | 236 |
| Kalamazoo | 1 | 135 |
| Branch | 1 | 74 |
| Wayne | 1 | 60 |
| Hillsdale | 1 | 60 |
Genesee bore the heaviest burden, accounting for 42% of all affected workers with 236 workers across 2 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Kalamazoo | 1 | 135 |
| Burton | 1 | 129 |
| Flint | 1 | 107 |
| Coldwater | 1 | 74 |
| Detroit | 1 | 60 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 5 | 505 |
| Layoff | 1 | 60 |
The high proportion of closures (89% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in Michigan's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cracker Barrel Old Country Store | Kalamazoo | 135 | Closure | |
| Lowe's - Store #761 | Burton | 129 | Closure | |
| Lowe's - Store 669 | Flint | 107 | Closure | |
| Aunt Millie's | Coldwater | 74 | Closure | |
| Hard Rock Caf� International | Detroit | 60 | Closure | |
| Alphi Manufacturing | Jonesville | 60 | Layoff |
The single largest action involved Cracker Barrel Old Country Store at its Kalamazoo facility, reporting 135 affected workers. Lowe's - Store #761 followed with 129 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
The data underscores mounting pressure on the Michigan labor market, with activity running above both recent and year-ago benchmarks. The Retail sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This analysis is based on official WARN Act filings reported by Michigan. 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 Michigan WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.