Pennsylvania Layoffs — January 2019
Employers in Pennsylvania posted 11 WARN Act notices in January 2019, affecting an estimated 1,471 workers — reflecting a significant uptick compared to December and down 38% versus January 2018. The average filing covered 134 workers, with 10 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Healthcare | 2 | 511 |
| Manufacturing | 5 | 469 |
| Retail | 3 | 432 |
| Accommodation & Food | 1 | 59 |
The Healthcare sector saw the heaviest impact with 511 workers across 2 notices. On a related front, Manufacturing reported 469 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Lancaster | 2 | 511 |
| Washington | 1 | 206 |
| Montgomery | 1 | 202 |
| Philadelphia | 2 | 168 |
| Luzerne | 1 | 121 |
Lancaster absorbed the greatest share of layoffs, accounting for 35% of all affected workers with 511 workers across 2 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Lancaster | 1 | 505 |
| Washington | 1 | 206 |
| Montgomeryville | 1 | 202 |
| Philadelphia | 2 | 168 |
| Wilkes-Barre | 1 | 121 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 10 | 1,412 |
| Layoff | 1 | 59 |
The high proportion of closures (96% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in Pennsylvania's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UPMC Pinnacle Lancaster | Lancaster | 505 | Closure | |
| Ferro | Washington | 206 | Closure | |
| Harriet Carter Gifts, Inc.; Fresh Finds LLC; Wise and Well | Montgomeryville | 202 | Closure | |
| Sears Holdings, DBA Innovel Solutions, Inc | Wilkes-Barre | 121 | Closure | |
| Nortek Global HVAC | Mercer | 110 | Closure | |
| Brown's Parkside, LLC DBA ShopRite of Haverford Ave | Philadelphia | 109 | Closure | |
| Nestle USA | Breinigsville | 72 | Closure | |
| Sodexo, Inc. (AA Admirals Club) | Philadelphia | 59 | Layoff | |
| National Molding | Ambridge | 43 | Closure | |
| Harbison Walker International, Sproul Plant | Claysburg | 38 | Closure | |
| UPMC Pinnacle Bariatric and Metabolic Institute of Lancaster | Lititz | 6 | Closure |
The largest notice was filed by UPMC Pinnacle Lancaster at its Lancaster facility, reporting 505 affected workers. Ferro followed with 206 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
The trends suggest a mixed picture for Pennsylvania's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Healthcare sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This analysis is based on official WARN Act filings reported by Pennsylvania. 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 Pennsylvania WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.