Washington Layoffs — June 2019
Employers in Washington reported 5 WARN Act notices in June 2019, displacing an estimated 839 workers — signaling a deceleration from May and up 176% versus June 2018. The average filing covered 168 workers, with 5 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Retail | 2 | 288 |
| Agriculture | 1 | 239 |
| Healthcare | 1 | 166 |
| Finance & Insurance | 1 | 146 |
The Retail sector topped the list of affected industries with 288 workers across 2 notices. Notably, Agriculture reported 239 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| King | 3 | 479 |
| Thurston | 1 | 239 |
| Clark | 1 | 121 |
King felt the sharpest impact, accounting for 57% of all affected workers with 479 workers across 3 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle | 3 | 479 |
| Olympia | 1 | 239 |
| Vancouver | 1 | 121 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 5 | 839 |
The high proportion of closures (100% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in Washington's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ostrom's Mushroom Farms | Olympia | 239 | Closure | |
| Nordstrom | Seattle | 167 | Closure | |
| Kindred Hospital | Seattle | 166 | Closure | |
| Capital One | Seattle | 146 | Closure | |
| Whole Foods Market | Vancouver | 121 | Closure |
The most significant filing came from Ostrom's Mushroom Farms at its Olympia facility, reporting 239 affected workers. Nordstrom followed with 167 workers.
Trend & Outlook
The numbers illustrate a mixed picture for Washington's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Retail sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This analysis is based on official WARN Act filings reported by Washington. 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 Washington WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.