Michigan Layoffs — September 2019
Employers in Michigan reported 4 WARN Act notices in September 2019, displacing an estimated 376 workers — signaling an acceleration from August and up 8% versus September 2018. The average filing covered 94 workers, with 3 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 3 | 284 |
| Arts & Entertainment | 1 | 92 |
The Manufacturing sector topped the list of affected industries with 284 workers across 3 notices. Notably, Arts & Entertainment reported 92 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Kent | 1 | 166 |
| Wayne | 2 | 149 |
| Oceana | 1 | 61 |
Kent felt the sharpest impact, accounting for 44% of all affected workers with 166 workers across 1 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Ada | 1 | 166 |
| Detroit | 1 | 92 |
| Rothbury | 1 | 61 |
| Plymouth | 1 | 57 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 3 | 210 |
| Layoff | 1 | 166 |
The high proportion of closures (56% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in Michigan's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amway | Ada | 166 | Layoff | |
| Jack Entertainment | Detroit | 92 | Closure | |
| Barber Steel Foundry | Rothbury | 61 | Closure | |
| Nestle | Plymouth | 57 | Closure |
The most significant filing came from Amway at its Ada facility, reporting 166 affected workers. Jack Entertainment followed with 92 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
The numbers illustrate mounting pressure on the Michigan labor market, with activity running above both recent and year-ago benchmarks. The Manufacturing 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.