Michigan Layoffs — September 2019
Employers in Michigan submitted 4 WARN Act notices in September 2019, putting at risk an estimated 376 workers — up substantially 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 emerged as the hardest-hit sector with 284 workers across 3 notices. Separately, Arts & Entertainment reported 92 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Kent | 1 | 166 |
| Wayne | 2 | 149 |
| Oceana | 1 | 61 |
Kent absorbed the greatest share of layoffs, 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 |
Topping the list was 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.
These figures highlight 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.