Wisconsin Layoffs — October 2019
Employers in Wisconsin submitted 6 WARN Act notices in October 2019, putting at risk an estimated 313 workers — up substantially from September and down 59% versus October 2018. The average filing covered 52 workers, with 3 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 5 | 227 |
| Accommodation & Food | 1 | 86 |
The Manufacturing sector emerged as the hardest-hit sector with 227 workers across 5 notices. Separately, Accommodation & Food reported 86 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Waukesha | 2 | 97 |
| Brown | 2 | 94 |
| Milwaukee | 1 | 86 |
| Washington | 1 | 36 |
Waukesha was the epicenter of layoff activity, accounting for 31% of all affected workers with 97 workers across 2 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee | 1 | 86 |
| Waukesha | 1 | 75 |
| Greeny Bay | 1 | 55 |
| Green Bay | 1 | 39 |
| West Bend | 1 | 36 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 3 | 161 |
The high proportion of closures (51% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in Wisconsin's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TGI Friday's Inc./Milwaukee Front Row Joint Venture | Milwaukee | 86 | Closure | |
| INNIO Waukesha Gas Engines | Waukesha | 75 | ||
| Georgia-Pacific | Greeny Bay | 55 | ||
| Multi-Color | Green Bay | 39 | Closure | |
| Gardner Pet Group | West Bend | 36 | Closure | |
| Silgan Containers | Menomonee Falls | 22 |
Topping the list was TGI Friday's Inc./Milwaukee Front Row Joint Venture at its Milwaukee facility, reporting 86 affected workers. INNIO Waukesha Gas Engines followed with 75 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
These figures highlight a mixed picture for Wisconsin's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This analysis is based on official WARN Act filings reported by Wisconsin. 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 Wisconsin WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.