Iowa Layoffs — April 2021
Employers in Iowa filed 3 WARN Act notices in April 2021, impacting roughly 338 workers — representing a notable rise over March and down 15% versus April 2020. The average filing covered 113 workers, with 1 closure among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 2 | 291 |
| Utilities | 1 | 47 |
The Manufacturing sector led the way in workforce reductions with 291 workers across 2 notices. In a parallel development, Utilities reported 47 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Des Monies | 1 | 188 |
| Des Moines | 1 | 103 |
| Linn | 1 | 47 |
Des Monies absorbed the greatest share of layoffs, accounting for 56% of all affected workers with 188 workers across 1 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| West Burlington | 2 | 291 |
| Palo | 1 | 47 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 1 | 47 |
Closures accounted for 14% of affected workers, while the majority of filings were layoffs rather than permanent shutdowns.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abb | West Burlington | 188 | ||
| Abb | West Burlington | 103 | ||
| Duane Arnold Energy Center | Palo | 47 | Closure |
The single largest action involved Abb at its West Burlington facility, reporting 188 affected workers. Abb followed with 103 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
The data underscores a mixed picture for Iowa'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 Iowa. 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 Iowa WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.