US Layoffs — August 2021
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers recorded 150 WARN Act notices in August 2021, covering approximately 15,931 workers — marking a decline from July and down 80% versus August 2020. Filings came from 30 states and territories, with an average of 106 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | 67 | 5,488 |
| Florida | 6 | 1,889 |
| Texas | 10 | 1,089 |
| New Jersey | 8 | 813 |
| Illinois | 5 | 720 |
| Tennessee | 3 | 572 |
| Georgia | 4 | 550 |
| Pennsylvania | 5 | 537 |
| Oregon | 2 | 496 |
| New York | 2 | 435 |
| South Carolina | 2 | 351 |
| New Mexico | 2 | 326 |
| Massachusetts | 2 | 254 |
| Hawaii | 2 | 238 |
| North Carolina | 1 | 232 |
| Michigan | 3 | 228 |
| New Hampshire | 3 | 225 |
| Maine | 4 | 213 |
| Indiana | 2 | 196 |
| Maryland | 3 | 184 |
| Oklahoma | 2 | 168 |
| Arizona | 1 | 141 |
| Utah | 1 | 112 |
| Nevada | 1 | 100 |
| Montana | 1 | 99 |
| Iowa | 1 | 82 |
| Louisiana | 1 | 66 |
| Wisconsin | 1 | 62 |
| Ohio | 1 | 45 |
| Colorado | 4 | 20 |
California led the nation with 5,488 workers affected across 67 notices , followed by Florida (1,889 workers) and Texas (1,089 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 38 | 4,031 |
| Healthcare | 21 | 2,931 |
| Utilities | 15 | 1,537 |
| Transportation | 12 | 1,473 |
| Professional Services | 11 | 1,414 |
| Information & Technology | 6 | 934 |
| Accommodation & Food | 8 | 771 |
| Retail | 7 | 557 |
| Finance & Insurance | 9 | 545 |
| Wholesale Trade | 2 | 469 |
The Manufacturing sector accounted for the largest share of job cuts with 4,031 workers across 38 notices. At the same time, Healthcare reported 2,931 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 55 | 5,196 |
| Layoff | 28 | 2,332 |
| Temporary Closure | 1 | 110 |
| Temporary Layoff | 1 | 68 |
Closures accounted for 33% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mednax Services | Sunrise, Florida | 671 | |
| Pediatrix Medical Group, Inc., formerly MEDNAX | Sunrise, Florida | 671 | |
| Brown Industries | Dalton, Georgia | 433 | |
| First Transit | Gresham, Oregon | 396 | Layoff |
| Basic Energy Services | Bakersfield, California | 393 | Closure |
| Interim Healthcare-San Antonio | San Antonio, Texas | 366 | |
| Sodexo | Chicago, Illinois | 354 | |
| Michael Page International | New York, New York | 331 | |
| Conagra Brands | Cocke County, Tennessee | 320 | |
| Glaxo Smith Kline | Carlisle, Pennsylvania | 308 | Closure |
Leading the list was Mednax Services in Sunrise, Florida, reporting 671 affected workers. Pediatrix Medical Group, Inc., formerly MEDNAX followed with 671 workers.
Trend & Outlook
The filings reflect a easing in workforce disruptions across the nation, with filings falling below both recent and year-ago levels. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in August 2021. The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act requires employers with 100+ employees to provide 60-day advance notice of mass layoffs and plant closings. Data is sourced from official state filings and updated daily by WARN Firehose, which also tracks SEC 8-K filings, bankruptcy proceedings, H-1B visa petitions, and unemployment claims across all six datasets. API access and data exports available.