US Layoffs — September 2021
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers posted 163 WARN Act notices in September 2021, affecting an estimated 12,067 workers — reflecting a cooling compared to August and down 86% versus September 2020. Filings came from 31 states and territories, with an average of 74 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | 59 | 3,940 |
| Louisiana | 8 | 1,008 |
| Pennsylvania | 4 | 905 |
| Utah | 3 | 832 |
| New York | 6 | 627 |
| Texas | 7 | 576 |
| Illinois | 5 | 508 |
| Florida | 7 | 483 |
| Massachusetts | 4 | 340 |
| New Jersey | 5 | 304 |
| Arizona | 2 | 290 |
| Hawaii | 3 | 255 |
| Colorado | 7 | 182 |
| Nevada | 1 | 176 |
| Kentucky | 3 | 175 |
| Indiana | 1 | 146 |
| Wisconsin | 2 | 133 |
| Maine | 6 | 133 |
| Oregon | 7 | 126 |
| New Mexico | 1 | 123 |
| South Carolina | 1 | 121 |
| Kansas | 3 | 106 |
| Maryland | 2 | 101 |
| Minnesota | 1 | 100 |
| Iowa | 3 | 88 |
| Georgia | 3 | 86 |
| Tennessee | 2 | 83 |
| North Carolina | 1 | 55 |
| Alaska | 1 | 40 |
| Missouri | 1 | 18 |
| Mississippi | 4 | 7 |
California led the nation with 3,940 workers affected across 59 notices , followed by Louisiana (1,008 workers) and Pennsylvania (905 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 24 | 2,050 |
| Healthcare | 23 | 1,775 |
| Education | 3 | 1,057 |
| Transportation | 16 | 973 |
| Accommodation & Food | 8 | 942 |
| Information & Technology | 8 | 929 |
| Professional Services | 6 | 804 |
| Government | 6 | 368 |
| Retail | 7 | 267 |
| Finance & Insurance | 13 | 251 |
The Manufacturing sector saw the heaviest impact with 2,050 workers across 24 notices. On a related front, Healthcare reported 1,775 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 49 | 3,162 |
| Layoff | 37 | 2,594 |
| Temporary Closure | 1 | 260 |
Closures accounted for 28% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aramark at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center | Harrisburg, Pennsylvania | 435 | Layoff |
| Kovatch Mobile Equipment | Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania | 388 | Closure |
| Michael Page International | New York, New York | 332 | |
| Center for Excellence CEHE | Slc, Utah | 311 | |
| Center for Excellence in Higher Education | Slc, Utah | 311 | |
| GEO Secure Services LLC Western Region Detention Facility | San Diego, California | 298 | Closure |
| Gate Gourmet | San Francisco, California | 289 | Layoff |
| Johns Manville | Willows, California | 260 | Temporary Closure |
| Gate Gourmet | Los Angeles, California | 247 | Layoff |
| Yesco/Prismview | Logan, Utah | 210 |
The largest notice was filed by Aramark at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, reporting 435 affected workers. Kovatch Mobile Equipment followed with 388 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This is the third consecutive month of declining layoff activity.
The trends suggest 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 September 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.