California Layoffs — September 2021
Employers in California filed 59 WARN Act notices in September 2021, impacting roughly 3,940 workers — representing a pullback from August and down 85% versus September 2020. The average filing covered 67 workers, with 34 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 14 | 878 |
| Information & Technology | 4 | 745 |
| Accommodation & Food | 4 | 675 |
| Healthcare | 6 | 408 |
| Transportation | 7 | 386 |
| Professional Services | 4 | 380 |
| Retail | 7 | 240 |
| Finance & Insurance | 8 | 38 |
The Manufacturing sector led the way in workforce reductions with 878 workers across 14 notices. In a parallel development, Information & Technology reported 745 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 19 | 1,283 |
| Orange | 7 | 415 |
| San Diego | 6 | 411 |
| San Francisco | 9 | 327 |
| Santa Clara | 6 | 323 |
Los Angeles bore the heaviest burden, accounting for 33% of all affected workers with 1,283 workers across 19 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 8 | 827 |
| San Francisco | 6 | 471 |
| San Diego | 5 | 385 |
| San Jose | 6 | 323 |
| Willows | 1 | 260 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 33 | 2,188 |
| Layoff | 25 | 1,492 |
| Temporary Closure | 1 | 260 |
The high proportion of closures (62% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in California's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GEO Secure Services LLC Western Region Detention Facility | San Diego | 298 | Closure | |
| Gate Gourmet | San Francisco | 289 | Layoff | |
| Johns Manville | Willows | 260 | Temporary Closure | |
| Gate Gourmet | Los Angeles | 247 | Layoff | |
| Angelica | Orange | 169 | Closure | |
| Theravance Biopharma US | San Francisco | 163 | Layoff | |
| Angelica | Fresno | 161 | Closure | |
| Jabil | San Jose | 137 | Closure | |
| Toca Madera Management LLC DBA The Madera Group LLC | Los Angeles | 127 | Layoff | |
| The Madera Group LLC | Los Angeles | 127 | Layoff | |
| Cherokee Nation Management&Consulting | Los Angeles | 119 | Layoff | |
| Cherokee Nation Management & Consulting | Pomona | 119 | Layoff | |
| Angelica | Pittsburg | 117 | Closure | |
| Angelica | Pittsburg | 117 | Closure | |
| Angelica | Sacramento | 117 | Closure |
The single largest action involved GEO Secure Services LLC Western Region Detention Facility at its San Diego facility, reporting 298 affected workers. Gate Gourmet followed with 289 workers.
Trend & Outlook
The data underscores a easing in workforce disruptions across California, with filings falling below both recent and year-ago levels. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This analysis is based on official WARN Act filings reported by California. 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 California WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.