US Layoffs — December 2021
The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers reported 189 WARN Act notices in December 2021, displacing an estimated 17,706 workers — signaling an acceleration from November and down 58% versus December 2020. Filings came from 26 states and territories, with an average of 94 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | 100 | 4,607 |
| North Carolina | 4 | 2,292 |
| New York | 10 | 1,733 |
| Georgia | 7 | 1,420 |
| Pennsylvania | 7 | 1,202 |
| Texas | 8 | 1,034 |
| Florida | 5 | 847 |
| Tennessee | 4 | 756 |
| New Jersey | 4 | 649 |
| Kentucky | 1 | 501 |
| Indiana | 3 | 381 |
| Maryland | 5 | 298 |
| Illinois | 4 | 281 |
| Massachusetts | 3 | 257 |
| South Carolina | 4 | 235 |
| Nevada | 4 | 183 |
| Ohio | 2 | 182 |
| Arizona | 2 | 161 |
| Colorado | 1 | 160 |
| Utah | 1 | 128 |
| Michigan | 1 | 108 |
| West Virginia | 1 | 75 |
| Washington | 3 | 71 |
| Wisconsin | 1 | 60 |
| Mississippi | 2 | 51 |
| Maine | 2 | 34 |
California led the nation with 4,607 workers affected across 100 notices , followed by North Carolina (2,292 workers) and New York (1,733 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation | 22 | 3,789 |
| Manufacturing | 31 | 3,205 |
| Information & Technology | 19 | 2,053 |
| Healthcare | 19 | 1,950 |
| Accommodation & Food | 49 | 1,460 |
| Utilities | 2 | 1,130 |
| Professional Services | 12 | 1,049 |
| Agriculture | 2 | 320 |
| Wholesale Trade | 1 | 304 |
| Finance & Insurance | 2 | 275 |
The Transportation sector topped the list of affected industries with 3,789 workers across 22 notices. Notably, Manufacturing reported 3,205 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 55 | 6,057 |
| Layoff | 60 | 2,855 |
| Temporary Layoff | 1 | 74 |
Closures accounted for 34% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| QVC Rocky Mount, Inc - Distribution Center | Distribution Center, North Carolina | 1,953 | Closure |
| Aclara Smart Grid Solutions | Brooklyn, New York | 565 | |
| Aclara Smart Grid Solutions | Brooklyn, New York | 565 | |
| Brandywine Hospital, Coatesville Cardiology, Coatesville Clinic Company, and Village Medical Center Associates | Coatesville, Pennsylvania | 534 | Closure |
| Mayfield Consumer Products | Kentucky | 501 | Layoff |
| Vse | Fort Benning, Georgia | 476 | |
| Beacon Health Options | Little Rock, Georgia | 387 | |
| Resolute Forest Products | Calhoun, Tennessee | 350 | |
| BMC West | Perris, California | 304 | Closure |
| Central Freight Lines | Ft. Worth, Texas | 292 |
The most significant filing came from QVC Rocky Mount, Inc - Distribution Center in Distribution Center, North Carolina, reporting 1,953 affected workers. Aclara Smart Grid Solutions followed with 565 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
The numbers illustrate a mixed picture for the nation's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Transportation sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in December 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.