US Layoffs — January 2022

The US labor market showed continued flux as employers submitted 173 WARN Act notices in January 2022, putting at risk an estimated 15,726 workers — down from December and down 44% versus January 2021. Filings came from 33 states and territories, with an average of 91 workers per notice.

Top States by Workers Affected

California led the nation with 3,535 workers affected across 54 notices , followed by Florida (1,579 workers) and Connecticut (1,018 workers) .

Industry Breakdown

The Manufacturing sector emerged as the hardest-hit sector with 2,665 workers across 33 notices. Separately, Healthcare reported 2,415 workers.

Layoff Type Analysis

Closures accounted for 34% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.

Largest Layoffs

Topping the list was Watsonville Community Hospital in Watsonville, Georgia, reporting 658 affected workers. Sema4 OpCo followed with 448 workers.

Trend & Outlook

These figures highlight 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 January 2022. 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.