US Layoffs — February 2022
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers reported 147 WARN Act notices in February 2022, displacing an estimated 8,269 workers — signaling a deceleration from January and down 67% versus February 2021. Filings came from 34 states and territories, with an average of 56 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | 51 | 1,846 |
| Maryland | 4 | 1,523 |
| Pennsylvania | 4 | 604 |
| Florida | 27 | 432 |
| Nevada | 10 | 386 |
| Missouri | 2 | 330 |
| South Carolina | 1 | 310 |
| Oregon | 2 | 285 |
| Georgia | 4 | 243 |
| Wisconsin | 3 | 241 |
| New Jersey | 3 | 224 |
| Iowa | 3 | 209 |
| New York | 1 | 185 |
| North Carolina | 4 | 182 |
| Arizona | 3 | 166 |
| Alabama | 1 | 160 |
| Illinois | 1 | 94 |
| Texas | 1 | 84 |
| Virginia | 1 | 81 |
| Minnesota | 4 | 74 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | 68 |
| Tennessee | 1 | 65 |
| Kansas | 1 | 65 |
| Massachusetts | 1 | 64 |
| Indiana | 1 | 63 |
| Washington | 1 | 59 |
| Michigan | 1 | 56 |
| South Dakota | 1 | 53 |
| Ohio | 2 | 53 |
| Colorado | 2 | 40 |
| Louisiana | 1 | 12 |
| New Mexico | 2 | 10 |
| Connecticut | 1 | 1 |
| Idaho | 1 | 1 |
California led the nation with 1,846 workers affected across 51 notices , followed by Maryland (1,523 workers) and Pennsylvania (604 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 24 | 1,814 |
| Arts & Entertainment | 2 | 1,550 |
| Healthcare | 46 | 1,209 |
| Information & Technology | 14 | 688 |
| Retail | 10 | 561 |
| Professional Services | 8 | 518 |
| Transportation | 7 | 450 |
| Accommodation & Food | 11 | 378 |
| Finance & Insurance | 3 | 155 |
| Real Estate | 1 | 39 |
The Manufacturing sector topped the list of affected industries with 1,814 workers across 24 notices. Notably, Arts & Entertainment reported 1,550 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 38 | 3,867 |
| Layoff | 49 | 2,266 |
| Temporary Layoff | 1 | 63 |
Closures accounted for 47% of all affected workers nationally, indicating significant structural workforce adjustments.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Farms Arena/ASM Global | Baltimore, Maryland | 1,492 | Closure |
| The GEOGroup | Thornton, Pennsylvania | 390 | Layoff |
| Belk Fulfillment Center | Union, South Carolina | 310 | Closure |
| Shearer's | Hermiston, Oregon | 231 | Layoff |
| ReOpen Diagnostics | Long Island City, New York | 185 | |
| HMS Host - Kansas City | Kansas City, Missouri | 170 | |
| The Step2 | Decatur, Georgia | 162 | |
| Allied Healthcare Products | St. Louis, Missouri | 160 | Closure |
| LG Electronics USA | Huntsville, Alabama | 160 | Closure |
| Gildan's Mebane Distribution Center | Mebane, North Carolina | 128 | Closure |
The most significant filing came from Royal Farms Arena/ASM Global in Baltimore, Maryland, reporting 1,492 affected workers. The GEOGroup followed with 390 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This is the third consecutive month of declining layoff activity.
The numbers illustrate 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 February 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.