California Layoffs — May 2023

Employers in California submitted 180 WARN Act notices in May 2023, putting at risk an estimated 10,528 workers — down from April and up 194% versus May 2022. The average filing covered 58 workers, with 50 closures among the notices.

Industry Breakdown

The Information & Technology sector emerged as the hardest-hit sector with 2,208 workers across 43 notices. Separately, Manufacturing reported 2,172 workers.

Geographic Hotspots

Los Angeles felt the sharpest impact, accounting for 17% of all affected workers with 1,744 workers across 27 notices.

Layoff Type Analysis

Closures accounted for 26% of affected workers, while the majority of filings were layoffs rather than permanent shutdowns.

Largest Layoffs

Topping the list was Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream at its Bakersfield facility, reporting 1,015 affected workers. Cushman & Wakefield U.S. Inc. - Marine Way followed with 594 workers.

Trend & Outlook

These figures highlight a mixed picture for California's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Information & Technology 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.