North Carolina Layoffs — May 2023
Employers in North Carolina recorded 4 WARN Act notices in May 2023, covering approximately 492 workers — marking a sharp increase from April and up 70% versus May 2022. The average filing covered 123 workers, with 2 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation | 2 | 327 |
| Information & Technology | 1 | 108 |
| Manufacturing | 1 | 57 |
The Transportation sector accounted for the largest share of job cuts with 327 workers across 2 notices. At the same time, Information & Technology reported 108 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Durham | 2 | 319 |
| Mecklenburg | 1 | 116 |
| Onslow | 1 | 57 |
Durham was the epicenter of layoff activity, accounting for 65% of all affected workers with 319 workers across 2 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Durham | 2 | 319 |
| Charlotte | 1 | 116 |
| Jacksonville | 1 | 57 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 2 | 319 |
| Layoff | 2 | 173 |
The high proportion of closures (65% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in North Carolina's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Durham City Transit | Durham | 211 | Closure | |
| CHEP Services | Charlotte | 116 | Layoff | |
| Shutterfly | Durham | 108 | Closure | |
| Vertex Aerospace | Jacksonville | 57 | Layoff |
Leading the list was Durham City Transit at its Durham facility, reporting 211 affected workers. CHEP Services followed with 116 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
The filings reflect mounting pressure on the North Carolina labor market, with activity running above both recent and year-ago benchmarks. The Transportation sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This analysis is based on official WARN Act filings reported by North Carolina. 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 North Carolina WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.