US Layoffs — August 2023
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers filed 417 WARN Act notices in August 2023, impacting roughly 40,302 workers — representing a pullback from July and up 95% versus August 2022. Filings came from 40 states and territories, with an average of 97 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | 135 | 5,477 |
| Nevada | 8 | 3,600 |
| Illinois | 22 | 3,138 |
| Missouri | 4 | 2,851 |
| Maryland | 11 | 2,245 |
| North Carolina | 19 | 1,803 |
| Texas | 21 | 1,713 |
| Indiana | 12 | 1,550 |
| Florida | 20 | 1,493 |
| Arizona | 11 | 1,471 |
| Massachusetts | 11 | 1,380 |
| New Jersey | 17 | 1,330 |
| Washington | 8 | 1,048 |
| Michigan | 5 | 1,022 |
| Colorado | 16 | 950 |
| Rhode Island | 4 | 868 |
| Ohio | 10 | 864 |
| Georgia | 6 | 837 |
| Pennsylvania | 9 | 774 |
| Oregon | 12 | 746 |
| Connecticut | 4 | 652 |
| Wisconsin | 6 | 619 |
| Mississippi | 2 | 546 |
| Kentucky | 3 | 522 |
| Virginia | 4 | 519 |
| Hawaii | 3 | 340 |
| Oklahoma | 2 | 313 |
| Tennessee | 3 | 219 |
| Alabama | 2 | 202 |
| Kansas | 3 | 201 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | 164 |
| Idaho | 3 | 162 |
| Montana | 2 | 159 |
| West Virginia | 1 | 145 |
| Minnesota | 10 | 116 |
| Nebraska | 1 | 107 |
| Iowa | 3 | 55 |
| South Carolina | 1 | 47 |
| Alaska | 1 | 27 |
| North Dakota | 1 | 27 |
California led the nation with 5,477 workers affected across 135 notices , followed by Nevada (3,600 workers) and Illinois (3,138 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 142 | 14,346 |
| Healthcare | 59 | 5,561 |
| Information & Technology | 65 | 4,663 |
| Transportation | 30 | 3,638 |
| Accommodation & Food | 19 | 3,479 |
| Professional Services | 24 | 2,854 |
| Mining & Energy | 8 | 1,835 |
| Finance & Insurance | 12 | 860 |
| Retail | 13 | 675 |
| Wholesale Trade | 10 | 352 |
The Manufacturing sector led the way in workforce reductions with 14,346 workers across 142 notices. In a parallel development, Healthcare reported 5,561 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 103 | 15,828 |
| Layoff | 141 | 7,608 |
| Temporary Closure | 2 | 132 |
Closures accounted for 40% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rio Properties | Las Vegas, Nevada | 1,552 | Closure |
| Las Vegas | Clark, Nevada | 1,552 | Closure |
| Tyson Foods | Noel, Missouri | 1,513 | Closure |
| Savor, Inc. (at McCormick Place) | Chicago, Illinois | 951 | Closure |
| General Dynamics Information Technology | Frederick, Maryland | 950 | Layoff |
| General Motors | Chandler, Arizona | 936 | |
| Tyson Foods | Dexter, Missouri | 683 | Closure |
| Yellow | Taylor, Michigan | 654 | Closure |
| South City Hospital | St. Louis, Missouri | 563 | Closure |
| Klaussner Furniture Industries | Asheboro, North Carolina | 556 | Closure |
The single largest action involved Rio Properties in Las Vegas, Nevada, reporting 1,552 affected workers. Las Vegas followed with 1,552 workers.
Trend & Outlook
The data underscores a mixed picture for the nation's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in August 2023. 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.