US Layoffs — February 2024
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers recorded 389 WARN Act notices in February 2024, covering approximately 32,694 workers — marking a decline from January and up 12% versus February 2023. Filings came from 36 states and territories, with an average of 84 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | 203 | 11,786 |
| Washington | 10 | 4,964 |
| Texas | 14 | 1,283 |
| Florida | 14 | 1,145 |
| Wisconsin | 12 | 1,104 |
| New Jersey | 9 | 961 |
| Ohio | 9 | 929 |
| Indiana | 8 | 920 |
| West Virginia | 1 | 885 |
| Oregon | 5 | 881 |
| Pennsylvania | 6 | 647 |
| Colorado | 6 | 634 |
| North Carolina | 8 | 628 |
| Michigan | 5 | 624 |
| Missouri | 4 | 621 |
| Virginia | 5 | 566 |
| Georgia | 4 | 487 |
| Nevada | 8 | 486 |
| Illinois | 4 | 333 |
| Connecticut | 3 | 254 |
| Maryland | 6 | 254 |
| Arizona | 2 | 244 |
| Massachusetts | 4 | 238 |
| Iowa | 6 | 238 |
| Mississippi | 6 | 229 |
| Washington DC | 1 | 190 |
| Minnesota | 13 | 188 |
| Kentucky | 1 | 150 |
| Hawaii | 3 | 135 |
| Tennessee | 2 | 132 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | 130 |
| South Carolina | 1 | 114 |
| Utah | 1 | 106 |
| Louisiana | 2 | 103 |
| Oklahoma | 1 | 100 |
| Nebraska | 1 | 5 |
California led the nation with 11,786 workers affected across 203 notices , followed by Washington (4,964 workers) and Texas (1,283 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 116 | 10,723 |
| Professional Services | 16 | 4,473 |
| Information & Technology | 37 | 4,288 |
| Transportation | 21 | 2,414 |
| Accommodation & Food | 38 | 1,659 |
| Healthcare | 37 | 1,309 |
| Agriculture | 7 | 899 |
| Wholesale Trade | 14 | 826 |
| Finance & Insurance | 11 | 678 |
| Mining & Energy | 7 | 605 |
The Manufacturing sector accounted for the largest share of job cuts with 10,723 workers across 116 notices. At the same time, Professional Services reported 4,473 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Layoff | 216 | 16,741 |
| Closure | 84 | 7,216 |
Closures accounted for 22% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| RaterLabs | Kirkland, Washington | 3,657 | Layoff |
| Cleveland Cliffs | Weirton, West Virginia | 885 | |
| California Institute of Technology | La Canada Flintridge, California | 521 | Layoff |
| American Queen Steamboat | Clarkston, Washington | 508 | Closure |
| Activision Blizzard | Irvine, California | 479 | Layoff |
| Cisco Systems | Tasman Drive San Jose, California | 447 | Layoff |
| Rio Grande Valley Sugar Growers 2024 | Santa Rosa, Texas | 435 | |
| El Dorado National (California) | Jurupa Valley, California | 425 | Layoff |
| Southern California Pizza | Los Angeles, California | 393 | Layoff |
| Portland Day Sort | Portland, Oregon | 350 | Layoff |
Leading the list was RaterLabs in Kirkland, Washington, reporting 3,657 affected workers. Cleveland Cliffs followed with 885 workers.
Trend & Outlook
The filings reflect 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 February 2024. 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.