Illinois Layoffs — August 2024
Employers in Illinois filed 9 WARN Act notices in August 2024, impacting roughly 1,241 workers — representing a notable rise over July and down 60% versus August 2023. The average filing covered 138 workers, with 5 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 4 | 494 |
| Accommodation & Food | 2 | 286 |
| Wholesale Trade | 1 | 278 |
| Professional Services | 1 | 158 |
| Information & Technology | 1 | 25 |
The Manufacturing sector led the way in workforce reductions with 494 workers across 4 notices. In a parallel development, Accommodation & Food reported 286 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Cook | 5 | 721 |
| Will | 1 | 278 |
| DuPage | 1 | 130 |
| Ford | 1 | 79 |
| Winnebago | 1 | 33 |
Cook felt the sharpest impact, accounting for 58% of all affected workers with 721 workers across 5 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | 5 | 721 |
| Lockport | 1 | 278 |
| Woodridge | 1 | 130 |
| Gibson City | 1 | 79 |
| Machesney Park | 1 | 33 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 5 | 946 |
| Layoff | 1 | 79 |
The high proportion of closures (76% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in Illinois's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pitney Bowes | Lockport | 278 | Closure | |
| EYM Chicken of Illinois, LLC DBA KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) | Chicago | 253 | Closure | |
| Wheatland Tube | Chicago | 238 | Closure | |
| Genpact | Chicago | 158 | ||
| Walterscheid | Woodridge | 130 | Closure | |
| RhinoAG | Gibson City | 79 | Layoff | |
| Nucor Tubular Products Chicago | Chicago | 47 | Closure | |
| Kentucky Fried Chicken (Resources for all IL KFC workers) | Machesney Park | 33 | ||
| Southeast Service | Chicago | 25 |
The single largest action involved Pitney Bowes at its Lockport facility, reporting 278 affected workers. EYM Chicken of Illinois, LLC DBA KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) followed with 253 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This marks the third consecutive month of rising layoff activity.
The data underscores a mixed picture for Illinois's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This analysis is based on official WARN Act filings reported by Illinois. 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 Illinois WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.