Wisconsin Layoffs — August 2024
Employers in Wisconsin submitted 10 WARN Act notices in August 2024, putting at risk an estimated 376 workers — up substantially from July and down 39% versus August 2023. The average filing covered 38 workers, with 9 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 3 | 136 |
| Retail | 1 | 91 |
| Accommodation & Food | 4 | 81 |
| Information & Technology | 1 | 36 |
| Transportation | 1 | 32 |
The Manufacturing sector emerged as the hardest-hit sector with 136 workers across 3 notices. Separately, Retail reported 91 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee | 1 | 91 |
| Marinette | 1 | 48 |
| Dane | 2 | 48 |
| Barron | 1 | 46 |
| Shawno | 1 | 42 |
Milwaukee bore the heaviest burden, accounting for 24% of all affected workers with 91 workers across 1 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Greenfield | 1 | 91 |
| Goodman | 1 | 48 |
| Rice Lake | 1 | 46 |
| Mattoon | 1 | 42 |
| Madison | 1 | 36 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 9 | 340 |
The high proportion of closures (90% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in Wisconsin's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Festival Foods | Greenfield | 91 | Closure | |
| Goodman Veneer & Lumber | Goodman | 48 | Closure | |
| Birchwood Manufacturing | Rice Lake | 46 | Closure | |
| Wisconsin Veneer and Plywood | Mattoon | 42 | Closure | |
| Charter Communications | Madison | 36 | ||
| EYM Chicken of Wisconsin DBA KFC | Janesville | 34 | Closure | |
| DHL Distribution | Sturtevant | 32 | Closure | |
| EYM Chicken of Wisconsin DBA KFC | Reedsburg | 19 | Closure | |
| EYM Chicken of Wisconsin DBA KFC | Watertown | 16 | Closure | |
| EYM Chicken of Wisconsin DBA KFC | Stoughton | 12 | Closure |
Topping the list was Festival Foods at its Greenfield facility, reporting 91 affected workers. Goodman Veneer & Lumber followed with 48 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
These figures highlight a mixed picture for Wisconsin'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 Wisconsin. 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 Wisconsin WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.