US Layoffs — February 2002
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers filed 129 WARN Act notices in February 2002, impacting roughly 17,422 workers — representing a pullback from January and down 14% versus February 2001. Filings came from 12 states and territories, with an average of 135 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 29 | 3,270 |
| Florida | 12 | 2,250 |
| Georgia | 15 | 2,100 |
| Michigan | 6 | 2,066 |
| Pennsylvania | 21 | 1,900 |
| Ohio | 10 | 1,795 |
| Alabama | 4 | 1,328 |
| Oklahoma | 9 | 1,175 |
| Illinois | 8 | 823 |
| Maryland | 5 | 575 |
| Kentucky | 2 | 140 |
| Kansas | 8 | 0 |
Texas led the nation with 3,270 workers affected across 29 notices , followed by Florida (2,250 workers) and Georgia (2,100 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 54 | 9,310 |
| Information & Technology | 25 | 2,656 |
| Professional Services | 8 | 2,140 |
| Retail | 16 | 1,212 |
| Finance & Insurance | 5 | 382 |
| Healthcare | 5 | 331 |
| Transportation | 4 | 318 |
| Wholesale Trade | 3 | 284 |
| Government | 1 | 274 |
| Agriculture | 2 | 136 |
The Manufacturing sector led the way in workforce reductions with 9,310 workers across 54 notices. In a parallel development, Information & Technology reported 2,656 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Layoff | 22 | 3,900 |
| Closure | 32 | 2,932 |
Closures accounted for 17% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Motors/NAO Orion Assem | Orion, Michigan | 1,700 | Layoff |
| Pillowtex | Phenix City, Alabama | 818 | Layoff |
| Stream International | Dallas, Texas | 649 | |
| Sprint PCS | Jacksonville, Florida | 522 | |
| Sprint Pcs Customer Solution Center | Atlanta, Georgia | 511 | |
| Motorola - Plantation | Fort Lauderdale, Florida | 500 | |
| ASF - Keystone Alliance Plant | Alliance, Ohio | 490 | |
| Simmons Foods | McAlester, Oklahoma | 400 | |
| Sprint PCS | Tallahassee, Florida | 323 | |
| Motorola - Austin | Austin, Texas | 300 |
The single largest action involved General Motors/NAO Orion Assem in Orion, Michigan, reporting 1,700 affected workers. Pillowtex followed with 818 workers.
Trend & Outlook
The data underscores a easing in workforce disruptions across the nation, with filings falling below both recent and year-ago levels. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in February 2002. 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.