US Layoffs — March 2003
The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers posted 131 WARN Act notices in March 2003, affecting an estimated 20,880 workers — reflecting a significant uptick compared to February and down 10% versus March 2002. Filings came from 11 states and territories, with an average of 159 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 19 | 4,407 |
| Maryland | 4 | 3,635 |
| Illinois | 18 | 2,805 |
| Texas | 30 | 2,181 |
| Florida | 13 | 2,096 |
| Michigan | 13 | 1,861 |
| Kansas | 10 | 1,032 |
| Ohio | 9 | 1,003 |
| Georgia | 8 | 852 |
| Oklahoma | 5 | 820 |
| Alabama | 2 | 188 |
Pennsylvania led the nation with 4,407 workers affected across 19 notices , followed by Maryland (3,635 workers) and Illinois (2,805 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 55 | 9,689 |
| Professional Services | 9 | 3,278 |
| Information & Technology | 19 | 1,759 |
| Wholesale Trade | 12 | 1,736 |
| Transportation | 11 | 1,734 |
| Retail | 8 | 802 |
| Finance & Insurance | 5 | 580 |
| Healthcare | 4 | 376 |
| Accommodation & Food | 1 | 270 |
| Mining & Energy | 3 | 204 |
The Manufacturing sector saw the heaviest impact with 9,689 workers across 55 notices. On a related front, Professional Services reported 3,278 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Layoff | 25 | 8,997 |
| Closure | 34 | 4,338 |
Closures accounted for 21% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bethlehem Steel | Sparrows Point, Maryland | 3,470 | Layoff |
| Bethlehem Steel | Bethlehem, Pennsylvania | 2,600 | Layoff |
| Northwest Airlines | Romulus, Michigan | 984 | Layoff |
| Nws Illinois | Chicago, Illinois | 630 | Closure |
| Celestica | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | 450 | |
| Meridian Automotive Systems | Centralia, Illinois | 360 | Closure |
| Cendant (Budget Rent A Car System) | Orlando, Florida | 346 | |
| Backyard & Fun Products | Bedford, Pennsylvania | 300 | Layoff |
| Siemens | Boca Raton, Florida | 300 | |
| Renaissance Hotel Management | Miami, Florida | 270 |
The largest notice was filed by Bethlehem Steel in Sparrows Point, Maryland, reporting 3,470 affected workers. Bethlehem Steel followed with 2,600 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
The trends suggest 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 March 2003. 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.