The US labor market showed continued flux as employers recorded 88 WARN Act notices in August 2003, covering approximately 9,989 workers — marking a decline from July and down 46% versus August 2002. Filings came from 10 states and territories, with an average of 114 workers per notice.
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 15 | 1,993 |
| Pennsylvania | 25 | 1,522 |
| Florida | 8 | 1,279 |
| Ohio | 7 | 1,233 |
| Georgia | 10 | 1,178 |
| Alabama | 3 | 824 |
| Michigan | 5 | 574 |
| Kansas | 10 | 572 |
| Oklahoma | 2 | 492 |
| Maryland | 3 | 322 |
Texas led the nation with 1,993 workers affected across 15 notices , followed by Pennsylvania (1,522 workers) and Florida (1,279 workers) .
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 7 | 1,175 |
| Retail | 5 | 1,005 |
| Utilities | 1 | 686 |
| Finance & Insurance | 3 | 356 |
| Transportation | 2 | 324 |
| Other | 3 | 322 |
| Healthcare | 2 | 165 |
| Information & Technology | 1 | 68 |
| Government | 1 | 16 |
The Manufacturing sector accounted for the largest share of job cuts with 1,175 workers across 7 notices. At the same time, Retail reported 1,005 workers.
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 17 | 1,923 |
| Layoff | 24 | 1,319 |
Closures accounted for 19% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bechtel Power Corporation | Decatur, Alabama | 686 | Closure |
| Boeing Aerospace Operations, Inc | Kingsville, Texas | 450 | |
| Ormet Primary Aluminum Corporation | Hannibal, Ohio | 399 | |
| Publix Direct | Pompano Beach, Florida | 381 | |
| Wellington Home Products, Inc | Madison, Georgia | 323 | |
| Cessna | Wichita, Kansas | 300 | |
| Coach USA | Miami, Florida | 290 | |
| Metaldyne | Bedford Heights, Ohio | 254 | |
| VF Jeanswear (Wrangler) | Ada, Oklahoma | 246 | |
| VF Jeanswear (Wrangler) | Ada, Oklahoma | 246 |
Leading the list was Bechtel Power Corporation in Decatur, Alabama, reporting 686 affected workers. Boeing Aerospace Operations, Inc followed with 450 workers.
The filings reflect 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 August 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. Download the full dataset or explore state-by-state data.
Get weekly layoff reports in your inbox
Free weekly digest of WARN Act filings and analysis.
