The US labor market showed continued flux as employers reported 84 WARN Act notices in December 2003, displacing an estimated 8,639 workers — signaling a deceleration from November and down 44% versus December 2002. Filings came from 12 states and territories, with an average of 103 workers per notice.
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 15 | 2,083 |
| Florida | 12 | 1,986 |
| Ohio | 9 | 1,481 |
| Kansas | 16 | 713 |
| Pennsylvania | 10 | 631 |
| Maryland | 4 | 550 |
| Alabama | 4 | 474 |
| Michigan | 6 | 250 |
| Georgia | 3 | 197 |
| Vermont | 2 | 133 |
| Oklahoma | 2 | 130 |
| Minnesota | 1 | 11 |
Texas led the nation with 2,083 workers affected across 15 notices , followed by Florida (1,986 workers) and Ohio (1,481 workers) .
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 13 | 1,448 |
| Information & Technology | 8 | 1,324 |
| Other | 4 | 550 |
| Healthcare | 2 | 474 |
| Retail | 2 | 267 |
| Finance & Insurance | 2 | 199 |
| Transportation | 2 | 160 |
| Government | 1 | 123 |
| Mining & Energy | 1 | 91 |
| Agriculture | 1 | 40 |
The Manufacturing sector topped the list of affected industries with 1,448 workers across 13 notices. Notably, Information & Technology reported 1,324 workers.
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 19 | 1,300 |
| Layoff | 13 | 605 |
Closures accounted for 15% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abitibi | Lufkin, Texas | 580 | |
| Mediacopy | El Paso, Texas | 562 | |
| Deaconess Hospital, LLC | Cleveland, Ohio | 396 | |
| Cendant (Budget Rent A Car System) | Orlando, Florida | 346 | |
| Raytheon | Wichita, Kansas | 296 | |
| Vistakon | Jacksonville, Florida | 279 | |
| Cordis | Miami, Florida | 265 | |
| Electronic Data Systems Corporation - Austin | Austin, Texas | 242 | |
| Williamsport Wirerope Works | Williamsport, Pennsylvania | 215 | Layoff |
| Pasco Beverage Company | Dade City, Florida | 201 |
The most significant filing came from Abitibi in Lufkin, Texas, reporting 580 affected workers. Mediacopy followed with 562 workers.
The numbers illustrate 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 December 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.
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