Michigan Layoffs — March 2004
Employers in Michigan submitted 10 WARN Act notices in March 2004, putting at risk an estimated 1,365 workers — up substantially from February and down 27% versus March 2003. The average filing covered 136 workers, with 7 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 7 | 1,107 |
| Agriculture | 1 | 129 |
| Finance & Insurance | 1 | 84 |
| Healthcare | 1 | 45 |
The Manufacturing sector emerged as the hardest-hit sector with 1,107 workers across 7 notices. Separately, Agriculture reported 129 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Macomb | 3 | 518 |
| Oakland | 1 | 326 |
| Saint Clair | 1 | 210 |
| Ingham | 1 | 129 |
| Genesee | 2 | 87 |
Macomb was the epicenter of layoff activity, accounting for 38% of all affected workers with 518 workers across 3 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Auburn Hills | 1 | 326 |
| Sterling Heights | 1 | 245 |
| Port Huron | 1 | 210 |
| New Baltimore | 1 | 179 |
| Lansing | 1 | 129 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 7 | 981 |
| Layoff | 3 | 384 |
The high proportion of closures (72% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in Michigan's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lear | Auburn Hills | 326 | Closure | |
| Collins & Aikman | Sterling Heights | 245 | Layoff | |
| Takata Petri | Port Huron | 210 | Closure | |
| Veltri Metal Products | New Baltimore | 179 | Closure | |
| Melody Farms | Lansing | 129 | Closure | |
| TRW Automotive | Sterling Hts | 94 | Layoff | |
| Bank One | Grand Blanc | 84 | Closure | |
| Lear | Walker | 50 | Closure | |
| Kindred Hospital | Detroit | 45 | Layoff | |
| General Motors Acceptance | Flint | 3 | Closure |
Topping the list was Lear at its Auburn Hills facility, reporting 326 affected workers. Collins & Aikman followed with 245 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
These figures highlight a mixed picture for Michigan'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 Michigan. 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 Michigan WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.