Michigan Layoffs — October 2004
Employers in Michigan reported 4 WARN Act notices in October 2004, displacing an estimated 751 workers — signaling a deceleration from September and up 11% versus October 2003. The average filing covered 188 workers, with 2 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 3 | 381 |
| Finance & Insurance | 1 | 370 |
The Manufacturing sector topped the list of affected industries with 381 workers across 3 notices. Notably, Finance & Insurance reported 370 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Oakland | 2 | 441 |
| Ottawa | 1 | 160 |
| Montcalm | 1 | 150 |
Oakland saw the most concentrated activity, accounting for 59% of all affected workers with 441 workers across 2 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Southfield | 1 | 370 |
| Holland | 1 | 160 |
| Greenville | 1 | 150 |
| Troy | 1 | 71 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Layoff | 2 | 530 |
| Closure | 2 | 221 |
Closures accounted for 29% of affected workers, while the majority of filings were layoffs rather than permanent shutdowns.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Life Insurance Comp | Southfield | 370 | Layoff | |
| Hydro Automotive Systems | Holland | 160 | Layoff | |
| Straits Steel & Wire | Greenville | 150 | Closure | |
| Magna / Cosma Body & Chassis | Troy | 71 | Closure |
The most significant filing came from Metropolitan Life Insurance Comp at its Southfield facility, reporting 370 affected workers. Hydro Automotive Systems followed with 160 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This is the third consecutive month of declining layoff activity.
The numbers illustrate 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.