The US labor market showed continued flux as employers logged 107 WARN Act notices in May 2005, involving roughly 9,706 workers — falling below April and up 16% versus May 2004. Filings came from 14 states and territories, with an average of 91 workers per notice.
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | 12 | 1,523 |
| Georgia | 17 | 1,250 |
| Pennsylvania | 16 | 1,077 |
| Washington | 8 | 1,020 |
| Florida | 7 | 938 |
| Ohio | 4 | 916 |
| Oklahoma | 2 | 794 |
| Texas | 10 | 789 |
| Michigan | 5 | 373 |
| Maryland | 5 | 292 |
| Alabama | 4 | 227 |
| Washington DC | 4 | 219 |
| Kansas | 12 | 150 |
| Vermont | 1 | 138 |
New Jersey led the nation with 1,523 workers affected across 12 notices , followed by Georgia (1,250 workers) and Pennsylvania (1,077 workers) .
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation | 4 | 958 |
| Finance & Insurance | 2 | 635 |
| Accommodation & Food | 3 | 469 |
| Healthcare | 3 | 325 |
| Other | 4 | 285 |
| Information & Technology | 6 | 281 |
| Arts & Entertainment | 1 | 230 |
| Education | 3 | 223 |
| Professional Services | 4 | 200 |
| Admin & Support Services | 1 | 155 |
The Transportation sector dominated layoff filings with 958 workers across 4 notices. Meanwhile, Finance & Insurance reported 635 workers.
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 27 | 2,083 |
| Layoff | 21 | 1,125 |
Closures accounted for 21% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charter One Financial | Cleveland, Ohio | 632 | |
| Alaska Airlines | Seattle, Washington | 477 | Layoff |
| Kellogg's Keebler Company Macon Bakery | Macon, Georgia | 402 | |
| Corrections Corporation of America | Tulsa, Oklahoma | 397 | |
| Corrections Corporation of America | Tulsa, Oklahoma | 397 | |
| Tuscan | Union, New Jersey | 388 | |
| Biovail Pharm | Bridgewater, New Jersey | 340 | |
| Aircraft Service International Group | Miami, Florida | 318 | |
| Pinnacle Foods Group Inc | Erie, Pennsylvania | 290 | Closure |
| Thomas Care Center | Houston, Texas | 253 |
The biggest impact was at Charter One Financial in Cleveland, Ohio, reporting 632 affected workers. Alaska Airlines followed with 477 workers.
This is the third consecutive month of declining layoff activity.
This data points to a mixed picture for the nation's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Transportation sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in May 2005. 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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