US Layoffs — January 2007

The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers submitted 138 WARN Act notices in January 2007, putting at risk an estimated 15,503 workers — up substantially from December and down 32% versus January 2006. Filings came from 19 states and territories, with an average of 112 workers per notice.

Top States by Workers Affected

Texas led the nation with 2,391 workers affected across 19 notices , followed by New Jersey (1,883 workers) and Michigan (1,360 workers) .

Industry Breakdown

The Manufacturing sector emerged as the hardest-hit sector with 7,535 workers across 61 notices. Separately, Finance & Insurance reported 1,411 workers.

Layoff Type Analysis

Closures accounted for 38% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.

Largest Layoffs

Topping the list was Collins & Aikman in Port Huron, Michigan, reporting 515 affected workers. Johnson & Johnson followed with 512 workers.

Trend & Outlook

After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.

These figures highlight a mixed picture for the nation's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.

This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in January 2007. 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, which also tracks SEC 8-K filings, bankruptcy proceedings, H-1B visa petitions, and unemployment claims across all six datasets. API access and data exports available.