The US labor market showed continued flux as employers filed 157 WARN Act notices in August 2008, impacting roughly 17,860 workers — representing a pullback from July and up 30% versus August 2007. Filings came from 18 states and territories, with an average of 114 workers per notice.
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | 14 | 1,968 |
| Florida | 16 | 1,755 |
| Indiana | 11 | 1,607 |
| Texas | 20 | 1,527 |
| Pennsylvania | 10 | 1,443 |
| Washington | 9 | 1,324 |
| Ohio | 13 | 1,269 |
| Michigan | 11 | 1,005 |
| New York | 8 | 957 |
| New Jersey | 9 | 944 |
| Georgia | 11 | 924 |
| Missouri | 3 | 733 |
| Kansas | 4 | 711 |
| Maryland | 5 | 483 |
| Louisiana | 2 | 392 |
| Arizona | 5 | 324 |
| Washington DC | 4 | 295 |
| Iowa | 2 | 199 |
Kentucky led the nation with 1,968 workers affected across 14 notices , followed by Florida (1,755 workers) and Indiana (1,607 workers) .
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Other | 23 | 3,220 |
| Manufacturing | 21 | 2,661 |
| Transportation | 7 | 1,228 |
| Retail | 6 | 724 |
| Wholesale Trade | 1 | 600 |
| Healthcare | 4 | 560 |
| Information & Technology | 5 | 520 |
| Accommodation & Food | 3 | 432 |
| Education | 2 | 203 |
| Professional Services | 1 | 148 |
The Other sector led the way in workforce reductions with 3,220 workers across 23 notices. In a parallel development, Manufacturing reported 2,661 workers.
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 46 | 6,102 |
| Layoff | 29 | 3,409 |
Closures accounted for 34% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Distributors | Kent, Everett, Spokane, Washington | 600 | Closure |
| Superior Industries International, Inc | Pittsburg, Kansas | 600 | |
| TFE Logistics Group | Kentucky | 595 | Layoff |
| TFE Logistics Group | Kentucky | 595 | Layoff |
| Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc | Malvern, Pennsylvania | 500 | Layoff |
| Petit Jean Poultry, Inc | Buffalo, Missouri | 465 | Closure |
| Parsons | Newport, Indiana | 412 | Closure |
| Airserv Corporation | Atlanta, Georgia | 352 | |
| MasterBrand Cabinets, Inc | Richmond, Indiana | 275 | Layoff |
| MASCO Builder Cabinet Group | Ocala, Florida | 260 |
The single largest action involved Alaska Distributors in Kent, Everett, Spokane, Washington, reporting 600 affected workers. Superior Industries International, Inc followed with 600 workers.
The data underscores a mixed picture for the nation's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Other sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in August 2008. 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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