New York Layoffs — January 2009
Employers in New York posted 60 WARN Act notices in January 2009, affecting an estimated 4,749 workers — reflecting a cooling compared to December and up 146% versus January 2008. The average filing covered 79 workers, with 48 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Retail | 29 | 2,047 |
| Manufacturing | 6 | 519 |
| Finance & Insurance | 2 | 371 |
| Professional Services | 1 | 274 |
| Healthcare | 2 | 216 |
| Arts & Entertainment | 1 | 204 |
| Wholesale Trade | 1 | 32 |
| Transportation | 1 | 30 |
The Retail sector saw the heaviest impact with 2,047 workers across 29 notices. On a related front, Manufacturing reported 519 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 14 | 1,316 |
| Westchester | 6 | 473 |
| Dutchess | 2 | 324 |
| Onondaga | 1 | 280 |
| Hempstead | 3 | 262 |
New York absorbed the greatest share of layoffs, accounting for 28% of all affected workers with 1,316 workers across 14 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 14 | 1,316 |
| Syracuse | 1 | 280 |
| Hopewell Junction | 1 | 274 |
| Westbury | 2 | 211 |
| Brooklyn | 4 | 207 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 48 | 3,850 |
| Layoff | 12 | 899 |
The high proportion of closures (81% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in New York's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Syracuse China Company a subsidiary of Libbey | Syracuse | 280 | Closure | |
| IBM - Hudson Valley Research Park | Hopewell Junction | 274 | Layoff | |
| Bank of America | New York | 250 | Layoff | |
| Virgin Entertainment Group | New York | 204 | Closure | |
| Precision Valve | Yonkers | 188 | Closure | |
| Taylor Care Center in Westchester Medical Center | Hawthorne | 171 | Closure | |
| TEVA Pharmaceuticals USA | Congers | 155 | Closure | |
| Expo Design Centers (The Home Depot) | Westbury | 138 | Closure | |
| Morgan & Finnegan | New York | 133 | Closure | |
| Circuit City Stores | New York | 124 | Closure | |
| Philadelphia Furniture | Salamanca | 122 | Closure | |
| Expo Design Centers (The Home Depot) | New Rochelle | 122 | Closure | |
| Bank of America | New York | 121 | Layoff | |
| King Kullen Grocery | Staten Island | 118 | Closure | |
| NYSE Alternext USA | New York | 106 | Layoff |
The largest notice was filed by Syracuse China Company a subsidiary of Libbey at its Syracuse facility, reporting 280 affected workers. IBM - Hudson Valley Research Park followed with 274 workers.
Trend & Outlook
The trends suggest a mixed picture for New York's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Retail sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This analysis is based on official WARN Act filings reported by New York. 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 New York WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.