The US labor market showed continued flux as employers recorded 416 WARN Act notices in February 2009, covering approximately 56,917 workers — marking a decline from January and up 307% versus February 2008. Filings came from 25 states and territories, with an average of 137 workers per notice.
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | 110 | 7,674 |
| New York | 48 | 6,747 |
| Georgia | 24 | 6,539 |
| Idaho | 6 | 4,486 |
| Texas | 37 | 3,667 |
| Indiana | 13 | 3,306 |
| Ohio | 22 | 3,183 |
| Kansas | 13 | 2,865 |
| Florida | 22 | 2,671 |
| Washington | 6 | 2,403 |
| Michigan | 22 | 2,198 |
| Pennsylvania | 9 | 1,811 |
| Louisiana | 4 | 1,573 |
| Alabama | 12 | 1,500 |
| Missouri | 9 | 1,310 |
| New Jersey | 12 | 1,247 |
| Maryland | 9 | 821 |
| Kentucky | 10 | 704 |
| Arizona | 8 | 684 |
| Oklahoma | 8 | 612 |
| Iowa | 7 | 474 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | 270 |
| Utah | 2 | 114 |
| Washington DC | 1 | 57 |
| Delaware | 1 | 1 |
California led the nation with 7,674 workers affected across 110 notices , followed by New York (6,747 workers) and Georgia (6,539 workers) .
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 59 | 6,887 |
| Other | 43 | 6,329 |
| Information & Technology | 11 | 4,987 |
| Healthcare | 12 | 3,835 |
| Retail | 23 | 3,005 |
| Accommodation & Food | 6 | 950 |
| Transportation | 3 | 530 |
| Utilities | 5 | 484 |
| Finance & Insurance | 11 | 351 |
| Education | 2 | 340 |
The Manufacturing sector accounted for the largest share of job cuts with 6,887 workers across 59 notices. At the same time, Other reported 6,329 workers.
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 82 | 13,423 |
| Layoff | 69 | 8,178 |
Closures accounted for 24% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Micron Technology Inc | Boise, Idaho | 2,000 | |
| Micron Technology Inc | Boise, Idaho | 2,000 | |
| Caritas Health Care, Inc. @ St John's Queens Hospital | Elmhurst, New York | 1,542 | Closure |
| Hawker Beechcraft | Wichita, Kansas | 1,500 | |
| Navistar | Indianapolis, Indiana | 1,336 | Closure |
| Pilgrim's Pride | Farmerville, Louisiana | 1,294 | |
| Rheem Manufacturing | Milledgeville, Georgia | 1,200 | |
| Caritas Health Care, Inc. @ Mary Immaculate Hospital | Jamaica, New York | 1,045 | Closure |
| Pilgrim's Pride | Douglas, Georgia | 900 | |
| KV Pharmaceutical | St. Louis, Missouri | 806 | Layoff |
Leading the list was Micron Technology Inc in Boise, Idaho, reporting 2,000 affected workers. Micron Technology Inc followed with 2,000 workers.
The filings reflect 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 February 2009. 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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