Iowa Layoffs — February 2009
Employers in Iowa filed 5 WARN Act notices in February 2009, impacting roughly 474 workers — representing a pullback from January and up 52% versus February 2008. The average filing covered 95 workers, with 3 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 3 | 299 |
| Information & Technology | 1 | 99 |
| Professional Services | 1 | 76 |
The Manufacturing sector led the way in workforce reductions with 299 workers across 3 notices. In a parallel development, Information & Technology reported 99 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Fayette | 1 | 125 |
| Hardin | 1 | 109 |
| Polk | 1 | 99 |
| Linn | 1 | 76 |
| Henry | 1 | 65 |
Fayette was the epicenter of layoff activity, accounting for 26% of all affected workers with 125 workers across 1 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| West Union | 1 | 125 |
| Iowa Falls | 1 | 109 |
| Des Moines | 1 | 99 |
| Marion | 1 | 76 |
| Mount Pleasant | 1 | 65 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 3 | 300 |
| Layoff | 2 | 174 |
The high proportion of closures (63% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in Iowa's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atwood Mobile Products | West Union | 125 | Closure | |
| CMC Joist & Deck | Iowa Falls | 109 | Layoff | |
| Anderson Services | Des Moines | 99 | Closure | |
| Frank N. Magid Associates | Marion | 76 | Closure | |
| Pacon | Mount Pleasant | 65 | Layoff |
The single largest action involved Atwood Mobile Products at its West Union facility, reporting 125 affected workers. CMC Joist & Deck followed with 109 workers.
Trend & Outlook
The data underscores a mixed picture for Iowa's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This analysis is based on official WARN Act filings reported by Iowa. 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 Iowa WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.