US Layoffs — March 2009
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers posted 666 WARN Act notices in March 2009, affecting an estimated 52,476 workers — reflecting a cooling compared to February and up 161% versus March 2008. Filings came from 25 states and territories, with an average of 79 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | 226 | 12,760 |
| New York | 74 | 5,558 |
| Ohio | 28 | 5,336 |
| Texas | 66 | 3,985 |
| Indiana | 23 | 3,166 |
| Florida | 36 | 2,915 |
| Alabama | 40 | 2,646 |
| Michigan | 18 | 2,133 |
| New Jersey | 16 | 1,942 |
| Georgia | 17 | 1,888 |
| Pennsylvania | 20 | 1,681 |
| Illinois | 16 | 1,632 |
| Oklahoma | 6 | 1,180 |
| Maryland | 15 | 1,094 |
| Louisiana | 9 | 1,035 |
| Washington | 6 | 898 |
| Kentucky | 7 | 614 |
| Iowa | 7 | 567 |
| Arizona | 4 | 376 |
| Rhode Island | 5 | 333 |
| Missouri | 4 | 293 |
| Delaware | 8 | 167 |
| Utah | 3 | 166 |
| Idaho | 4 | 111 |
| Kansas | 8 | 0 |
California led the nation with 12,760 workers affected across 226 notices , followed by New York (5,558 workers) and Ohio (5,336 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 234 | 21,281 |
| Retail | 112 | 9,250 |
| Finance & Insurance | 65 | 4,602 |
| Information & Technology | 86 | 4,337 |
| Healthcare | 31 | 3,194 |
| Transportation | 33 | 2,374 |
| Accommodation & Food | 7 | 1,432 |
| Professional Services | 28 | 1,291 |
| Construction | 11 | 805 |
| Government | 4 | 738 |
The Manufacturing sector saw the heaviest impact with 21,281 workers across 234 notices. On a related front, Retail reported 9,250 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 121 | 10,957 |
| Layoff | 96 | 6,161 |
| Temporary Layoff | 3 | 331 |
Closures accounted for 21% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| ArcelorMittal | Cleveland, Ohio | 1,240 | |
| Boeing | Seattle, Washington | 710 | Layoff |
| Jpmorgan Chase Bank (Jpmorgan Chase & Co.) | Pleasanton, California | 654 | |
| Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Optical Lab | Lockbourne, Ohio | 646 | |
| Tyson Foods | Ponca City, Oklahoma | 606 | |
| Technicolor Video Services of Michigan | Detroit, Michigan | 563 | Layoff |
| Monaco Coach | Wakarusa, Indiana | 515 | |
| Amsterdam Memorial Hospital | Amsterdam, New York | 495 | Closure |
| American Steamship | Williamsville, New York | 493 | Layoff |
| Macy's East (Central Headquarters) | New York, New York | 450 | Layoff |
The largest notice was filed by ArcelorMittal in Cleveland, Ohio, reporting 1,240 affected workers. Boeing followed with 710 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This is the third consecutive month of declining layoff activity.
The trends suggest 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 March 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, 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.