US Layoffs — September 2009

The US labor market showed continued flux as employers posted 235 WARN Act notices in September 2009, affecting an estimated 16,296 workers — reflecting a cooling compared to August and down 27% versus September 2008. Filings came from 23 states and territories, with an average of 69 workers per notice.

Top States by Workers Affected

California led the nation with 3,355 workers affected across 91 notices , followed by Pennsylvania (2,506 workers) and New York (2,264 workers) .

Industry Breakdown

The Manufacturing sector saw the heaviest impact with 5,215 workers across 74 notices. On a related front, Utilities reported 2,121 workers.

Layoff Type Analysis

Closures accounted for 30% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.

Largest Layoffs

The largest notice was filed by General Electric in Erie, Pennsylvania, reporting 1,450 affected workers. Lear Siegler Services, Inc - Sheppard AFB followed with 496 workers.

Trend & Outlook

The trends suggest a easing in workforce disruptions across the nation, with filings falling below both recent and year-ago levels. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.

This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in September 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.