Washington Layoffs — October 2009
Employers in Washington filed 5 WARN Act notices in October 2009, impacting roughly 436 workers — representing a notable rise over September and down 67% versus October 2008. The average filing covered 87 workers, with 3 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 3 | 205 |
| Information & Technology | 1 | 171 |
| Finance & Insurance | 1 | 60 |
The Manufacturing sector led the way in workforce reductions with 205 workers across 3 notices. In a parallel development, Information & Technology reported 171 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| King | 4 | 265 |
| Pierce | 1 | 171 |
King absorbed the greatest share of layoffs, accounting for 61% of all affected workers with 265 workers across 4 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Tacoma | 1 | 171 |
| Auburn | 1 | 104 |
| Seattle | 2 | 101 |
| Kirkland | 1 | 60 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 3 | 335 |
| Layoff | 2 | 101 |
The high proportion of closures (77% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in Washington's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expedia | Tacoma | 171 | Closure | |
| Brandrud | Auburn | 104 | Closure | |
| Wells Fargo Mortgage | Kirkland | 60 | Closure | |
| Boeing | Seattle | 53 | Layoff | |
| Boeing | Seattle | 48 | Layoff |
The single largest action involved Expedia at its Tacoma facility, reporting 171 affected workers. Brandrud followed with 104 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
The data underscores a mixed picture for Washington'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 Washington. 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 Washington WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.