The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers submitted 262 WARN Act notices in November 2009, putting at risk an estimated 25,964 workers — up substantially from October and down 37% versus November 2008. Filings came from 25 states and territories, with an average of 99 workers per notice.
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 22 | 5,278 |
| California | 83 | 4,352 |
| Pennsylvania | 15 | 2,849 |
| Ohio | 13 | 2,207 |
| Texas | 27 | 1,571 |
| Georgia | 16 | 1,274 |
| Michigan | 7 | 1,159 |
| Kentucky | 14 | 1,132 |
| Missouri | 6 | 974 |
| New Jersey | 8 | 905 |
| Florida | 11 | 807 |
| Arizona | 6 | 606 |
| Indiana | 5 | 552 |
| Delaware | 1 | 550 |
| Louisiana | 5 | 384 |
| Alabama | 1 | 320 |
| Rhode Island | 4 | 292 |
| Utah | 2 | 142 |
| Maryland | 3 | 135 |
| Washington | 4 | 135 |
| Iowa | 2 | 109 |
| Vermont | 1 | 84 |
| Kansas | 2 | 77 |
| Oklahoma | 2 | 68 |
| Idaho | 2 | 2 |
New York led the nation with 5,278 workers affected across 22 notices , followed by California (4,352 workers) and Pennsylvania (2,849 workers) .
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Retail | 8 | 4,714 |
| Manufacturing | 27 | 2,333 |
| Transportation | 7 | 1,983 |
| Other | 22 | 1,755 |
| Accommodation & Food | 7 | 1,133 |
| Healthcare | 4 | 712 |
| Information & Technology | 9 | 670 |
| Finance & Insurance | 16 | 444 |
| Admin & Support Services | 3 | 210 |
| Construction | 2 | 148 |
The Retail sector emerged as the hardest-hit sector with 4,714 workers across 8 notices. Separately, Manufacturing reported 2,333 workers.
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 45 | 9,481 |
| Layoff | 38 | 3,454 |
Closures accounted for 37% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Penn Traffic Company/P&C Quality Stores/Warehouses | Syracuse, New York | 4,142 | Closure |
| The Penn Traffic Company Bi-Lo Quality, P&C Stores and Distribution Centers | New York, Pennsylvania | 1,441 | Closure |
| Pfizer | Chesterfield, Missouri | 675 | Layoff |
| Bae Systems San Diego Ship Repair | San Diego, California | 621 | |
| Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company | Sunnyvale, California | 568 | |
| Konocti Harbor Resort & Spa | Kelseyville, California | 559 | |
| Valero Delaware City Refinery | Delaware City, Delaware | 550 | |
| NetJets Aviation, Inc | Columbus, Ohio | 466 | |
| GM Manufacturing Mansfield | Mansfield, Ohio | 413 | |
| AEES Automotive Engineered Plastic Components | Mattawan, Michigan | 372 | Closure |
Topping the list was The Penn Traffic Company/P&C Quality Stores/Warehouses in Syracuse, New York, reporting 4,142 affected workers. The Penn Traffic Company Bi-Lo Quality, P&C Stores and Distribution Centers followed with 1,441 workers.
This marks the third consecutive month of rising layoff activity.
These figures highlight a mixed picture for the nation's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Retail sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in November 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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