The US labor market showed signs of rising strain as employers submitted 308 WARN Act notices in January 2010, putting at risk an estimated 22,506 workers — up substantially from December and down 62% versus January 2009. Filings came from 24 states and territories, with an average of 73 workers per notice.
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | 110 | 4,826 |
| Iowa | 5 | 2,024 |
| Pennsylvania | 9 | 1,737 |
| Georgia | 15 | 1,715 |
| New York | 23 | 1,568 |
| Kentucky | 18 | 1,556 |
| Florida | 14 | 1,238 |
| Michigan | 9 | 956 |
| Oklahoma | 6 | 916 |
| Alabama | 4 | 822 |
| Ohio | 11 | 812 |
| Texas | 35 | 704 |
| Idaho | 6 | 644 |
| New Jersey | 10 | 578 |
| Maryland | 4 | 571 |
| Utah | 4 | 520 |
| Louisiana | 2 | 377 |
| Indiana | 4 | 256 |
| Washington | 6 | 192 |
| Kansas | 8 | 183 |
| Missouri | 1 | 107 |
| New Hampshire | 2 | 105 |
| Washington DC | 1 | 91 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | 8 |
California led the nation with 4,826 workers affected across 110 notices , followed by Iowa (2,024 workers) and Pennsylvania (1,737 workers) .
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Retail | 14 | 1,228 |
| Other | 19 | 1,114 |
| Information & Technology | 10 | 988 |
| Manufacturing | 20 | 926 |
| Accommodation & Food | 9 | 865 |
| Finance & Insurance | 7 | 674 |
| Education | 7 | 572 |
| Healthcare | 7 | 357 |
| Transportation | 3 | 306 |
| Utilities | 4 | 269 |
The Retail sector emerged as the hardest-hit sector with 1,228 workers across 14 notices. Separately, Other reported 1,114 workers.
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 50 | 6,583 |
| Layoff | 38 | 3,305 |
Closures accounted for 29% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Morrell | Sioux City, Iowa | 1,450 | Closure |
| Tyson Foods, Inc | Council Bluffs, Iowa | 480 | Layoff |
| Pfizer Inc (Chester Co) | Collegeville, Pennsylvania | 450 | Layoff |
| DISH Network | McKeesport, Pennsylvania | 449 | Closure |
| ARAMARK Management Services University of Maryland Medical System | Maryland | 411 | Closure |
| New Era Cap, Demopolis | Demopolis, Alabama | 351 | Closure |
| Service America Corp. Dba Centerplate'S | San Jose, California | 342 | |
| Accent Marketing Services, LLC | Monroe, Louisiana | 342 | |
| 236 Wendell Ford Blvd. Erlanger, KY 41018 | Kentucky | 303 | Layoff |
| ASTAR Air Cargo | Kentucky | 303 | Layoff |
Topping the list was John Morrell in Sioux City, Iowa, reporting 1,450 affected workers. Tyson Foods, Inc followed with 480 workers.
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
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 January 2010. 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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