New York Layoffs — August 2011
Employers in New York filed 21 WARN Act notices in August 2011, impacting roughly 1,978 workers — representing a notable rise over July and down 22% versus August 2010. The average filing covered 94 workers, with 16 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Healthcare | 3 | 931 |
| Manufacturing | 1 | 128 |
| Utilities | 2 | 44 |
The Healthcare sector led the way in workforce reductions with 931 workers across 3 notices. In a parallel development, Manufacturing reported 128 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Queens | 4 | 1,057 |
| Erie | 3 | 212 |
| New York | 2 | 195 |
| Oswego | 1 | 136 |
| Essex | 1 | 87 |
Queens absorbed the greatest share of layoffs, accounting for 53% of all affected workers with 1,057 workers across 4 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Far Rockaway | 1 | 879 |
| New York | 2 | 195 |
| Buffalo | 2 | 179 |
| Long Island City | 3 | 178 |
| Fulton | 1 | 136 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 16 | 1,842 |
| Layoff | 5 | 136 |
The high proportion of closures (93% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in New York's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peninsula Hospital Center | Far Rockaway | 879 | Closure | |
| Pinnacle Foods Group LLC (Previously Birds Eye Foods) | Fulton | 136 | Closure | |
| Contract Pharmaceuticals Limited Niagara (Manufacturing Operations) | Buffalo | 128 | Closure | |
| The Sports Club | New York | 119 | Closure | |
| Lowe's Home Centers | Ticonderoga | 87 | Closure | |
| Family Care Services Meals on Wheels | Long Island City | 77 | Closure | |
| Gleacher & Company Securities Inc. (Equities Division) | New York | 76 | Closure | |
| Prestige 223 East LLC / Prestige Cleaners | Bronx | 75 | Closure | |
| RockTenn | New Hartford | 71 | Closure | |
| Metroclean Express | Long Island City | 59 | Closure | |
| Joseph S. Mattina Community Health Center | Buffalo | 51 | Closure | |
| Time Warner Cable | East Syracuse | 43 | Layoff | |
| Shelter Electric Maintenance | Long Island City | 42 | Closure | |
| Time Warner Cable | Cheektowaga | 33 | Layoff | |
| Time Warner Cable | Rochester | 32 | Layoff |
The single largest action involved Peninsula Hospital Center at its Far Rockaway facility, reporting 879 affected workers. Pinnacle Foods Group LLC (Previously Birds Eye Foods) followed with 136 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
The data underscores a mixed picture for New York's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Healthcare sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This analysis is based on official WARN Act filings reported by New York. 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 New York WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.