Virginia Layoffs — December 2011
Employers in Virginia recorded 5 WARN Act notices in December 2011, covering approximately 289 workers — marking a sharp increase from November and down 65% versus December 2010. The average filing covered 58 workers, with 4 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 2 | 95 |
| Information & Technology | 1 | 70 |
| Accommodation & Food | 1 | 67 |
| Wholesale Trade | 1 | 57 |
The Manufacturing sector accounted for the largest share of job cuts with 95 workers across 2 notices. At the same time, Information & Technology reported 70 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Chesterfield | 1 | 70 |
| Norfolk City | 1 | 67 |
| Chesapeake City | 1 | 64 |
| Westmoreland | 1 | 57 |
| Newport News City | 1 | 31 |
Chesterfield was the epicenter of layoff activity, accounting for 24% of all affected workers with 70 workers across 1 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Richmond | 1 | 70 |
| Norfolk | 1 | 67 |
| Chesapeake | 1 | 64 |
| Kinsale | 1 | 57 |
| Newport News | 1 | 31 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 4 | 219 |
| Layoff | 1 | 70 |
The high proportion of closures (76% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in Virginia's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windstream Communications | Richmond | 70 | Layoff | |
| Aramark | Norfolk | 67 | Closure | |
| Pitney Bowes | Chesapeake | 64 | Closure | |
| Potomac Supply | Kinsale | 57 | Closure | |
| Muller Martini Manufacturing | Newport News | 31 | Closure |
Leading the list was Windstream Communications at its Richmond facility, reporting 70 affected workers. Aramark followed with 67 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
The filings reflect a mixed picture for Virginia'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 Virginia. 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 Virginia WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.