US Layoffs — April 2012

The US labor market showed continued flux as employers filed 244 WARN Act notices in April 2012, impacting roughly 24,215 workers — representing a pullback from March and up 17% versus April 2011. Filings came from 28 states and territories, with an average of 99 workers per notice.

Top States by Workers Affected

California led the nation with 3,502 workers affected across 44 notices , followed by New Jersey (2,802 workers) and Florida (1,978 workers) .

Industry Breakdown

The Manufacturing sector led the way in workforce reductions with 7,209 workers across 83 notices. In a parallel development, Retail reported 3,922 workers.

Layoff Type Analysis

Closures accounted for 31% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.

Largest Layoffs

The single largest action involved Novartis Pharmaceuticals in East Hanover, New Jersey, reporting 1,380 affected workers. Centerplate followed with 643 workers.

Trend & Outlook

The data underscores a mixed picture for the nation's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.

This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in April 2012. 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, which also tracks SEC 8-K filings, bankruptcy proceedings, H-1B visa petitions, and unemployment claims across all six datasets. API access and data exports available.