The US labor market showed continued flux as employers posted 403 WARN Act notices in September 2015, affecting an estimated 43,746 workers — reflecting a cooling compared to August and up 66% versus September 2014. Filings came from 35 states and territories, with an average of 109 workers per notice.
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | 87 | 9,176 |
| Virginia | 7 | 4,843 |
| New York | 34 | 2,665 |
| Washington | 4 | 2,402 |
| Indiana | 18 | 2,256 |
| Oklahoma | 8 | 2,055 |
| Texas | 37 | 1,748 |
| Florida | 14 | 1,638 |
| Maryland | 10 | 1,438 |
| Colorado | 21 | 1,336 |
| Pennsylvania | 10 | 1,254 |
| Kentucky | 6 | 1,164 |
| Georgia | 12 | 1,156 |
| Illinois | 11 | 1,129 |
| South Carolina | 8 | 998 |
| Oregon | 2 | 832 |
| Michigan | 5 | 803 |
| Mississippi | 3 | 652 |
| Ohio | 10 | 618 |
| Idaho | 6 | 555 |
| New Jersey | 8 | 489 |
| South Dakota | 2 | 482 |
| Louisiana | 6 | 478 |
| Iowa | 3 | 442 |
| North Carolina | 5 | 430 |
| Tennessee | 8 | 430 |
| Maine | 3 | 415 |
| Kansas | 2 | 351 |
| Connecticut | 6 | 330 |
| Utah | 4 | 286 |
| Montana | 2 | 280 |
| Missouri | 2 | 184 |
| Vermont | 7 | 173 |
| Nebraska | 30 | 169 |
| North Dakota | 2 | 89 |
California led the nation with 9,176 workers affected across 87 notices , followed by Virginia (4,843 workers) and New York (2,665 workers) .
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Retail | 11 | 3,594 |
| Manufacturing | 28 | 2,930 |
| Healthcare | 23 | 1,922 |
| Other | 15 | 1,813 |
| Accommodation & Food | 12 | 1,663 |
| Mining & Energy | 9 | 872 |
| Finance & Insurance | 7 | 704 |
| Information & Technology | 12 | 686 |
| Professional Services | 5 | 491 |
| Utilities | 4 | 297 |
The Retail sector saw the heaviest impact with 3,594 workers across 11 notices. On a related front, Manufacturing reported 2,930 workers.
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Layoff | 114 | 12,364 |
| Closure | 73 | 9,052 |
| Temporary Closure | 1 | 610 |
| Temporary Layoff | 1 | 3 |
Closures accounted for 22% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| BAE Systems | Norfolk, Virginia | 1,512 | Layoff |
| BAE Systems | Norfolk, Virginia | 1,512 | |
| Qualcomm Incorporated | San Diego, California | 1,314 | Layoff |
| Qualcomm Incorporated | San Diego, California | 1,314 | Layoff |
| Haggen Food & Pharmacy | Statewide, Washington | 1,073 | Closure |
| Haggen Food & Pharmacy | Statewide, Washington | 1,073 | |
| Sheraton Operating Corporation | Dana Point, California | 610 | Temporary Closure |
| Sheraton Operating Corporation | Dana Point, California | 610 | Closure |
| Chesapeake | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | 559 | |
| Chesapeake | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | 559 |
The largest notice was filed by BAE Systems in Norfolk, Virginia, reporting 1,512 affected workers. BAE Systems followed with 1,512 workers.
The trends suggest 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 September 2015. 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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