Tennessee Layoffs — May 2017
Employers in Tennessee reported 6 WARN Act notices in May 2017, displacing an estimated 780 workers — signaling an acceleration from April and up 650% versus May 2016. The average filing covered 130 workers, with 6 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 4 | 480 |
| Professional Services | 2 | 300 |
The Manufacturing sector topped the list of affected industries with 480 workers across 4 notices. Notably, Professional Services reported 300 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Shelby | 2 | 259 |
| Hamilton | 2 | 221 |
| Montgomery | 1 | 160 |
| Sullivan | 1 | 140 |
Shelby absorbed the greatest share of layoffs, accounting for 33% of all affected workers with 259 workers across 2 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Memphis | 2 | 259 |
| Chattanooga | 2 | 221 |
| Clarksville | 1 | 160 |
| Kingsport | 1 | 140 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 6 | 780 |
The high proportion of closures (100% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in Tennessee's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kellogg's Snacks | Memphis | 172 | Closure | |
| Convergys | Clarksville | 160 | Closure | |
| Day & Zimmermann | Kingsport | 140 | Closure | |
| Burner Systems International | Chattanooga | 136 | Closure | |
| Angelica Textile Services | Memphis | 87 | Closure | |
| Pvh | Chattanooga | 85 | Closure |
The most significant filing came from Kellogg's Snacks at its Memphis facility, reporting 172 affected workers. Convergys followed with 160 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
The numbers illustrate mounting pressure on the Tennessee labor market, with activity running above both recent and year-ago benchmarks. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This analysis is based on official WARN Act filings reported by Tennessee. 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 Tennessee WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.