California Layoffs — August 2017

Employers in California recorded 92 WARN Act notices in August 2017, covering approximately 3,754 workers — marking a sharp increase from July and down 61% versus August 2016. The average filing covered 41 workers, with 29 closures among the notices.

92
Notices Filed
3,754
Workers Affected
41
Avg per Notice
29
Closures

Industry Breakdown

IndustryNoticesWorkers
Information & Technology5235
Utilities380
Retail273
Healthcare472
Manufacturing260
Education250
Mining & Energy425
Finance & Insurance44

The Information & Technology sector accounted for the largest share of job cuts with 235 workers across 5 notices. At the same time, Utilities reported 80 workers.

Geographic Hotspots

CountyNoticesWorkers
Los Angeles171,400
Santa Cruz1402
San Mateo1260
Ventura3247
Santa Clara5226

Los Angeles absorbed the greatest share of layoffs, accounting for 37% of all affected workers with 1,400 workers across 17 notices.

CityNoticesWorkers
Hacienda1402
Watsonville1402
San Francisco1260
El Segundo2215
Oxnard2214

Layoff Type Analysis

TypeNoticesWorkers
Closure292,495
Layoff161,259

The high proportion of closures (66% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in California's labor market.

Largest Layoffs

CompanyCityWorkersTypeDate
Quest Nutrition, LLCHacienda402Closure2017-08-11
Dole Food Company, IncWatsonville402Closure2017-08-29
Menzies AviationSan Francisco260Layoff2017-08-15
BrindersonEl Segundo204Closure2017-08-15
Dole Food Company, Inc. (Dole BerryOxnard172Closure2017-08-08
MSE Technologies LLCVan Nuys155Layoff2017-08-17
SolarCity CorporationRoseville141Layoff2017-08-31
Ryder Systems, IncStockton140Layoff2017-08-10
Quest Nutrition, LLCWalnut122Closure2017-08-11
Irwin Industries, Inc. (AECOM)Long Beach120Closure2017-08-09
Daiso California LLCHayward98Closure2017-08-22
Brocade Communications Systems, IncSan Jose96Layoff2017-08-14
Euromotors Concord Inc. dba Audi ConcordConcord83Closure2017-08-23
Jacobs Technology IncEdwards80Closure2017-08-03
Natco Pregra, IncStanton79Closure2017-08-25

Leading the list was Quest Nutrition, LLC at its Hacienda facility, reporting 402 affected workers. Dole Food Company, Inc followed with 402 workers.

Trend & Outlook

After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.

The filings reflect a mixed picture for California's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Information & Technology sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.

This analysis is based on official WARN Act filings reported by California. 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 California WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.

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