The US labor market showed continued flux as employers recorded 418 WARN Act notices in December 2017, covering approximately 27,240 workers — marking a decline from November and down 31% versus December 2016. Filings came from 31 states and territories, with an average of 65 workers per notice.
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 35 | 8,306 |
| California | 80 | 3,013 |
| New York | 42 | 2,175 |
| Kentucky | 12 | 1,326 |
| New Jersey | 12 | 1,145 |
| Ohio | 15 | 1,076 |
| Florida | 17 | 1,039 |
| Georgia | 15 | 831 |
| Louisiana | 6 | 796 |
| Virginia | 8 | 682 |
| Indiana | 15 | 670 |
| Oregon | 5 | 644 |
| Nebraska | 47 | 611 |
| Connecticut | 7 | 570 |
| Missouri | 12 | 566 |
| Tennessee | 8 | 542 |
| Pennsylvania | 6 | 509 |
| Maine | 18 | 456 |
| Colorado | 16 | 454 |
| Utah | 3 | 390 |
| Wisconsin | 6 | 290 |
| Illinois | 9 | 266 |
| Iowa | 6 | 178 |
| Kansas | 4 | 156 |
| North Carolina | 2 | 140 |
| Michigan | 3 | 122 |
| Oklahoma | 2 | 98 |
| Minnesota | 2 | 93 |
| Washington | 2 | 65 |
| South Carolina | 2 | 22 |
| West Virginia | 1 | 9 |
Texas led the nation with 8,306 workers affected across 35 notices , followed by California (3,013 workers) and New York (2,175 workers) .
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Education | 9 | 5,041 |
| Healthcare | 43 | 4,266 |
| Other | 12 | 1,224 |
| Manufacturing | 14 | 679 |
| Transportation | 10 | 662 |
| Retail | 9 | 647 |
| Mining & Energy | 7 | 543 |
| Finance & Insurance | 10 | 483 |
| Information & Technology | 13 | 473 |
| Professional Services | 5 | 315 |
The Education sector accounted for the largest share of job cuts with 5,041 workers across 9 notices. At the same time, Healthcare reported 4,266 workers.
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 73 | 5,487 |
| Layoff | 37 | 1,850 |
Closures accounted for 20% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas County Schools | Dallas, Texas | 2,456 | |
| Dallas County Schools | Dallas, Texas | 2,456 | |
| Baylor Scott & White Medical Center | Dallas, Texas | 711 | |
| Baylor Scott & White Medical Center | Dallas, Texas | 711 | |
| Shiel Holdings, LLC | Rockleigh, New Jersey | 538 | |
| Hopkins County Coal Madisonville Office | Kentucky | 427 | Closure |
| Hopkins County Coal Madisonville Office | Hopkins, Kentucky | 427 | |
| NIKE, Inc. (Niketown Midtown) | New York, New York | 357 | Closure |
| Union Metal Corporation | Canton, Ohio | 339 | |
| Union Metal Corporation | Canton/Stark, Ohio | 339 |
Leading the list was Dallas County Schools in Dallas, Texas, reporting 2,456 affected workers. Dallas County Schools followed with 2,456 workers.
The filings reflect a easing in workforce disruptions across the nation, with filings falling below both recent and year-ago levels. The Education sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in December 2017. 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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