California Layoffs — May 2018

Employers in California submitted 64 WARN Act notices in May 2018, putting at risk an estimated 5,960 workers — down from April and up 19% versus May 2017. The average filing covered 93 workers, with 39 closures among the notices.

Industry Breakdown

The Retail sector emerged as the hardest-hit sector with 953 workers across 2 notices. Separately, Professional Services reported 773 workers.

Geographic Hotspots

Los Angeles was the epicenter of layoff activity, accounting for 24% of all affected workers with 1,453 workers across 15 notices.

Layoff Type Analysis

The high proportion of closures (55% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in California's labor market.

Largest Layoffs

Topping the list was Spartan Shops at its San Jose facility, reporting 881 affected workers. Jt3 followed with 746 workers.

Trend & Outlook

These figures highlight a mixed picture for California's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Retail 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.