West Virginia Layoffs — August 2018
Employers in West Virginia submitted 3 WARN Act notices in August 2018, putting at risk an estimated 426 workers — down from July and up 132% versus August 2017. The average filing covered 142 workers, with 2 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Mining & Energy | 2 | 368 |
| Retail | 1 | 58 |
The Mining & Energy sector emerged as the hardest-hit sector with 368 workers across 2 notices. Separately, Retail reported 58 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | 1 | 359 |
| Fayette | 1 | 58 |
| Webster | 1 | 9 |
Wyoming felt the sharpest impact, accounting for 84% of all affected workers with 359 workers across 1 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Pineville | 1 | 359 |
| Smithers | 1 | 58 |
| Cowen | 1 | 9 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 2 | 417 |
| Layoff | 1 | 9 |
The high proportion of closures (98% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in West Virginia's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mission Coal Company Pinnacle Mine Complex | Pineville | 359 | Closure | |
| Kroger Store #669 | Smithers | 58 | Closure | |
| Arch Coal Eastern Complex | Cowen | 9 | Layoff |
Topping the list was Mission Coal Company Pinnacle Mine Complex at its Pineville facility, reporting 359 affected workers. Kroger Store #669 followed with 58 workers.
Trend & Outlook
These figures highlight a mixed picture for West Virginia's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Mining & Energy sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This analysis is based on official WARN Act filings reported by West Virginia. 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 West Virginia WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.