Pennsylvania Layoffs — February 2019
Employers in Pennsylvania submitted 10 WARN Act notices in February 2019, putting at risk an estimated 961 workers — down from January and up 20% versus February 2018. The average filing covered 96 workers, with 6 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation | 1 | 450 |
| Manufacturing | 6 | 230 |
| Professional Services | 1 | 124 |
| Healthcare | 1 | 100 |
| Wholesale Trade | 1 | 57 |
The Transportation sector emerged as the hardest-hit sector with 450 workers across 1 notice. Separately, Manufacturing reported 230 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Carbon | 1 | 450 |
| Chester | 2 | 139 |
| Erie | 1 | 124 |
| Cambria | 1 | 100 |
| Berks | 2 | 73 |
Carbon felt the sharpest impact, accounting for 47% of all affected workers with 450 workers across 1 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Lehighton | 1 | 450 |
| Chestersbrook | 1 | 137 |
| Erie | 1 | 124 |
| Johnstown | 1 | 100 |
| Reading | 2 | 73 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 6 | 664 |
| Layoff | 4 | 297 |
The high proportion of closures (69% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in Pennsylvania's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New England Motor Freight | Lehighton | 450 | Closure | |
| Synergy Pharmaceuticals | Chestersbrook | 137 | Closure | |
| Y&Y HoldingsLLC, DBA Agility Marketing Group and Agility Business Process Solutions | Erie | 124 | Layoff | |
| Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center | Johnstown | 100 | Layoff | |
| Arrow International Incorporated/Teleflex | Reading | 59 | Layoff | |
| Emery Waterhouse | Pittston | 57 | Closure | |
| Arrow International Incorporated/Teleflex | Reading | 14 | Layoff | |
| Harbison Walker International, Sproul Plant | Claysburg | 14 | Closure | |
| The Robert Allen Duralee Group | Philadelphia | 4 | Closure | |
| Johnson & Johnson | West Chester | 2 | Closure |
Topping the list was New England Motor Freight at its Lehighton facility, reporting 450 affected workers. Synergy Pharmaceuticals followed with 137 workers.
Trend & Outlook
These figures highlight a mixed picture for Pennsylvania's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Transportation sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This analysis is based on official WARN Act filings reported by Pennsylvania. 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 Pennsylvania WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.