Virginia Layoffs — February 2019
Employers in Virginia reported 5 WARN Act notices in February 2019, displacing an estimated 310 workers — signaling a deceleration from January and up 36% versus February 2018. The average filing covered 62 workers, with 2 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Retail | 2 | 166 |
| Professional Services | 1 | 96 |
| Finance & Insurance | 1 | 46 |
| Manufacturing | 1 | 2 |
The Retail sector topped the list of affected industries with 166 workers across 2 notices. Notably, Professional Services reported 96 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Norfolk City | 1 | 96 |
| Chesterfield | 2 | 96 |
| Virginia Beach City | 1 | 72 |
| Loudoun | 1 | 46 |
Norfolk City was the epicenter of layoff activity, accounting for 31% of all affected workers with 96 workers across 1 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Norfolk | 1 | 96 |
| Chesterfield | 1 | 94 |
| Virginia Beach | 1 | 72 |
| Leesburg | 1 | 46 |
| Richmond and Midlothian | 1 | 2 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 2 | 166 |
| Layoff | 3 | 144 |
The high proportion of closures (54% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in Virginia's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aecom | Norfolk | 96 | Layoff | |
| Walmart | Chesterfield | 94 | Closure | |
| Walmart | Virginia Beach | 72 | Closure | |
| Union Bank & Trust | Leesburg | 46 | Layoff | |
| Spectrum Pharmaceuticals | Richmond and Midlothian | 2 | Layoff |
The most significant filing came from Aecom at its Norfolk facility, reporting 96 affected workers. Walmart followed with 94 workers.
Trend & Outlook
The numbers illustrate a mixed picture for Virginia'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 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 Virginia WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.