Virginia Layoffs — February 2019
Employers in Virginia logged 5 WARN Act notices in February 2019, involving roughly 310 workers — falling below 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 dominated layoff filings with 166 workers across 2 notices. Meanwhile, 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 absorbed the greatest share of layoffs, 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 biggest impact was at Aecom at its Norfolk facility, reporting 96 affected workers. Walmart followed with 94 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This data points to 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.