North Carolina Layoffs — May 2021
Employers in North Carolina posted 2 WARN Act notices in May 2021, affecting an estimated 391 workers — reflecting a significant uptick compared to April and down 67% versus May 2020. The average filing covered 196 workers, with 2 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 1 | 265 |
| Accommodation & Food | 1 | 126 |
The Manufacturing sector saw the heaviest impact with 265 workers across 1 notice. On a related front, Accommodation & Food reported 126 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Cleveland | 1 | 265 |
| Durham | 1 | 126 |
Cleveland saw the most concentrated activity, accounting for 68% of all affected workers with 265 workers across 1 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Cary | 1 | 265 |
| Boiling Springs | 1 | 126 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 2 | 391 |
The high proportion of closures (100% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in North Carolina's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abb | Cary | 265 | Closure | |
| Sodexo | Boiling Springs | 126 | Closure |
The largest notice was filed by Abb at its Cary facility, reporting 265 affected workers. Sodexo followed with 126 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This marks the third consecutive month of rising layoff activity.
The trends suggest a mixed picture for North Carolina's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This analysis is based on official WARN Act filings reported by North Carolina. 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 North Carolina WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.