US Layoffs — September 2023

The US labor market showed continued flux as employers submitted 338 WARN Act notices in September 2023, putting at risk an estimated 24,462 workers — down from August and up 20% versus September 2022. Filings came from 39 states and territories, with an average of 72 workers per notice.

Top States by Workers Affected

California led the nation with 8,117 workers affected across 151 notices , followed by Illinois (1,941 workers) and Alabama (1,703 workers) .

Industry Breakdown

The Manufacturing sector emerged as the hardest-hit sector with 9,132 workers across 82 notices. Separately, Healthcare reported 2,942 workers.

Layoff Type Analysis

Closures accounted for 25% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.

Largest Layoffs

Topping the list was Dryer's Grand Ice Cream in Bakersfield, California, reporting 1,015 affected workers. Help at Home followed with 785 workers.

Trend & Outlook

This is the third consecutive month of declining layoff activity.

These figures highlight a mixed picture for the nation's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.

This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in September 2023. The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act requires employers with 100+ employees to provide 60-day advance notice of mass layoffs and plant closings. Data is sourced from official state filings and updated daily by WARN Firehose, which also tracks SEC 8-K filings, bankruptcy proceedings, H-1B visa petitions, and unemployment claims across all six datasets. API access and data exports available.