Incomplete list of U.S. job loss announcements and shutdowns.
Alabama: In Huntsville, after 31 years Clementine’s Restaurant and Catering shutting down due to the owner becoming an “executive chef”. In Bessemer, Michigan based Grede Casting Integrity shutting down, 177 jobs gone by July! The official WARN did not explain why.
California: In San Miguel, after 29 years Country Diner shutting down on Monday due to a greedy landlord who refuses to negotiate a new lease. Struggling Los Angeles based Forever 21 just sold-off its clothier operations in India to a company called Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail. Don’t blame competition from the internet, Forever 21 included their rights to their ‘online’ sales in India as part of the sale. Up ’till now Forever 21 was operating in India under a partnership with a company called DFL Brands-Myntra. Also in Los Angeles, after four years the Thomas Duncan Gallery shutting down next month, no explanation. 
More proof you brick-n-mortar store owners can’t directly blame the internet/high-tech competition for your demise; The Golden State’s tech Mecca ‘Silicon Valley’ is crashing and burning as the California Budget & Policy Center reports Silicon Valley’s middle class is disappearing and the 1% are even richer than before!
Connecticut: More failed state layoffs as 13 taxpayer funded jobs were eliminated at taxpayer funded vocational schools. Local news media says state job layoffs are now just shy of 1-thousand, a record! But there’s more to come as ‘elected’ officials say as many as 2-thousand 5-hundred state jobs are being axed!
Delaware: The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals forced to shutdown and sell their Stanton animal shelter. Because of skyrocketing abandonment of pets in other areas of the state, the SCPA is selling their Stanton ops to try and raise money to expand the other locations!
Illinois: British empire Canada based BMO Harris Banking conducting mass layoffs, including an undisclosed number at its Chicago locations. It’s all part of Too Big to Jail bank’s plan to “accelerate the use of technology to enhance customer experience.”
Massachusetts: After 38 years Mister Tire in North Adams shutting down. It’s the second tire shop in the past year to shutdown in North Adams: “I’m 59, I’ve been doing it for almost 40 years. I’m not only the guy at the top, I’m the guy at the bottom. I don’t have the stamina to keep going anymore, I don’t have the heart to keep going.”-Larry Davis, owner
Missouri: In Joplin, medical battery/device maker EaglePicher Technologies laid off at least 90 people without warning: “Stabbed in the back, betrayed, no warning what-so-ever!”-unnamed former employee to local news media, who added that local police were called in to help fire the employees
“Health insurance is going to last to the end of the month. The severance package that they say was supposed to be great is going to be one more check for 40 hours.”-another unnamed former employee
New York: NBCUniversal eliminating 25 jobs at its NYC based USA Network and Syfy.
Oklahoma: In Tishomingo, country music singer ‘christian’ Miranda Lambert ‘flipped the bird’ at her own The Pink Pistol employees when she secretly sold the property to her ex-husband, and then without warning shutdown the clothing store. However, Miranda crazed former employees tried to hide their anger about not being warned: “This ‘rumor’ is real and my sister and Kay lost their jobs.”-Morgan Cribbs
“Yes, Pink Pistol Tishomingo is closed as of today. Blake bought it and we don’t know much more. I’ve loved my job there and I love the town!”-Kayleigh
Pennsylvania: In Norwegian Township, after 42 years the Hallmark Heritage Shop shutting down in July. It’s owned by Matus Enterprises (which owns 17 stores total) and a consultant said, without further explanation, “The owner at this point is somewhat exhausted.”
Texas: In San Antonio, after almost 30 years Fatso’s Sports Garden shuts down this weekend. The retiring owner admitted their decades of success was not planned, saying “We didn’t set out to do anything. It just happened.”
Virginia: What automotive industry recovery? Sweden based Volvo announced yet more layoffs at their truck factory in Dublin, so far both Volvo and the employee union refuse to say how many jobs are being lost. Local news media say layoffs at the Dublin Volvo factory, since December, involve at least 5-hundred workers, but could hit 730!
Washington: California based clothier Forever 21 issued a shutdown WARN for their Tacoma location, 70 jobs gone by mid-June.
Wisconsin: In Grand Chute, after nine years Colorado based Outdoor Outlet shutting down their Fox River Mall store by mid-July. No reason given.
WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification.
I found a 2010 AFL-CIO analysis (titled The Public Availability of WARN Notices: Lack of Accessibility and Disclosure…) which proves what I’ve been suspecting in my search of state WARN notices; most states are not complying with federal WARN regulations and are not publicizing or tracking mass layoffs.
Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed!
Employees of religious non-profits might not qualify for unemployment assistance: “If the non-profit organization is a church, you may or may not be entitled to unemployment. It all depends upon state regulations for church employers. In many cases, churches are allowed to set their own rules regarding unemployment benefits, meaning the church can choose whether to offer benefits to former employees.”
The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) no longer issues mass layoff reports: “On March 1, 2013, President Obama ordered into effect the across-the- board spending cuts (commonly referred to as sequestration) required by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, as amended. Under the order, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) must cut its current budget by more than $30 million, 5 percent of the current 2013 appropriation, by September 30, 2013. In order to help achieve these savings and protect core programs, the BLS will eliminate two programs, including Mass Layoff Statistics, and all ‘measuring green jobs’ products. This news release is the final publication of monthly mass layoff survey data.”