June 16, 2026
Michigan employers filed seven Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notifications (WARN) in the first quarter of 2026, affecting more than 540 workers, according to the latest update of the Upjohn Institute’s Michigan Layoff Tracker.
The interactive tool, maintained by the Upjohn Regional Team, tracks large-scale layoff notices across the state and maps where job losses are occurring, their size, and the industries most affected. The tracker is based on WARN filings, which require employers with 100 or more workers to provide advance notice of plant closings or mass layoffs.
The first-quarter update highlights two continuing sources of disruption in Michigan’s economy: restructuring among electric vehicle-related manufacturers and growing financial pressure on colleges and universities.
Slower EV adoption continues to ripple through Michigan’s automotive supply chain. Several manufacturers and suppliers have announced layoffs, closures, or operational changes as contracts and orders shift. Our Next Energy announced layoffs at its Novi location after the company said its largest EV customer canceled a contract. Pace Industries announced the closure of two Muskegon facilities, affecting 145 jobs. Other employers, including Trystar LLC and First Brands Group, also reported layoffs tied to facility closures, transfers of operations, or broader business restructuring.
These changes show how quickly shifts in consumer demand, contracts, and investment can affect Michigan workers and communities. Some firms that once focused heavily on vehicle production are pivoting toward other markets, including rail, defense, data centers, utilities, and other industrial applications.
Higher education also remains under strain. Smaller and less selective colleges are facing pressure from long-running enrollment declines, funding challenges, and reduced access to international students. In Michigan, three universities have closed or been restructured since 2023. Colleges and universities are important local employers, often providing steady jobs with higher wages than comparable service-sector positions.
College closures can affect local economies through job losses and broader ripple effects on workers, suppliers, and nearby communities. They reduce employment, lower local spending, and eliminate jobs that often provide steady wages. Colleges and universities paid higher median annual wages than other industries in 13 of 22 major occupation groups as of May 2024, with especially large differences in service occupations and educational instruction and library jobs.
The Michigan Layoff Tracker is designed to help economic developers, workforce partners, policymakers, and community leaders better understand where layoffs are happening and why. That information can support faster responses for displaced workers and help regions build more resilient workforce strategies.