COLUMBUS, Ohio – More than 3,200 Ohio workers have been handed layoff notices or learned their workplaces are closing in the first three months of 2026, according to filings with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services under the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act.
The WARN Act requires employers with 100 or more workers to provide at least 60 days’ notice before mass layoffs or plant closures. The 30 filings recorded between January and mid-March paint a concerning picture of Ohio’s economic landscape heading into spring, with closures and layoffs stretching from Cleveland to Cincinnati and touching nearly every corner of the state.
The total number of potentially affected workers stands at 3,201.
The biggest hits
The heaviest losses are concentrated in manufacturing. First Brands Group, an automotive parts manufacturer, filed four separate WARN notices covering facilities in Cleveland, Greenville, Tiffin, and Bowling Green. Combined, those closures and layoffs account for 1,157 jobs — making First Brands by far the largest single employer-level job loss event of the year so far. The Tiffin facility in Seneca County alone is eliminating 407 positions, with the Wood and Darke County plants each shedding 302 workers by the end of April.
Lourdes University in Sylvania announced it is closing entirely, eliminating 387 positions between May and September.
Evergreen Recycling in Clyde is shutting its Sandusky County operation, affecting 163 workers, while First Financial Bancorp in Seville is laying off 56 Medina County employees, with cuts rolling out through mid-September.
Retail and hospitality taking hits
The retail sector recorded several notable closures. Saks & Company is shutting two Ohio locations — its Beachwood store in Cuyahoga County, affecting 70 workers, and its Columbus location in Franklin County, affecting 41 — for a combined loss of 111 retail jobs. The Double Tree Cleveland hotel closed in January, affecting 66 workers.
Main Street Sports Group filed closure notices for both its Cincinnati and Cleveland locations, affecting a combined 35 workers, while Boelter Companies is shutting its Toledo operation, eliminating 64 jobs by late May.
Manufacturing and logistics contracting
Beyond First Brands, the manufacturing and logistics sectors are also feeling the squeeze. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company filed notice of a closure at its Findlay facility affecting 85 workers. Turf Care Supply Corp. is closing its Martins Ferry plant in Belmont County, affecting 46 employees. Taikisha USA, an automotive finishing systems company, is closing its Columbus facility, affecting 81 workers through the end of June.
On the logistics side, GEODIS LLC is closing its Ashville facility in Pickaway County, affecting 105 workers, and GXO Logistics is shutting its West Jefferson location in Madison County, taking 102 more jobs with it.
Defense, tech, and food production
Defense contractor Astrion in Beavercreek is laying off 61 workers by the end of May. Sumaria Systems in Dayton cut 57 jobs in January. Fresenius USA Manufacturing in Oregon, Lucas County, is laying off 54 workers. New Horizons Baking Company is closing its Toledo facility, affecting 68 employees. Lifetouch is shutting its Galion operation in Crawford County, eliminating 88 jobs with cuts extending through the end of the year.
What comes next
Economists and workforce advocates note that WARN filings represent a floor, not a ceiling — they capture only employers legally required to file, meaning the actual number of Ohio workers facing job loss in 2026 is likely higher. Many of the closures listed have layoff dates extending into the summer and fall, meaning the full economic impact is still months away from being completely felt.
Data source: Ohio Department of Job and Family Services WARN filing database, January–March 2026.