WARN Firehose

What it does

WARN Firehose (now branded as LaborCurrent) aggregates public layoff notices filed under the US WARN Act into a single searchable database. The WARN Act requires companies with 100+ employees to file notices 60 days before mass layoffs. Previously, these notices were scattered across 50 state workforce agency websites with inconsistent formats and no unified API. The tool scrapes state agencies daily and normalizes the data, covering 131,000+ notices spanning back to 1988 and affecting 14 million workers. The database also includes SEC 8-K filings, bankruptcy petitions, H-1B visa petitions, unemployment claims data, and JOLTS job turnover data.

Who it is for

The platform serves multiple audiences. Product and data teams can integrate layoff signals into their applications via REST API, MCP server, or webhooks. Investors and analysts can monitor employer distress signals and build watchlists. Researchers, journalists, and lawyers need citable records and company histories. Anyone researching labor market movements, specific companies, or regional employment trends can browse the data without creating an account.

Pricing

API plans start at $49 per month. One-time datasets are also available from $49. A free API key is offered to explore the data before committing to a paid plan.

How it stands out

The core value is consolidation. WARN notices are public but deliberately distributed across state agencies with poor discoverability. LaborCurrent solves this by aggregating 47 states plus DC into one normalized dataset, each record tagged with its original source. The platform adds context by linking WARN notices to SEC filings, bankruptcy records, and hiring data (H-1B petitions), allowing users to understand layoffs within broader financial and hiring patterns. The tool emphasizes source transparency—users can follow links back to original government filings to verify claims.

What a founder should check

First, verify switching costs and stickiness. WARN data is public and technically scrapable by anyone. A competitor could replicate the aggregation layer. Check whether customers build dependencies on the API format, webhook integrations, or watchlist features that would make leaving expensive.

Second, examine the data moat. Daily scraping of 47+ state agencies requires ongoing maintenance as government websites change. Test whether this operational complexity creates a defensible advantage or whether it simply requires persistence and capital.

Third, assess pricing pressure. The target customer base includes analysts, researchers, and journalists who may have limited budgets. Verify whether $49/month is sustainable for individual users or whether the business model depends on higher-volume institutional customers like hedge funds or research firms.