Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor
Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Economic News Release
PRINT:Print
MLS MLS Program Links

Mass Layoffs (Monthly) News Release

Technical information:   (202) 691-6392          USDL 08-0260
                http://www.bls.gov/mls/

                                                 For release: 10:00 A.M. EST
Media contact:          (202) 691-5902           Wednesday, February 27, 2008


                           MASS LAYOFFS IN JANUARY 2008

   In January, employers took 1,438 mass layoff actions, seasonally adjusted,
as measured by new filings for unemployment insurance benefits during the
month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported
today.  Each action involved at least 50 persons from a single employer; the 
number of workers involved totaled 144,111, on a seasonally adjusted basis.
The number of mass layoff events in January 2008 increased by 5 from the prior
month, while the number of associated initial claims increased by 2,361.  The
number of initial claims due to mass layoffs have increased for five consecu-
tive months.  In January, 427 mass layoff events were reported in the manufac-
turing sector, seasonally adjusted, resulting in 55,488 initial claims.  Over 
the month, mass layoff activity in manufacturing decreased by 35 events, and
initial claims decreased by 2,620.  (See table 1.)

   The national unemployment rate was 4.9 percent in January, seasonally adjusted,
down from 5.0 percent in the prior month and up from 4.6 percent a year earlier.
Total nonfarm payroll employment decreased by 17,000 in January from the previous
month and increased by 994,000 from a year earlier.

Industry Distribution (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

   The 10 industries reporting the highest numbers of mass layoff initial claims,
not seasonally adjusted, accounted for 30 percent of all such claims in January.
The industry with the highest number of initial claims was temporary help services
with 12,509, followed by school and employee bus transportation (7,444), automobile
manufacturing (4,575), and professional employer organizations (3,705).  Together,
these four industries accounted for 18 percent of all initial claims due to mass
layoffs during the month.  (See table A.)


  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 |                                                                           |
 |                       Changes to Mass Layoff Data                         |
 |                                                                           |
 |   Effective with this news release, the Mass Layoff Statistics (MLS) pro- |
 |gram has switched the basis for their industry classification from the 2002|
 |North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) to the 2007 NAICS.   |
 |The change in classification resulted in minor definitional changes within |
 |manufacturing; telecommunications; financial activities; and professional, |
 |scientific, and technical services.  Several industry titles and descrip-  |
 |tions also were updated.  For more information on the impact of the change |
 |to the 2007 NAICS on the MLS program’s data, see http://www.bls.gov/mls/   |
 |mls2007naics.htm.                                                          |
 |                                                                           |
 |   For additional information on the 2007 NAICS, see http://www.census.gov/|
 |epcd/www/naics.html.                                                       |
 |                                                                           |
  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                      - 2 -


Table A.  Industries with the largest number of mass layoff initial claims
in January 2008
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                          |        |     January peak     
                 Industry                 |Initial |----------------------
                                          | claims |      |               
                                          |        | Year |Initial claims 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                          |        |      |               
Temporary help services ..................| 12,509 | 1998 |     26,224    
School and employee bus transportation ...|  7,444 | 2005 |     14,526    
Automobile manufacturing .................|  4,575 | 2001 |     21,093    
Professional employer organizations ......|  3,705 | 2005 |      5,258    
Discount department stores ...............|  3,560 | 2004 |      6,063    
Light truck and utility vehicle           |        |      |               
 manufacturing ...........................|  3,191 | 2001 |      8,450    
Highway, street, and bridge construction..|  2,858 | 2000 |      9,680    
Motion picture and video production ......|  2,844 | 1998 |     12,038    
Wood kitchen cabinet and countertop       |        |      |               
 manufacturing ...........................|  2,602 | 2008 |      2,602    
Farm labor contractors and crew leaders ..|  2,354 | 1999 |      5,859    
                                          |        |      |               
--------------------------------------------------------------------------


   The manufacturing sector accounted for 30 percent of all mass layoff events
and 35 percent of all related initial claims filed in January; a year earlier,
manufacturing made up 32 percent of events and 40 percent of initial claims.  In
January 2008, the number of manufacturing claimants was highest in transporta-
tion equipment manufacturing (17,920), followed by food manufacturing (5,024)
and wood product manufacturing (4,780).  (See table 3.)

   Administrative and waste services accounted for 14 percent of mass layoff
events and 13 percent of initial claims in January, primarily from administra-
tive and support services.  Construction comprised 12 percent of events and
9 percent of initial claims, primarily from specialty trade contractors and from
heavy and civil engineering construction.  Transportation and warehousing made up
8 percent of all mass layoff events and related initial claims, mainly from tran-
sit and ground passenger transportation.  Seven percent of all mass layoff events
and 8 percent of related initial claims filed were from retail trade, largely from
general merchandise stores.

   On a not seasonally adjusted basis, the number of mass layoff events in January
2008, at 1,647, was up by 240 from a year earlier, and the number of associated
initial claims increased by 19,519 to 154,503.  (See table 2.)  The largest over-
the-year increases in initial claims for all layoff events were reported in admin-
istrative and support services (+3,799) and transit and ground passenger transporta-
tion (+2,799).  The largest over-the-year decrease in mass layoff initial claims was
reported in transportation equipment manufacturing (-4,395).  The average weekly num-
bers of events and initial claimants for the United States were at their highest
levels (412 and 38,626, respectively) for the month of January since 2005.

Geographic Distribution (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

   Among the 4 census regions, the highest number of initial claims in January 2008
due to mass layoffs was in the West (46,556).  Temporary help services accounted for
13 percent of all mass layoff initial claims in that region during the month.  The
Midwest had the second largest number of initial claims among the regions, 42,229,
followed by the Northeast with 32,949 and the South with 32,769.  (See table 5.)
   
   The number of initial claimants in mass layoffs increased over the year in all
four of the regions.  The Northeast (+7,486) experienced the largest increase; the
South reported the smallest over-the-year increase (+2,899).  Seven of the 9 geo-
graphic divisions had over-the-year increases in the numbers of initial claims asso-
ciated with mass layoffs, with the largest increases in the Middle Atlantic (+8,779)
and Pacific (+5,068) divisions.  The division with the largest over-the-year decrease
was the West South Central (-2,198).


                                   - 3 -

   California recorded the highest number of initial claims filed due to mass layoff
events in January (38,715), reflecting layoffs in administrative and support services.
Other states with large numbers of mass layoff-related claims were New York (18,636),
Alabama (10,160), Pennsylvania (9,644), Ohio (9,352), and Illinois (9,106).  (See 
table 6.)

   Twenty-three states reported over-the-year increases in initial claims associated
with mass layoffs, led by Alabama (+8,368), New York (+7,958), and California (+5,155).
For Alabama, the largest over-the-year increases in initial claims occurred in trans-
portation equipment manufacturing, wood product manufacturing, and administrative 
and support services.  For New York, transit and ground passenger transportation had
the largest over-the-year increase.  In California, general merchandise stores regis-
tered the largest increase in claims over the year.  States with the largest over-the-
year decreases in mass layoff claims were Kentucky (-3,782), Louisiana (-1,152), and
Texas (-1,007).

Note

   The monthly data series in this release cover mass layoffs of 50 or more workers
beginning in a given month, regardless of the duration of the layoffs.  For private
nonfarm employers, information on the length of the layoff is obtained later and
issued in a quarterly release that reports on mass layoffs lasting more than 30 days 
(referred to as "extended mass layoffs").  The quarterly release provides more inform-
ation on the industry classification and location of the employer, and on the demo-
graphics of the laid-off workers.  Because monthly figures include short-term layoffs
of 30 days or less, the sum of the figures for the 3 months in a quarter will be higher
than the quarterly figure for mass layoffs of more than 30 days.  (See table 4.)  See
the Technical Note for more detailed definitions.

                               ______________________________


   The report on Mass Layoffs in February 2008 is scheduled to be released on
Friday, March 21.







                              - 4 -

Technical Note

   The Mass Layoff Statistics (MLS) program is a federal-state program
that uses a standardized automated approach to identifying, describing,
and tracking the effects of major job cutbacks, using data from each
state's unemployment insurance database.  Each month, states report on
employers which have at least 50 initial claims filed against them during
a consecutive 5-week period.  These employers then are contacted by the
state agency to determine whether these separations lasted 31 days or
longer, and, if so, other information concerning the layoff is collected.
States report on layoffs lasting more than 1 month on a quarterly basis.

   A given month contains an aggregation of the weekly unemployment
insurance claims filings for the Sunday through Saturday weeks in that
month.  All weeks are included for the particular month, except if the
first day of the month falls on Saturday.  In this case, the week is
included in the prior month's tabulations.  This means that some months
will contain 4 weeks and others, 5 weeks, the number of weeks in a given 
month may be different from year to year, and the number of weeks in a
year may vary.  Therefore, analysis of over-the-month and over-the-year
change in not seasonally adjusted series should take this calendar effect
into consideration.

   The MLS program resumed operations in April 1995 after it had been
terminated in November 1992 due to lack of funding.  Prior to April 1995,
monthly layoff statistics were not available.

   Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired
individuals upon request.  Voice phone: 202-691-5200; TDD message referral
phone number:  1-800-877-8339.

Definitions

   Employer.  Employers in the MLS program include those covered by state
unemployment insurance laws.  Information on employers is obtained from the
Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program, which is adminis-
tered by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

   Initial claimant.  A person who files any notice of unemployment to
initiate a request either for a determination of entitlement to and
eligibility for compensation, or for a subsequent period of unemployment
within a benefit year or period of eligibility.
   
   Mass layoff event.  Fifty or more initial claims for unemployment 
insurance benefits filed against an employer during a 5-week period,
regardless of duration.
   
Seasonal adjustment

   Effective with the release of data for January 2005, BLS began publish-
ing six seasonally adjusted monthly MLS series.  The six series are the
numbers of mass layoff events and mass layoff initial claims for the total,
private nonfarm, and manufacturing sectors.
   
   Seasonal adjustment is the process of estimating and removing the effect
on time series data of regularly recurring seasonal events such as changes
in the weather, holidays, and the beginning and ending of the school year.
The use of seasonal adjustment makes it easier to observe fundamental changes
in time series, particularly those associated with general economic expan-
sions and contractions.
   
   The MLS data are seasonally adjusted using the X-12-ARIMA seasonal adjust-
ment method on a concurrent basis.  Concurrent seasonal adjustment uses all
available monthly estimates, including those for the current month, in devel-
oping seasonal adjustment factors.  Revisions to the most recent 5 years
of seasonally adjusted data will be made once a year with the issuance of
December data.  Before the data are seasonally adjusted, prior adjustments
are made to the original data to adjust them for differences in the number
of weeks used to calculate the monthly data.  Because weekly unemployment
insurance claims are aggregated to form monthly data, a particular month's
value could be calculated with 5 weeks of data in one year and 4 weeks
in another.  The effects of these differences could seriously distort the
seasonal factors if they were ignored in the seasonal adjustment process.
These effects are modeled in the X-12-ARIMA program and are permanently
removed from the final seasonally adjusted series.






Table 1. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance, February 2004 to 
January 2008, seasonally adjusted

                                       Total           Private nonfarm         Manufacturing   
             Date                                                                              
                                           Initial               Initial               Initial 
                                Events    claimants   Events    claimants    Events   claimants
                                                                                              
             2004                                                                             

February ...................     1,300     133,526     1,151     120,918       366      39,682
March ......................     1,364     139,304     1,228     130,123       398      58,980
April ......................     1,360     139,185     1,193     124,432       351      37,760
May ........................     1,224     114,810     1,059     100,854       339      39,045
June .......................     1,400     141,168     1,231     128,245       371      47,243
July .......................     1,329     137,805     1,178     126,301       376      50,799
August .....................     1,426     128,759     1,233     113,809       343      36,539
September ..................     1,285     127,833     1,154     116,843       336      45,690
October ....................     1,283     132,766     1,169     123,471       363      47,046
November ...................     1,320     130,873     1,174     119,029       380      45,416
December ...................     1,148     111,060       991      99,784       287      31,935

             2005                                                                             

January ....................     1,475     160,725     1,346     151,028       382      61,324
February ...................     1,146     121,455     1,020     110,480       353      43,568
March ......................     1,207     131,271     1,066     120,945       372      53,673
April ......................     1,252     136,752     1,125     126,550       401      60,681
May ........................     1,248     136,420     1,104     123,495       398      54,999
June .......................     1,196     127,084     1,078     118,012       368      58,300
July .......................     1,250     132,445     1,103     119,566       357      46,602
August .....................     1,144     125,686     1,000     113,762       341      47,598
September ..................     2,248     297,544     2,028     251,185       417      55,304
October ....................     1,101     110,035       982     100,934       321      43,230
November ...................     1,176     114,965     1,042     103,535       332      42,071
December ...................     1,261     134,461     1,132     123,418       360      46,863

             2006                                                                             

January ....................     1,107     110,800       988     101,494       283      34,037
February ...................     1,031     109,798       940     101,828       322      43,147
March ......................     1,084     119,049       983     110,668       323      48,119
April ......................     1,171     121,580     1,043     112,175       368      49,568
May ........................     1,124     117,115     1,005     107,181       314      43,087
June .......................     1,146     123,827     1,030     114,080       352      44,869
July .......................     1,179     121,017     1,051     111,336       372      48,534
August .....................     1,270     135,400     1,107     124,427       377      60,906
September ..................     1,173     123,767     1,056     114,677       385      45,767
October ....................     1,191     121,827     1,076     113,123       399      53,601
November ...................     1,232     133,803     1,121     124,559       414      58,385
December ...................     1,194     131,062     1,092     121,796       374      51,408

             2007                                                                             

January ....................     1,254     128,223     1,118     117,824       391      52,858
February ...................     1,352     143,837     1,238     135,066       416      61,749
March ......................     1,277     130,981     1,169     122,488       412      52,606
April ......................     1,243     126,977     1,116     116,926       382      43,930
May ........................     1,199     120,587     1,096     113,069       370      48,910
June .......................     1,238     129,858     1,116     120,165       351      40,670
July .......................     1,247     127,687     1,140     119,614       392      51,333
August .....................     1,228     121,886     1,128     114,628       335      36,518
September ..................     1,307     128,487     1,204     121,294       430      53,432
October ....................     1,347     136,124     1,224     127,163       430      57,695
November ...................     1,329     139,671     1,215     131,390       414      56,965
December ...................     1,433     141,750     1,315     133,024       462      58,108

             2008                                                                             

January ....................     1,438     144,111     1,317     134,347       427      55,488






Table 2. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance, February 2004 to 
January 2008, not seasonally adjusted

                                       Total            Private nonfarm        Manufacturing   
             Date                                                                              
                                           Initial               Initial               Initial 
                                 Events   claimants    Events   claimants    Events   claimants
                                                                                              
             2004                                                                             

February ...................       941      84,201       832      76,577       240      23,043
March ......................       920      92,554       847      87,782       258      34,686
April ......................     1,458     157,314     1,316     142,657       343      36,172
May ........................       988      87,501       878      78,786       219      22,141
June .......................     1,379     134,588     1,077     110,804       222      27,307
July .......................     2,094     253,929     1,860     234,877       885     145,895
August .....................       809      69,033       745      63,876       194      17,698
September ..................       708      68,972       637      63,102       189      25,808
October ....................     1,242     127,918     1,101     117,375       372      48,265
November ...................     1,399     130,423     1,201     115,549       412      44,243
December ...................     1,614     161,271     1,487     152,092       436      50,726

             2005                                                                             

January ....................     2,564     263,952     2,421     253,409       823     108,985
February ...................       810      74,644       722      68,372       230      24,931
March ......................       806      88,937       733      83,793       246      33,030
April ......................     1,373     158,582     1,263     148,133       395      59,129
May ........................       986     101,358       891      93,332       249      30,424
June .......................     1,157     120,463       941     103,307       216      32,783
July .......................     1,981     244,216     1,745     222,377       856     136,210
August .....................       645      67,582       598      63,484       188      22,531
September ..................     1,662     213,281     1,505     179,042       318      47,497
October ....................       905      91,941       757      80,694       249      37,276
November ...................     1,254     116,127     1,079     102,182       363      41,442
December ...................     2,323     254,258     2,168     242,753       706      96,382

             2006                                                                             

January ....................     1,245     117,946     1,123     108,701       331      35,097
February ...................       719      66,555       658      62,208       210      24,892
March ......................       921     111,838       856     106,177       285      44,688
April ......................     1,140     121,589     1,038     112,964       296      39,538
May ........................       872      84,809       794      78,663       192      23,570
June .......................     1,489     164,761     1,224     140,687       319      41,095
July .......................     1,511     166,857     1,335     154,342       648      96,152
August .....................       708      72,844       656      69,054       203      28,494
September ..................       865      87,699       785      81,274       296      39,076
October ....................       964      98,804       820      88,133       311      46,737
November ...................     1,315     136,186     1,172     125,009       455      58,473
December ...................     2,249     254,503     2,126     244,783       735     105,462

             2007                                                                             

January ....................     1,407     134,984     1,263     124,475       456      53,615
February ...................       935      86,696       861      82,097       273      36,170
March ......................     1,082     123,974     1,015     118,431       367      49,886
April ......................     1,219     127,444     1,115     118,040       309      35,229
May ........................       923      85,816       856      81,153       224      26,527
June .......................     1,599     172,810     1,318     148,669       313      36,571
July .......................     1,599     175,419     1,450     164,939       684     101,390
August .....................       963      93,458       908      88,345       220      23,361
September ..................       717      67,385       667      64,026       246      29,381
October ....................     1,083     108,455       929      97,716       338      50,918
November ...................     1,799     198,220     1,593     181,184       514      75,413
December ...................     2,167     224,214     2,071     216,898       699      91,754

             2008                                                                             

January ....................     1,647     154,503     1,520     144,191       488      54,418






Table 3. Industry distribution: Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance

                                                                                                   Initial claimants for           
                                                            Mass layoff events                     unemployment insurance          
                     Industry                                                                                                      
                                                    January   November December  January    January   November   December   January
                                                     2007       2007     2007      2008       2007      2007       2007      2008  
                                                                                                                                   
                Seasonally adjusted                                                                                                

                                                                                                                                   
      Total .....................................    1,254     1,329    1,433     1,438     128,223    139,671   141,750    144,111

                                                                                                                                   
  Total, private nonfarm ........................    1,118     1,215    1,315     1,317     117,824    131,390   133,024    134,347
    Manufacturing ...............................      391       414      462       427      52,858     56,965    58,108     55,488
                                                                                                                                   
              Not seasonally adjusted                                                                                              

                                                                                                                                   
      Total (1) .................................    1,407     1,799    2,167     1,647     134,984    198,220   224,214    154,503
Total, private ..................................    1,344     1,729    2,102     1,592     129,715    191,917   219,227    148,901
    Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting ..       81       136       31        72       5,240     10,733     2,329      4,710

  Total, private nonfarm ........................    1,263     1,593    2,071     1,520     124,475    181,184   216,898    144,191
    Mining ......................................       10        11       28         8         769        928     2,136        550
    Utilities ...................................     (2)       (2)         4      (2)         (2)        (2)        225       (2) 
    Construction ................................      194       324      461       198      12,426     28,277    35,564     13,532
    Manufacturing ...............................      456       514      699       488      53,615     75,413    91,754     54,418
        Food ....................................       59        62       68        57       4,525      6,642    10,267      5,024
        Beverage and tobacco products ...........        6         9        7         7         456        746       640        531
        Textile mills ...........................       16        27       12        13       1,703      5,381     2,281      1,258
        Textile product mills (3) ...............        9         5        8         8       1,132        608       848        950
        Apparel (3) .............................       12        10       16        17       1,020        625     1,311      1,630
        Leather and allied products .............     (2)          4        4      (2)         (2)         376       435       (2) 
        Wood products ...........................       46        69       59        46       4,342      8,094     5,698      4,780
        Paper ...................................        7         9        5         6         572        696       571        469
        Printing and related support activities .       13        11       11        11       1,110        763       830        766
        Petroleum and coal products .............     (2)          8       12      (2)         (2)         624     1,163       (2) 

        Chemicals ...............................        9         6       12        10         771        668       995        898
        Plastics and rubber products (3) ........       22        27       57        37       1,513      2,568     5,069      2,855
        Nonmetallic mineral products ............       28        24       61        38       2,059      2,493     5,979      2,602
        Primary metals ..........................       13        27       37        16       1,687      2,955     4,022      1,491
        Fabricated metal products ...............       32        24       55        40       2,581      2,341     5,252      3,144
        Machinery (3) ...........................       24        40       37        23       2,309      6,289     6,864      2,901
        Computer and electronic products ........       15        13       21        18       1,351        987     1,559      1,222
        Electrical equipment and appliances .....        8        15       16         7         514      5,418     1,495        784
        Transportation equipment (3) ............      104        93      171        86      22,315     23,323    31,910     17,920
        Furniture and related products (3) ......       23        23       19        34       2,948      3,164     2,868      4,127
        Miscellaneous manufacturing (3) .........        6         8       11         9         454        652     1,697        721
    
    Wholesale trade .............................       22        40       24        30       1,603      3,095     1,762      2,848
    Retail trade ................................      112        93      103       119       9,587      8,199     8,839     12,839
    Transportation and warehousing ..............       88        82      150       124       9,275      7,499    15,573     13,031
    Information .................................       32        28       51        43       6,296      5,386     8,770      4,668
    Finance and insurance (3) ...................       29        43       36        50       2,197      3,898     2,311      4,285
    Real estate and rental and leasing (3) ......        6         7        6         8         307        539       322        462
    Professional and technical services (3) .....       28        51       50        41       3,088      7,435     5,303      3,829
    Management of companies and enterprises .....     (2)       (2)         5      (2)         (2)        (2)        448       (2) 
    Administrative and waste services (3) .......      172       217      218       232      16,699     22,050    19,367     20,639
    Educational services ........................        5         -        8         7         647         -        487        851
    Health care and social assistance ...........       14        24       31        27         776      2,522     2,484      1,767
    Arts, entertainment, and recreation .........       26        36       20        38       1,897      3,543     1,238      2,445
    Accommodation and food services .............       56       107      158        88       4,124     10,865    18,717      6,064
    Other services, except public administration         8        10       19        13         772      1,062     1,598      1,381
    Unclassified ................................        2         1       -         -         104         57        -          -  

Government ......................................       63        70       65        55       5,269      6,303     4,987      5,602
    Federal .....................................       21        19       10        13       2,311      1,928       841      1,106
    State .......................................       15        20       12         9       1,272      1,786     1,016        804
    Local .......................................       27        31       43        33       1,686      2,589     3,130      3,692

   1 Data were reported by all states and the District of Columbia.
   2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
   3 Data beginning in 2008 are not strictly comparable to prior years due to a change in NAICS versions.
   NOTE:  Dash represents zero.

Table 4. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance, January 2006 to January 2008,
not seasonally adjusted

                                                                                  Private nonfarm                                   
                               Total mass layoffs                              Extended mass layoffs                                
             Date                                        Mass layoffs        lasting more than 30 days          Realization rates (1)
                                          Initial               Initial                       Initial                       Initial 
                              Events     claimants    Events   claimants        Events       claimants            Events   claimants
             2006                                                                                                                 

January ....................    1,245      117,946     1,123     108,701                                                          
February ...................      719       66,555       658      62,208                                                          
March ......................      921      111,838       856     106,177                                                          

First Quarter ..............    2,885      296,339     2,637     277,086           963         193,510             36.5       69.8

April ......................    1,140      121,589     1,038     112,964                                                          
May ........................      872       84,809       794      78,663                                                          
June .......................    1,489      164,761     1,224     140,687                                                          

Second Quarter .............    3,501      371,159     3,056     332,314         1,353         264,927             44.3       79.7

July .......................    1,511      166,857     1,335     154,342                                                          
August .....................      708       72,844       656      69,054                                                          
September ..................      865       87,699       785      81,274                                                          

Third Quarter ..............    3,084      327,400     2,776     304,670           929         161,764             33.5       53.1

October ....................      964       98,804       820      88,133                                                          
November ...................    1,315      136,186     1,172     125,009                                                          
December ...................    2,249      254,503     2,126     244,783                                                          

Fourth Quarter .............    4,528      489,493     4,118     457,925         1,640      (r)330,901             39.8       72.3

             2007                                                                                                                 

January ....................    1,407      134,984     1,263     124,475                                                          
February ...................      935       86,696       861      82,097                                                          
March ......................    1,082      123,974     1,015     118,431                                                          

First Quarter ..............    3,424      345,654     3,139     325,003         1,111      (r)199,295             35.4    (r)61.3

April ......................    1,219      127,444     1,115     118,040                                                          
May ........................      923       85,816       856      81,153                                                          
June .......................    1,599      172,810     1,318     148,669                                                          

Second Quarter .............    3,741      386,070     3,289     347,862         1,421      (r)258,812             43.2    (r)74.4

July .......................    1,599      175,419     1,450     164,939                                                          
August .....................      963       93,458       908      88,345                                                          
September ..................      717       67,385       667      64,026                                                          

Third Quarter ..............    3,279      336,262     3,025     317,310      (r)1,019      (r)172,508          (r)33.7    (r)54.4

October ....................    1,083      108,455       929      97,716                                                          
November ...................    1,799      198,220     1,593     181,184                                                          
December ...................    2,167      224,214     2,071     216,898                                                          

Fourth Quarter .............    5,049      530,889     4,593     495,798   (2)(p)1,619   (2)(p)234,612          (p)35.2    (p)47.3

             2008                                                                                                                 

January ....................    1,647      154,503     1,520     144,191                                                          

                                                                                                                                  
   1 The event realization rate is the percentage of all private nonfarm mass layoff events lasting more than 30 days. The initial
claimant realization rate is the percentage of all private nonfarm mass layoff initial claimants associated with layoffs lasting
more than 30 days.
   2 These quarterly numbers are provisional and will be revised as more data on these layoffs become available.  Experience
suggests that the number of extended mass layoff events is generally revised upwards by less than 10 percent and the number of
initial claimants associated with such events increases by 25-40 percent.
   r = revised.
   p = preliminary.






Table 5.  Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance by census region and division,
not seasonally adjusted

                                                                                      Initial claimants for
                                          Mass layoff events                         unemployment insurance
  Census region and division

                                January   November  December    January     January    November    December    January
                                  2007      2007      2007        2008        2007       2007        2007        2008 
                                                                                                                      
        United States (1) ...    1,407     1,799     2,167       1,647      134,984    198,220     224,214     154,503

Northeast ...................      299       355       392         349       25,463     34,766      36,859      32,949
    New England .............       41        38        56          30        3,349      3,754       5,777       2,056
    Middle Atlantic .........      258       317       336         319       22,114     31,012      31,082      30,893

South .......................      283       350       388         324       29,870     42,139      47,505      32,769
    South Atlantic ..........      163       180       192         157       14,996     19,924      18,797      15,997
    East South Central ......       71        91       120         129        9,489      9,831      18,538      13,585
    West South Central ......       49        79        76          38        5,385     12,384      10,170       3,187

Midwest .....................      373       483       884         416       38,412     62,163      97,346      42,229
    East North Central ......      295       389       667         324       31,681     51,952      74,374      33,964
    West North Central ......       78        94       217          92        6,731     10,211      22,972       8,265

West ........................      452       611       503         558       41,239     59,152      42,504      46,556
    Mountain ................       46        76        67          44        3,508      6,893       4,968       3,757
    Pacific .................      406       535       436         514       37,731     52,259      37,536      42,799

   1 See footnote 1, table 3.
   NOTE:  The States (including the District of Columbia) that comprise the census divisions are: New England:
Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont; Middle Atlantic:  New Jersey, New York,
and Pennsylvania; South Atlantic:  Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South
Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia; East South Central:  Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee; West South
Central:  Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas; East North Central:  Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and
Wisconsin; West North Central:  Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota; Mountain:
Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming; and Pacific:  Alaska, California, Hawaii,
Oregon, and Washington.






Table 6. State distribution: Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance,
not seasonally adjusted

                                                                                      Initial claimants for            
                                         Mass layoff events                           unemployment insurance           
           State                                                                                                       
                             January     November   December    January     January     November     December   January
                              2007         2007       2007       2008        2007         2007         2007      2008  
                                                                                                                      
   Total (1) ............    1,407        1,799      2,167      1,647      134,984      198,220     224,214    154,503
                                                                                                                      
Alabama .................       19           29         33         82        1,792        2,917       3,677     10,160
Alaska ..................     (2)             8       (2)        (2)          (2)           780        (2)        (2)
Arizona .................        4            3          4          4          409          197         263        290
Arkansas ................     (2)            12          8          4         (2)         2,678         680        293
California ..............      366          455        370        468       33,560       44,127      30,590     38,715
Colorado ................       11           14         12          7          818        1,244         767        654
Connecticut .............        8            3         10       (2)           819          232         854       (2)
Delaware ................     (2)             3          4       (2)          (2)           356         241       (2)
District of Columbia ....     (2)             -       (2)        (2)          (2)             -        (2)        (2)
Florida .................       60           73         62         70        3,537        4,499       5,088      5,366
Georgia .................       48           39         36         51        4,802        7,500       3,111      4,718
Hawaii ..................        5            5         12          3          562          390       1,161        217
Idaho ...................       10           21         12          7          646        2,101         844        496

Illinois ................       48           67        140         68        5,524        7,704      15,012      9,106
Indiana .................       38           52         64         34        3,388        7,638       7,654      2,955
Iowa ....................       15           23         52         26        1,772        2,503       6,337      3,163
Kansas ..................       11         (2)          27          8          689         (2)        3,441        490
Kentucky ................       27           34         62         28        6,086        4,747      12,727      2,304
Louisiana ...............        7            6         15          7        1,891        1,672       1,274        739
Maine ...................        7            6          4       (2)           495          467         278       (2)
Maryland ................       11           11         29          9        1,000        1,446       2,628        708
Massachusetts ...........       16           18         22         11        1,235        1,495       2,131        791
Michigan ................       88           92        213         86        7,914       15,578      25,005      7,004
Minnesota ...............       15           41         46         19        1,474        4,315       4,386      1,751
Mississippi .............        3           12          9          6          236          839         640        324
Missouri ................       34           19         77         37        2,593        2,312       7,517      2,664

Montana .................        5            8          4          6          452          760         264        579
Nebraska ................     (2)             4          9       (2)          (2)           402         864       (2)
Nevada ..................        7           18         19         15          547        1,713       1,370      1,151
New Hampshire ...........     (2)          (2)           6       (2)          (2)          (2)          560       (2)
New Jersey ..............       38           50         93         35        2,737        6,234       8,389      2,613
New Mexico ..............     (2)          (2)           7          4         (2)          (2)          702        473
New York ................      113           82         72        152       10,678        7,658       6,700     18,636
North Carolina ..........       10            4          7          3        1,013          457         789        350
North Dakota ............     (2)             4          5       (2)          (2)           444         356       (2)
Ohio ....................       61           68        149         71        8,883        7,369      14,909      9,352
Oklahoma ................        7            6         13          4          436        1,198       1,732        317
Oregon ..................       20           37         32         28        2,006        3,866       3,763      2,769
Pennsylvania ............      107          185        171        132        8,699       17,120      15,993      9,644

Rhode Island ............        7           -          10          9          489          -         1,465        562
South Carolina ..........       14           28         29         12        1,466        3,038       4,236      1,991
South Dakota ............     (2)          (2)        (2)          -          (2)          (2)         (2)         -  
Tennessee ...............       22           16         16         13        1,375        1,328       1,494        797
Texas ...................       33           55         40         23        2,845        6,836       6,484      1,838
Utah ....................        7            9          8        (2)          494          658         706       (2) 
Vermont .................     (2)            10          4          4         (2)         1,500         489        248
Virginia ................       17           18         21          8        1,706        2,384       2,390      1,027
Washington ..............       14           30         21         14        1,528        3,096       1,940      1,047
West Virginia ...........        -            4       (2)        (2)           -            244        (2)        (2) 
Wisconsin ...............       60          110        101         65        5,972       13,663      11,794      5,547
Wyoming .................        -         (2)        (2)         -            -           (2)         (2)         -  

Puerto Rico .............       12           15          3         10        1,257        1,385         279      1,120

   1  See footnote 1, table 3.
   2  Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
   NOTE:  Dash represents zero.






Last Modified Date: February 27, 2008