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Economic News Release
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MLS MLS Program Links

Mass Layoffs (Monthly) News Release

Technical information:  (202) 691-6392     USDL 08-1717
               http://www.bls.gov/mls/
                                           For release:  10:00 A.M. (EST)
Media contact:          (202) 691-5902     Friday, November 21, 2008
                                   
                                   
                     MASS LAYOFFS IN OCTOBER 2008

   In October, employers took 2,140 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
232,468, on a seasonally adjusted basis.  The number of mass layoff
events this October decreased by 129 from the prior month, and the
number of associated initial claims fell by 3,213.  Both layoff events
and initial claims reached their highest October levels since 2001, a
month that experienced continued layoff activity from the September 11
attacks.  In October, 635 mass layoff events were reported in the
manufacturing sector, seasonally adjusted, resulting in 87,403 initial
claims.  Over the month, mass layoff events in manufacturing increased
by 32 and initial claims increased by 5,989; the third consecutive
over-the-month increase for both.  (See table 1.)
      
   From January through October 2008, the total number of events (sea-
sonally adjusted), at 16,951, and initial claims (seasonally adjusted), 
at 1,742,914, were the highest for the January-October period since 2002.
   
   The national unemployment rate was 6.5 percent in October, seasonally 
adjusted, up significantly from 6.1 percent the prior month and up from 
4.8 percent a year earlier.  In October, total nonfarm payroll employment 
decreased by 240,000 over the month and by 1,078,000 from a year earlier.
   
Industry Distribution (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
   
   The number of mass layoff events in October was 2,125 on a not
seasonally adjusted basis; the number of associated initial claims was
221,784.  (See table 2.)  Average weekly layoff events rose from 271
in October 2007 to 425 in October 2008, while average weekly initial
claimants increased from 27,114 to 44,357.  In 2008, both average
weekly events and initial claimants reached their highest October
levels since 2001.  In 2008, two major sectors reported program highs
in terms of average weekly initial claimants for the month of October--
the construction sector and the arts, entertainment, and recreation sec-
tor (with data available back to 1995).
   
   The manufacturing sector accounted for 32 percent of all mass
layoff events and 45 percent of initial claims filed in October 2008;
a year earlier, manufacturing made up 31 percent of events and 47
percent of initial claims.  This October, the number of manufacturing
claimants was greatest in transportation equipment manufacturing
(36,110), followed by food manufacturing (11,144).  (See table 3.)
Administrative and waste services accounted for 16 percent of mass
layoff events and 14 percent of associated initial claims during the
month.
   
   The six-digit NAICS industry with the largest number of initial
claims was temporary help services (16,381), followed by automobile
manufacturing (10,508).  Among the 10 industries with the highest
levels of initial claims, 3 of the 10--automobile manufacturing, travel
trailer and camper manufacturing, and professional employer organiza-
tions--reached program highs in 2008 for the month of October (with 
data available back to 1995).  (See table A.)



                                 - 2 -


Table A. Industries with the largest number of mass layoff initial claims in 
October 2008
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                               |         |                     
                                               | Initial |     October peak    
             Industry                          |  claims |---------------------
                                               |         |      |              
                                               |         | Year |Initial claims
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                               |         |      |              
Temporary help services .......................|  16,381 | 1998 |    18,760    
Automobile manufacturing ......................|  10,508 | 2008 |    10,508    
Professional employer organizations ...........|   7,242 | 2008 |     7,242    
Motion picture and video production ...........|   6,052 | 1997 |     7,692    
Light truck and utility vehicle manufacturing .|   6,047 | 2001 |     8,763    
Farm labor contractors and crew leaders .......|   4,123 | 1998 |     9,617    
Heavy duty truck manufacturing ................|   3,983 | 2006 |     7,017    
Discount department stores ....................|   3,135 | 2002 |     4,959    
Fruit and vegetable canning ...................|   2,836 | 2002 |     4,500    
Travel trailer and camper manufacturing .......|   2,826 | 2008 |     2,826    
                                               |         |      |              
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Geographic Distribution (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

   Of the 4 census regions, the Midwest had the highest number of
initial claims in October due to mass layoffs (75,210), followed by
the West (69,542) and the South (53,087).  (See table 5.)  Average
weekly initial claimants in mass layoffs increased over the year in
all 4 regions with the West (+5,341) and the Midwest (+5,329) experi-
encing the largest increases.
   
   Of the 9 divisions, the Pacific (60,351) and the East North Central 
(60,196) had the highest numbers of initial claims in October due to 
mass layoffs.  (See table 5.)  All 9 of the divisions experienced over-
the-year increases in average weekly initial claims, led by the Pacific 
(+4,229) and the East North Central (+3,829).  In 2008, the East South 
Central and Mountain divisions reached program highs in average weekly 
initial claims for the month of October.
   
   California recorded the highest number of initial claims filed due
to mass layoff events in October with 51,286.  The next highest states
reporting mass layoff initial claims were Ohio (17,764) and Michigan
(16,851).  (See table 6.)  Twelve states reached program highs in
average weekly initial claims in 2008 for the month of October--Alabama, 
Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada, 
Ohio, Utah, and Wyoming.  Forty-four states registered over-the-year 
increases in average weekly initial claims associated with mass layoffs, 
led by California (+3,256), Michigan (+2,073), and Florida (+1,319).
   

                    ______________________________

                                   
   The report on Mass Layoffs in November 2008 is scheduled to be
released on Friday, December 19.






                                - 3 -


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, November 2004 to 
October 2008, seasonally adjusted

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

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
February ...................     1,672     177,374     1,539     166,782       529      66,913
March ......................     1,571     157,156     1,460     147,537       482      64,088
April ......................     1,308     133,914     1,186     124,053       483      60,552
May ........................     1,626     171,387     1,496     161,912       528      72,058
June .......................     1,643     165,697     1,491     153,568       541      76,514
July .......................     1,512     151,171     1,368     140,116       443      57,470
August .....................     1,772     173,955     1,622     163,800       599      72,244
September ..................     2,269     235,681     2,092     221,538       603      81,414
October ....................     2,140     232,468     1,976     218,131       635      87,403






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

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

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
February ...................     1,269     119,508     1,178     113,587       361      42,527
March ......................     1,089     114,541     1,039     110,147       333      43,740
April ......................     1,272     130,810     1,172     121,625       394      48,188
May ........................     1,552     159,471     1,438     150,462       388      51,698
June .......................     1,622     166,742     1,315     140,916       309      42,097
July .......................     1,891     200,382     1,687     186,018       760     108,733
August .....................     1,427     139,999     1,343     133,146       414      51,912
September ..................     1,292     129,586     1,202     122,505       361      46,391
October ....................     2,125     221,784     1,917     205,553       689     100,457






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


                                                                                                    Initial claimants for          
                                                              Mass layoff events                    unemployment insurance         
                     Industry                                                                                                      
                                                   October   August  September  October    October     August   September   October
                                                    2007      2008     2008      2008       2007        2008      2008       2008  
                                                                                                                                   
                Seasonally adjusted                                                                                                


      Total .....................................    1,347     1,772    2,269     2,140     136,124    173,955   235,681    232,468

  Total, private nonfarm ........................    1,224     1,622    2,092     1,976     127,163    163,800   221,538    218,131
    Manufacturing ...............................      430       599      603       635      57,695     72,244    81,414     87,403

              Not seasonally adjusted                                                                                              

      Total (1) .................................    1,083     1,427    1,292     2,125     108,455    139,999   129,586    221,784

Total, private ..................................    1,033     1,373    1,227     2,034     103,897    134,871   124,096    213,602
    Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting ..      104        30       25       117       6,181      1,725     1,591      8,049

  Total, private nonfarm ........................      929     1,343    1,202     1,917      97,716    133,146   122,505    205,553
    Mining ......................................     (2)          3        6         6       (2)          207       728        449
    Utilities ...................................      -        (2)      (2)       (2)         -         (2)       (2)        (2)  
    Construction ................................      114       142      144       206       7,126      9,717    10,763     14,864
    Manufacturing ...............................      338       414      361       689      50,918     51,912    46,391    100,457
        Food ....................................       50        40       33        75       5,264      3,510     3,068     11,144
        Beverage and tobacco products ...........        8         8        7         7         603        630       648        488
        Textile mills ...........................        8        10       13        20         732      1,013     1,422      2,925
        Textile product mills (3) ...............        4         4        3        10         232        487       347        792
        Apparel (3) .............................        6        10        7         9         408        981       688        914
        Leather and allied products .............     (2)       (2)      (2)       (2)        (2)        (2)       (2)        (2)  
        Wood products ...........................       31        35       32        68       3,582      2,980     2,901      6,932
        Paper ...................................       10         3        8        17         708        516       603      1,392
        Printing and related support activities .        7        10        5        10         434        938       341      1,042
        Petroleum and coal products .............     (2)       (2)       -        (2)        (2)        (2)        -         (2)  

        Chemicals ...............................        6         5        8        13         907        268       527      1,394
        Plastics and rubber products (3) ........       11        30       16        47       1,133      3,625     1,224      4,903
        Nonmetallic mineral products ............        8         8       12        21         440      1,161       861      1,755
        Primary metals ..........................       16        19       13        48       1,579      1,709     1,582      6,038
        Fabricated metal products ...............       18        25       35        47       1,367      2,179     2,357      4,632
        Machinery (3) ...........................       18        30       28        43       5,459      4,887     4,058      7,897
        Computer and electronic products ........       10        26       15        36         674      2,446     1,556      3,705
        Electrical equipment and appliances .....       12        11       22        21       1,516      1,485     3,453      3,873
        Transportation equipment (3) ............       88       112       87       149      23,399     19,787    19,278     36,110
        Furniture and related products (3) ......       18        20       13        32       1,504      2,566     1,153      2,902
        Miscellaneous manufacturing (3) .........        5         5     (2)         13         538        520     (2)        1,210

    Wholesale trade .............................       13        27       20        38       1,571      1,765     1,642      2,573
    Retail trade ................................       66       142      112       161       5,881     12,674    10,345     15,328
    Transportation and warehousing ..............       31       100       54        75       3,153      9,077     4,383      6,007
    Information .................................       33        48       45        49       3,645      6,640     6,021      7,820
    Finance and insurance (3) ...................       60        45       38        63       4,640      3,192     3,104      5,025
    Real estate and rental and leasing (3) ......        8        13        7        15         616        742       396      1,014
    Professional and technical services (3) .....       26        45       35        46       1,968      4,458     5,623      3,022
    Management of companies and enterprises .....        5      (2)      (2)          4         382      (2)       (2)          337
    Administrative and waste services (3) .......      140       214      181       334      10,778     19,682    18,557     30,945
    Educational services ........................     (2)          9        5         5       (2)        1,462       346        292
    Health care and social assistance ...........       20        35       54        39       1,708      2,584     4,021      2,823
    Arts, entertainment, and recreation .........       21        18       30        42       1,521      1,320     2,043      3,106
    Accommodation and food services .............       47        74       99       125       3,346      6,221     7,552     10,278
    Other services, except public administration         3         9        6        16         175      1,185       297        962
    Unclassified ................................        1       -          2      (2)           74       -           73      (2)  

Government ......................................       50        54       65        91       4,558      5,128     5,490      8,182
    Federal .....................................       16         8        9        19       1,412        800       764      1,746
    State .......................................       16        13       12        30       1,431      1,464       922      2,985
    Local .......................................       18        33       44        42       1,715      2,864     3,804      3,451
                                                                                                                                   
 
    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, October 2006 to October 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                                                                                                                 

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         330,954             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         1,110         199,250             35.4       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         259,234             43.2       74.5

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         1,018         173,077             33.7       54.5

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         1,814      (r)347,149             39.5       70.0

             2008                                                                                                                 

January ....................    1,647      154,503     1,520     144,191                                                          
February ...................    1,269      119,508     1,178     113,587                                                          
March ......................    1,089      114,541     1,039     110,147                                                          

First Quarter ..............    4,005      388,552     3,737     367,925         1,340      (r)258,767             35.9    (r)70.3

April ......................    1,272      130,810     1,172     121,625                                                          
May ........................    1,552      159,471     1,438     150,462                                                          
June .......................    1,622      166,742     1,315     140,916                                                          

Second Quarter .............    4,446      457,023     3,925     413,003      (r)1,756      (r)335,854          (r)44.7    (r)81.3

July .......................    1,891      200,382     1,687     186,018                                                          
August .....................    1,427      139,999     1,343     133,146                                                          
September ..................    1,292      129,586     1,202     122,505                                                          

Third Quarter ..............    4,610      469,967     4,232     441,669   (2)(p)1,330   (2)(p)181,386          (p)31.4    (p)41.1

October ....................    2,125      221,784     1,917     205,553                                                          


    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                                                                                       
  
                                   October   August  September  October   October    August     September   October
                                    2007      2008     2008      2008      2007       2008        2008       2008  
                                                                                                                   
        United States (1) ...      1,083     1,427     1,292    2,125     108,455    139,999     129,586    221,784

Northeast ...................        141       226       142      270      12,152     22,736      11,646     23,945
    New England .............          9        24        15       25         614      2,304       1,180      2,522
    Middle Atlantic .........        132       202       127      245      11,538     20,432      10,466     21,423

South .......................        230       362       475      538      23,180     38,188      43,772     53,087
    South Atlantic ..........        131       212       153      295      11,952     20,313      12,291     25,535
    East South Central ......         51        90        54      111       6,791     11,179       4,788     15,162
    West South Central ......         48        60       268      132       4,437      6,696      26,693     12,390

Midwest .....................        261       307       225      511      38,853     33,238      26,646     75,210
    East North Central ......        215       254       189      406      32,840     26,689      23,087     60,196
    West North Central ......         46        53        36      105       6,013      6,549       3,559     15,014

West ........................        451       532       450      806      34,270     45,837      47,522     69,542
    Mountain ................         38        50        43       98       2,905      4,688       3,675      9,191
    Pacific .................        413       482       407      708      31,365     41,149      43,847     60,351
                                                                                                                   
 
   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                                                                                                      
                            October      August     September  October     October      August     September   October
                             2007         2008        2008      2008         2007        2008        2008       2008  

   Total (1) ............    1,083        1,427      1,292      2,125      108,455      139,999     129,586    221,784
                                 
Alabama .................       10           24         12         26        1,037        3,288       1,090      3,865
Alaska ..................      -            -            3         13         -            -            241      1,631
Arizona .................        7            7          8         13          610          488         586        979
Arkansas ................       10            8          3         18        1,486          613         359      1,877
California ..............      380          439        358        621       28,004       36,120      34,584     51,286
Colorado ................        4            3          3         11          322          258         196      1,143
Connecticut .............     (2)             4          6          4        (2)            368         402        540
Delaware ................     (2)             3       (2)        (2)         (2)            694       (2)        (2)  
District of Columbia ....      -           (2)         -          -           -           (2)          -          -   
Florida .................       79          126         96        176        5,082        9,849       5,988     12,946
Georgia .................       21           32         20         61        2,835        2,938       1,885      6,825
Hawaii ..................     (2)             4          9          9        (2)            408         919        910
Idaho ...................        3           10          4         22          192        1,120         324      2,682

Illinois ................       39           55         43         64        7,710        6,164       4,941      7,842
Indiana .................       29           40         34         63        5,129        4,359       4,314      7,961
Iowa ....................       15           18         10         23        1,662        3,727       1,455      3,818
Kansas ..................        3            4          6         18          347          291         478      2,543
Kentucky ................       28           34         24         46        3,449        5,487       2,351      8,327
Louisiana ...............        7           10        163         22          453          851      14,929      1,662
Maine ...................      -              3       (2)        (2)          -             217       (2)        (2)  
Maryland ................        7            8          5         11          702          762         349        885
Massachusetts ...........        4            6          4         11          234          495         310        980
Michigan ................       51           48         40         81        5,187        3,669       4,130     16,851
Minnesota ...............        9            5          4         23          745          334         430      1,880
Mississippi .............     (2)            15          6         17        (2)            908         463      1,513
Missouri ................       18           21         16         35        3,165        1,490       1,196      5,877

Montana .................        5         (2)        (2)           5          430        (2)         (2)          573
Nebraska ................     (2)             3        -            5        (2)            271        -           819
Nevada ..................       14           23         18         29        1,027        1,912       1,604      2,421
New Hampshire ...........      -              3       (2)           3         -             170       (2)          310
New Jersey ..............       16           38         17         45        1,327        3,151       1,663      3,670
New Mexico ..............     (2)             5          4          5        (2)            728         440        396
New York ................       28           94         36         54        3,202       10,760       2,905      4,725
North Carolina ..........        3           25          9         18          212        3,123         793      1,838
North Dakota ............      -           (2)         -         (2)          -           (2)          -         (2)  
Ohio ....................       53           62         32        118       10,896        7,994       5,912     17,764
Oklahoma ................     (2)          (2)           5          6        (2)          (2)           789      1,137
Oregon ..................       17           28         21         36        2,106        3,741       2,942      3,883
Pennsylvania ............       88           70         74        146        7,009        6,521       5,898     13,028

Rhode Island ............        3            5       (2)           3          249          390       (2)          325
South Carolina ..........       13           12         16         23        2,504        2,232       1,793      2,268
South Dakota ............      -            -          -          -           -            -           -          -   
Tennessee ...............       11           17         12         22        2,122        1,496         884      1,457
Texas ...................       30           40         97         86        2,414        5,124      10,616      7,714
Utah ....................     (2)          (2)           3          9        (2)          (2)           243        721
Vermont .................     (2)             3       (2)        (2)         (2)            664       (2)        (2)  
Virginia ................        6            4          4          4          465          361         546        655
Washington ..............       14           11         16         29        1,058          880       5,161      2,641
West Virginia ...........     (2)          (2)        (2)         -          (2)          (2)         (2)          -  
Wisconsin ...............       43           49         40         80        3,918        4,503       3,790      9,778
Wyoming .................     (2)           -         (2)           4        (2)           -          (2)          276

Puerto Rico .............       11           18         18         13          894        1,958       1,715      1,117

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






Last Modified Date: November 21, 2008