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Mass layoffs increase in May

June 24, 2013

Employers took 1,301 mass layoff actions in May involving 127,821 workers as measured by new filings for unemployment insurance benefits during the month. The number of mass layoff events increased by 102 from April, which had 1,199 events. The number of associated initial claims increased by 10,972 from April's 116,849 initial claims.

Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance, January 2009 to May 2013, seasonally adjusted
Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance, January 2009 to May 2013, seasonally adjusted
MonthMass layoff eventsInitial claimants

Jan 2009

2,256237,182

Feb 2009

3,079334,171

Mar 2009

3,022304,175

Apr 2009

2,537246,938

May 2009

2,712286,089

Jun 2009

2,470248,680

Jul 2009

2,184222,776

Aug 2009

2,358218,380

Sep 2009

2,274216,959

Oct 2009

1,970196,370

Nov 2009

1,764159,283

Dec 2009

1,720155,738

Jan 2010

1,699169,561

Feb 2010

1,647161,694

Mar 2010

1,703153,784

Apr 2010

1,622154,962

May 2010

1,585150,959

Jun 2010

1,701152,080

Jul 2010

1,521137,750

Aug 2010

1,612162,455

Sep 2010

1,526137,074

Oct 2010

1,661149,985

Nov 2010

1,584153,394

Dec 2010

1,476136,252

Jan 2011

1,522150,406

Feb 2011

1,456137,938

Mar 2011

1,307119,691

Apr 2011

1,526145,315

May 2011

1,573144,824

Jun 2011

1,522144,060

Jul 2011

1,566144,543

Aug 2011

1,585168,266

Sep 2011

1,463150,165

Oct 2011

1,349118,135

Nov 2011

1,312123,078

Dec 2011

1,392144,661

Jan 2012

1,435129,169

Feb 2012

1,275120,199

Mar 2012

1,290125,195

Apr 2012

1,403138,164

May 2012

1,370131,603

Jun 2012

1,320133,080

Jul 2012

1,354138,694

Aug 2012

1,297130,266

Sep 2012

1,346125,692

Oct 2012

1,400136,153

Nov 2012

1,749172,879

Dec 2012

1,509137,839

Jan 2013

1,328134,026

Feb 2013

1,422135,468

Mar 2013

1,337127,939

Apr 2013

1,199116,849

May 2013

1,301127,821

 

A year earlier, in May 2012, the number of mass layoff events was 1,370, and the associated initial claimants numbered 131,603. The numbers of mass layoffs and initial claimants in May 2011 were 1,573 and 144,824, respectively; in May 2010 the numbers were 1,585 and 150,959. In May 2009, the number of mass layoff events was 2,712 and there were 286,089 initial claimants for unemployment insurance benefits.

These data are from the Mass Layoff Statistics program and are seasonally adjusted. Each mass layoff involved at least 50 workers from a single employer. To learn more, see "Mass Layoffs — May 2013" (HTML) (PDF), USDL-13-1179. This news release is the final publication of monthly mass layoff survey data. The BLS will eliminate the Mass Layoff Statistics program in order to help achieve savings required by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act.

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Mass layoffs increase in May at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2013/ted_20130624.htm (visited March 19, 2024).

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