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Bureau of Labor Statistics > Mass Layoff Statistics > Data

Movement of Work

The MLS program has been collecting and reporting information on job loss associated with the movement of work (MOW) in the extended mass layoff series since the first quarter of 2004. In instances when the reason for layoff is not seasonal or vacation period, movement-of-work questions are asked of employers to capture both out-of-country and domestic relocations of work. These questions also capture whether the work being moved is staying within the same company or is being outsourced to a different company. For more information on movement of work, please see “Mass layoff data indicate outsourcing and offshoring work,” Monthly Labor Review, August 2005, pp. 3-10. (https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2005/08/art1full.pdf).

Note that an extended mass layoff event can involve more than one movement-of-work action. For example, an employer may shut down a worksite and move the work previously performed there to two or more other sites. The tables below summarize these data from 2004 forward.

Extended mass layoff events and separations, selected measures

Movement of work actions by type of separation where number of separations is known by employers

Last Modified Date: May 16, 2012