Technical information: (202) 691-6392 USDL 02-79 http://www.bls.gov/mls/ For release: 10:00 A.M. EST Media contact: 691-5902 Wednesday, February 13, 2002 EXTENDED MASS LAYOFFS IN THE FOURTH QUARTER OF 2001 Employers reported the separation of 486,406 workers from their jobs for more than 30 days in 2,538 mass layoff actions in the fourth quarter of 2001, according to preliminary figures released by the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics. Both the number of separations and the number of layoff events were sharply higher than in October-December 2000. This marked the fifth consecutive quarter of significant over-the-year increases in extended mass layoff activity. Fourth-quarter 2001 marked the largest number of extended mass layoff events and separations for any fourth quarter since 1995. (See table A.) The completion of seasonal work was the major reason cited for layoffs in the fourth quarter, accounting for 38 percent of all events. The number of such events, however, was down from a year earlier. In contrast, the number of extended mass layoff events in which firms cited financial difficulty, slack work, bankruptcy, and reorganization were all up substantially since the fourth quarter of 2000. Half of the employers with layoffs in the fourth quarter indicated that they anticipated some type of recall, the smallest proportion on record for a fourth quarter. The number of worker separations in extended mass layoff events, at 1,695,335 for all of 2001, and the number of layoff events, at 8,191, were higher than in any other year since the program began. Additional information on 2001 annual data is provided in the review of 2001 section, beginning on page 5. Industry Distribution of Extended Layoffs Extended mass layoff separations occurred in 490 of the 1,005 detailed industries for which data are available. Although 35 percent of the separations occurred in manufacturing, another 9 percent were in three industries in the service-providing sector--scheduled air transportation (15,392), help supply services (14,289), and hotels and motels (14,203). Agriculture accounted for 12 percent of all events and 15 percent of all separations in the private sector during October-December 2001. Layoff activity was concentrated in agricultural services (primarily in farm labor contracting) and was almost entirely due to the end of seasonal work. (See table 1.) Thirty-seven percent of all layoff events and 35 percent of separations occurred in manufacturing. Among durable goods industries, extended layoffs were most prevalent in electronic and other electrical equipment (mostly in telephone and telegraphic apparatus, in radio and television communications, and in printed circuit boards), in transportation equipment (primarily in aircraft and in motor vehicles and car bodies) and in primary metal industries (mainly in blast furnaces and steel mills). Within the nondurable goods sector, almost half the layoffs were in food and kindred products (largely in canned fruits and vegetables). - 2 - Table A. Selected measures of mass layoff activity ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Period | Layoff events | Separations | Initial claimants ---------------------|---------------|---------------|------------------- 1997 | | | January-March........| 1,317 | 255,227 | 224,180 April-June...........| 1,587 | 351,198 | 292,673 July-September.......| 1,082 | 217,869 | 209,019 October-December.....| 1,697 | 321,821 | 316,035 1998 | | | January-March........| 1,320 | 208,082 | 247,315 April-June...........| 1,563 | 391,461 | 402,276 July-September.......| 1,234 | 248,054 | 256,803 October-December.....| 1,734 | 379,976 | 325,990 1999 | | | January-March........| 1,509 | 277,780 | 252,122 April-June...........| 1,444 | 294,968 | 242,464 July-September.......| 1,097 | 241,725 | 189,973 October-December.....| 1,625 | 334,794 | 287,685 2000 | | | January-March........| 1,330 | 254,646 | 221,368 April-June...........| 1,271 | 258,608 | 231,471 July-September.......| 1,014 | 230,103 | 189,250 October-December(r)..| 2,005 | 427,070 | 376,588 2001 | | | January-March(r).....| 1,765 | 342,938 | 339,766 April-June(r)........| 2,072 | 481,876 | 399,075 July-September(r)....| 1,816 | 384,115 | 364,548 October-December(p)..| 2,538 | 486,406 | 358,067 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- p=preliminary. r=revised. Services accounted for 15 percent of private-sector layoff events and separations, primarily in business services (largely in help supply) and in hotels and motels. Layoffs in construction were 17 percent of the events and 12 percent of the separations, mainly in heavy construction, except buildings (largely in highway and street construction). Cutbacks in retail trade comprised 6 percent of events and 9 percent of separations in the private sector and were largely in catalog and mail-order houses and in eating and drinking places. Layoffs in government establishments accounted for 2 percent of all events and 3 percent of all separations, mostly in the state administration of environmental quality and housing programs. Reasons for Extended Layoff Thirty-eight percent of the events and 40 percent of the separations in the fourth quarter were due to the completion of seasonal work. (See table 2.) However, these were the smallest fourth-quarter proportions for this category since the program began in 1995. Seasonal layoffs were most - 3 - Table B. Summary of employer expectations of a recall from layoff, fourth quarter 2000-fourth quarter 2001 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | Percentage of events | ---------------- ---------------------------- Nature of the recall | IV | I | II | III | IV | 2000 | 2001 | 2001r | 2001r | 2001p ------------------------|------- |--------|---------|--------|--------- Anticipate a recall.....| 67.0 | 46.1 | 45.0 | 35.7 | 50.2 | | | | | Timeframe | | | | | | | | | | Within 6 months.........| 82.5 | 79.1 | 83.9 | 74.7 | 81.1 Within 3 months.......| 37.9 | 53.4 | 52.2 | 47.4 | 31.0 | | | | | Size | | | | | | | | | | At least half...........| 88.3 | 81.1 | 88.5 | 76.5 | 87.4 All workers...........| 47.5 | 35.2 | 42.3 | 29.8 | 35.7 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- p=preliminary. r=revised. numerous among workers in agricultural services (farm labor contractors), in heavy construction, except buildings (highway and street construction), and in agricultural production crops (grapes). Lack of demand for employers' products and services (slack work) accounted for 25 percent of events and resulted in 20 percent of the separations during the quarter, mostly in transportation equipment, in electronic and other electrical equipment, and in business services. Layoffs due to internal company restructuring (bankruptcy, business ownership change, financial difficulty, and reorganization) accounted for 19 percent of layoff events and resulted in 108,046 separations. These layoffs were mostly among workers in the primary metal industries, communications, and transportation by air. A year earlier, layoff events for these reasons were 14 percent of the total and involved 80,057 workers. Recall Expectations Fifty percent of employers reporting a layoff in the fourth quarter of 2001 indicated they anticipated some type of recall. This compares with 67 percent of the employers anticipating a recall a year earlier and is the smallest proportion on record for a fourth quarter. (See table B.) Other than fourth-quarter 1995, when 58 percent of employers expected a recall, the typical proportion of employers anticipating a recall has been around 70 percent. The relatively small current proportion reflects the greater prevalence of reorganizations within the company and layoffs due to financial difficulty--situations where recall is unlikely. Most of the employers not expecting a recall were in electronic and other electrical equipment manufacturing, in business services, and in industrial machinery and equipment. Among establishments expecting a recall, most employers expected to recall over one-half of the separated - 4 - Table C. Distribution of layoff events by size of layoff, October-December 2001p ------------------------------------------------------------- | Layoff events | Separations Size |--------------------|---------------------- | Number | Percent | Number | Percent -----------------|----------|---------|----------|----------- Total............| 2,538 | 100.0 | 486,406 | 100.0 | | | | 50-99............| 949 | 37.4 | 66,933 | 13.8 100-149..........| 581 | 22.9 | 67,244 | 13.8 150-199..........| 304 | 12.0 | 50,482 | 10.4 200-299..........| 337 | 13.3 | 77,569 | 15.9 300-499..........| 218 | 8.6 | 77,675 | 16.0 500-999..........| 104 | 4.1 | 69,049 | 14.2 1,000 or more....| 45 | 1.8 | 77,454 | 15.9 ------------------------------------------------------------- p=preliminary. employees and to do so within 6 months. Only 36 percent of such employers expected to extend the offer to all laid-off workers. Excluding layoff events due to seasonal work and vacation period (in which 92 percent of the employers expected a recall), employers expected to recall laid-off workers in 25 percent of the events. In layoff events due to internal company restructuring, employers anticipated a recall in only 6 percent of the events. Size of Extended Layoff Layoff events during the fourth quarter continued to be concentrated at the lower end of the layoff-size spectrum, with 60 percent involving fewer than 150 workers. These events, however, accounted for only 28 percent of all separations. (See table C.) Separations involving 500 or more workers accounted for 30 percent of all separations, down slightly from a year earlier (33 percent). The average size of layoffs (as measured by separations per layoff event) differed widely by industry, ranging from a low of 91 separations in the manufacture of chemicals and allied products to a high of 474 in miscellaneous retail trade establishments. Initial Claimant Characteristics A total of 358,067 initial claimants for unemployment insurance were associated with mass layoffs in the fourth quarter of 2001. Of these claimants, 12 percent were black, 35 percent were women, 19 percent were Hispanic, and 12 percent were 55 years of age or older. (See table 3.) Forty-one percent of claimants were 30 to 44 years of age. Among the civilian labor force for the same period, 12 percent were black, 47 percent were women, 11 percent were Hispanic, and 14 percent were 55 years of age or older. Thirty-eight percent of the civilian labor force were ages 30 to 44. - 5 - Table D. Selected measures of mass layoff activity, 1996-2001 ------------------------------------------------------------------ Period | Layoff events| Separations | Initial claimants ----------------|--------------|--------------|------------------- 1996............| 5,697 | 1,184,355 | 957,745 1997............| 5,683 | 1,146,115 | 1,041,907 1998............| 5,851 | 1,227,573 | 1,232,384 1999............| 5,675 | 1,149,267 | 972,244 2000(r).........| 5,620 | 1,170,427 | 1,018,677 2001(p).........| 8,191 | 1,695,335 | 1,461,456 ------------------------------------------------------------------ p=preliminary. r=revised. Geographic Distribution The number of separations due to extended mass layoff events in the fourth quarter was highest in the West (177,965), followed by the Midwest (154,367), the South (88,769), and the Northeast (65,305). (See table 4.) Extended mass layoffs in the West were largely agriculture-related; in the Midwest, they were concentrated in heavy construction; in the South, in transportation by air; and in the Northeast, mostly in electronic and other electrical equipment. All four regions reported over-the-year increases in separations, the largest occurring in the South (+24,987). Seven of the nine geographic divisions experienced higher levels of laid-off workers than a year ago, with the largest increases occurring in the Middle Atlantic, followed by the South Atlantic and Mountain divisions. Separations declined in the East North Central and Pacific divisions. Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, the greatest number of worker separations occurred in California (121,981), followed by Illinois (54,348). These two states accounted for 33 percent of total layoff events and 36 percent of the separations during the fourth quarter of 2001. They were followed by Wisconsin (22,894), Ohio (21,713), and New York (20,863). (See table 5.) After excluding the substantial impact of seasonal work, California still reported the most laid-off workers (50,810), mainly due to layoffs in business services. Over the year, the greatest increases in laid-off workers occurred in New York (+9,381), Washington (+6,937), Illinois (+5,963), and Georgia (+5,922). The largest decreases occurred in Michigan (-12,260) and California (-8,306). Review of 2001 Employers reported a record number of extended mass layoff actions --8,191, up from 5,620 in 2000. Worker separations in these events reached 1,695,335, also a record, and were up more than 500,000 over the year. (See table D.) The annual average national unemployment rate increased from 4.0 percent in 2000 to 4.8 percent in 2001, while nonfarm payroll employment increased by 0.3 percent, or 453,000 jobs. - 6 - In the private sector, manufacturing accounted for 41 percent of all mass layoff events and 37 percent of all separations that occurred during 2001, sharply higher than in 2000 (34 percent and 33 percent, respectively). Layoffs in the durable goods sector were most prevalent in electronic and other electrical equipment (128,351), primarily in printed circuit boards and in semiconductors and related devices. In the nondurable goods sector, food and kindred products accounted for 71,547 separated workers, mostly in canned and frozen fruits and vegetables. Compared with 2000, the largest increase in laid-off workers occurred in electronic and other electrical equipment (+106,920), followed by business services (+95,066). The largest over-the-year decreases in separations occurred in agricultural services (-14,936) and in health services (-13,200). Twenty-seven percent of all layoff events and 29 percent of the separations in 2001 were due to the completion of seasonal work. These layoffs occurred in establishments primarily engaged in food production (agriculture and food and kindred products). Layoff activity due to internal company restructuring reached record highs in 2001. Employers cited this in 1,897 events (23 percent of the total), resulting in the separation of 488,233 workers (29 percent of the total). In 2001, the West reported more separated workers due to extended mass layoff events than any other region--570,757. Layoffs in the West were primarily concentrated in food production (agriculture and food and kindred products), which accounted for one-third of the region's worker separations, and were primarily attributed to seasonal factors. The Northeast region continued to report the lowest annual number of separations (240,885). Over the year, the Midwest reported the largest increase (+153,060) in worker separations, mainly in the East North Central division (+115,488). Layoffs were most numerous in business services. Close behind was the West --up 152,352 from a year ago. Most of the increase occurred in the Pacific division (+101,886), where separations were concentrated in electronic and other electrical equipment and in business services. Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, California continued to report the largest number of separated workers (383,325), largely due to seasonal layoffs in food production (agriculture and food and kindred products). Over the year, California had the largest increase in the number of separated workers (+67,039), followed by Illinois (+56,026), New York (+38,777), and Michigan (+35,872). Alaska and Ohio had the largest over-the-year decreases in laid-off workers (-3,384 and -3,154, respectively). Impact of September 11 Attacks After the attacks of September 11, BLS added a new code for "reason for the layoff," "non-natural disaster," for use in the reporting of extended mass layoffs (those lasting more than 30 days). This allows for the identification of workers separated from companies as a direct or indirect effect of situations such as the September 11 attacks. Layoffs indirectly attributed to the September 11 disasters include those in establishments outside of the immediate areas in and around the World Trade Center in New York City (for example, airlines and hotels and motels). - 7 - Preliminary reports for the weeks ended September 15 through December 29 show that there were 408 events involving 114,711 workers directly or indirectly attributed to the attacks. Thirty-three states reported extended mass layoff activity related in some way to the September 11 incidents. Fifty-four percent of these events and 56 percent of these separations occurred in just five states--California, Nevada, Illinois, New York, and Texas. Among the workers laid off because of the terrorist attacks, 39 percent, or 44,756 workers, had been employed in the scheduled air transportation industry. An additional 28 percent, or 32,044 workers, had been employed in hotels and motels. One-third of the employers indicated that they would likely recall at least a portion of the laid-off workers within three months. Although one-third of the September 11-related layoff events involved fewer than 100 workers, nearly two-fifths of the separated workers were in layoffs of 1,000 or more workers. Note The quarterly series on extended mass layoffs cover layoffs of at least 31-days duration that involve 50 or more individuals from a single establishment filing initial claims for unemployment insurance during a consecutive 5-week period. Approximately 30 days after a mass layoff is triggered at an establishment, the employer is contacted for additional information. Data for the fourth quarter are preliminary and subject to revision. This release also includes revised data for previous quarters. Data are not seasonally adjusted, but survey data suggest that there is a seasonal pattern to layoffs. Thus, comparisons between consecutive quarters should not be used as an indicator of trend. For additional information about the program, see the Technical Note. ______________________________ The report on Mass Layoffs in January 2002 will be issued on Thursday, February 28, 2002. - 8 - -------------------------------------------------------------------- | Change in Industry Classification System | | | | Fourth-quarter 2001 data will be the last from the Mass Layoff | | Statistics (MLS) program using the 1987 Standard Industrial | | Classification (SIC) system. Beginning with the release of monthly| | mass layoff data for January 2002 on February 28, 2002, the program| | will switch to the 2002 version of the North American Industry | | Classification System (NAICS) as the basis for the assignment and | | tabulation of economic data by industry. NAICS is the product of | | a cooperative effort on the part of the statistical agencies of the| | United States, Canada, and Mexico. Due to differences in NAICS and| | SIC structures, data for 2002 will not be comparable to the SIC- | | based data for earlier years. However, the monthly mass layoff and| | quarterly extended mass layoff historical industry series through | | 2001 will be available on both SIC and NAICS bases. | | | | NAICS uses a production-oriented approach to categorize economic | | units. Units with similar production processes are classified | | in the same industry. NAICS focuses on how products and services | | are created, as opposed to the SIC focus on what is produced. This | | approach yields significantly different industry groupings than | | those produced by the SIC approach. | | | | Users interested in more information about NAICS can access the | | BLS Web page at http://www.bls.gov/bls/naics.htm or the Bureau of | | the Census Web page at http://www.census.gov/epcd/www/naics.html. | -------------------------------------------------------------------- Technical Note The Mass Layoff Statistics (MLS) program is a federal-state program which 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. Establishments which have at least 50 initial claims filed against them during a consecutive 5-week period are contacted by the state agency to determine whether these separations are of at least 31 days duration, and, if so, information is obtained on the total number of persons separated and the reasons for these separations. Establishments are identified according to industry classification and location, and unemployment insurance claimants are identified by such demographic factors as age, race, sex, ethnic group, and place of residence. The program yields information on an individual's entire spell of unemployment, to the point when regular unemployment insurance benefits are exhausted. The MLS program was resumed in April 1995; it had been terminated in November 1992 due to lack of funding. However, due to changes in concepts and definitions, data from the resumed program are not comparable to earlier data. 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 Establishment. A unit at a single physical location at which predominantly one type of economic activity is conducted. Extended layoff event. Fifty or more initial claims for unemployment insurance benefits from an establishment during a 5-week period, with at least 50 workers separated for more than 30 days. 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. Layoff. The separation of persons from an employer as part of a mass layoff event. (See below.) Such layoffs involve both persons subject to recall and those who are terminated by the establishment. - 2 - Mass layoff. Fifty or more initial claims for unemployment insurance benefits from an establishment beginning in a given month, regardless of duration. Worksite closure. The full closure of either multi-unit or single- unit establishments or the partial closure of a multi-unit establishment where entire worksites affected by layoffs are closed or planned to be closed. Table 1. Industry distribution: Extended mass layoff events, separations, and initial claimants for unemployment insurance, selected quarters, 2000 and 2001 Layoff events Separations Initial claimants for unemployment insurance Industry IV III IV IV III IV IV III IV 2000 2001r 2001p 2000r 2001r 2001p 2000r 2001r 2001p Total( 1 ) ..................................... 2,005 1,816 2,538 427,070 384,115 486,406 376,588 364,548 358,067 Total, private ......................................... 1,959 1,773 2,494 405,606 372,448 472,657 366,149 353,663 350,345 Agriculture ......................................... 349 142 302 75,988 40,932 70,345 48,561 23,567 32,486 Nonagriculture ....................................... 1,604 1,630 2,189 328,129 331,456 402,034 316,063 329,654 317,606 Manufacturing .................................... 633 734 919 130,751 131,816 167,279 146,560 140,378 149,484 Durable goods ................................. 347 491 606 73,627 87,437 107,610 94,656 100,223 105,679 Lumber and wood products .................... 38 7 40 5,486 937 4,134 6,404 1,270 6,419 Furniture and fixtures ...................... 8 23 35 795 3,176 5,336 1,324 4,140 4,434 Stone, clay, and glass products ............. 41 8 40 6,367 1,036 8,109 6,555 1,338 6,423 Primary metal industries .................... 33 50 66 9,512 8,033 18,563 9,468 10,504 16,732 Fabricated metal products ................... 49 51 50 7,299 6,913 6,286 9,102 7,846 6,028 Industrial machinery and equipment .......... 36 109 105 7,376 20,632 15,621 8,128 20,919 19,121 Electronic and other electrical equipment ... 36 149 140 8,090 28,904 22,240 12,811 32,230 21,803 Transportation equipment .................... 79 55 91 25,499 10,762 19,386 37,663 14,947 18,907 Instruments and related products ............ 6 27 21 698 5,224 4,881 596 5,277 3,089 Miscellaneous manufacturing industries ...... 21 12 18 2,505 1,820 3,054 2,605 1,752 2,723 Nondurable goods .............................. 286 243 313 57,124 44,379 59,669 51,904 40,155 43,805 Food and kindred products ................... 124 67 116 28,501 11,844 29,190 24,217 11,218 17,194 Tobacco products ............................ ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) Textile mill products ....................... 23 36 29 5,254 6,786 5,464 4,696 7,867 4,444 Apparel and other textile products .......... 44 52 52 7,232 8,745 8,282 7,361 8,711 6,731 Paper and allied products ................... 23 22 25 3,594 4,346 3,594 3,623 3,583 2,769 Printing and publishing ..................... 14 18 20 1,958 4,925 2,418 1,903 2,414 1,591 Chemicals and allied products ............... 10 22 13 1,246 3,989 1,182 1,256 2,849 970 Petroleum and coal products ................. 13 ( 2 ) 14 1,693 ( 2 ) 2,045 1,759 ( 2 ) 1,736 Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products .. 30 21 33 6,628 3,233 5,326 6,295 3,104 6,948 Leather and leather products ................ ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) Nonmanufacturing ................................. 971 896 1,270 197,378 199,640 234,755 169,503 189,276 168,122 Mining ........................................ 21 11 33 2,772 3,054 5,421 2,545 2,440 4,834 Construction ................................... 434 76 429 62,914 9,756 58,859 63,775 11,362 49,066 Transportation and public utilities ............ 70 180 179 11,456 60,051 39,689 12,944 49,725 30,417 Wholesale and retail trade ..................... 135 182 197 47,130 32,870 50,440 29,987 31,760 26,342 Wholesale trade ............................ 43 59 57 6,147 6,918 7,516 5,008 7,287 6,223 Retail trade ............................... 92 123 140 40,983 25,952 42,924 24,979 24,473 20,119 Finance, insurance, and real estate ............ 32 59 56 5,704 12,800 10,019 4,619 9,605 6,494 Services ....................................... 279 388 376 67,402 81,109 70,327 55,633 84,384 50,969 Not identified ...................................... 6 1 3 1,489 60 278 1,525 442 253 Government ............................................. 46 43 44 21,464 11,667 13,749 10,439 10,885 7,722 Federal ........................................ 13 14 8 2,991 3,955 1,555 3,667 3,538 1,539 State .......................................... 13 6 18 4,088 1,021 5,628 2,523 1,253 3,381 Local .......................................... 20 23 18 14,385 6,691 6,566 4,249 6,094 2,802 1 For the fourth quarter 2001, data on layoffs were reported by employers in all states and the District of Columbia. 2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards. p = preliminary. r = revised. Table 2. Reason for separation: Extended mass layoff events, separations, and initial claimants for unemployment insurance, selected quarters, 2000 and 2001 Layoff events Separations Initial claimants for unemployment insurance Reason for separation IV III IV IV III IV IV III IV 2000 2001r 2001p 2000r 2001r 2001p 2000r 2001r 2001p Total, all reasons( 1 )...... 2,005 1,816 2,538 427,070 384,115 486,406 376,588 364,548 358,067 Automation ..................... - ( 2 ) ( 2 ) - ( 2 ) ( 2 ) - ( 2 ) ( 2 ) Bankruptcy ..................... 46 62 68 21,845 17,171 24,203 9,828 11,569 14,892 Business ownership change ...... 27 56 54 11,517 11,907 16,203 4,735 11,417 7,506 Contract cancellation .......... 25 48 48 4,482 8,805 7,575 5,188 8,409 7,118 Contract completed ............. 200 123 137 42,787 19,554 27,474 46,733 22,038 18,187 Domestic relocation ............ 18 25 21 2,771 4,564 4,005 2,024 4,061 2,253 Energy-related ................. 7 5 ( 2 ) 1,743 944 ( 2 ) 1,216 1,692 ( 2 ) Environment-related ............ ( 2 ) - ( 2 ) ( 2 ) - ( 2 ) ( 2 ) - ( 2 ) Financial difficulty ........... 103 183 172 24,511 45,755 37,919 18,168 35,608 28,000 Import competition ............. 24 27 40 4,856 5,433 7,196 4,581 5,315 5,660 Labor dispute .................. 4 8 3 3,296 2,887 555 3,293 2,602 219 Material shortage .............. - 4 ( 2 ) - 450 ( 2 ) - 421 ( 2 ) Model changeover ............... ( 2 ) ( 2 ) - ( 2 ) ( 2 ) - ( 2 ) ( 2 ) - Natural disaster ............... ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) Non-natural disaster ........... ( 3 ) 9 6 ( 3 ) 2,185 1,336 ( 3 ) 1,713 514 Overseas relocation ............ 12 21 23 2,770 4,297 3,999 3,921 3,084 2,998 Plant or machine repair ........ 10 8 3 1,403 785 364 846 943 827 Product line discontinued ...... 9 6 11 1,224 732 1,718 2,329 557 936 Reorganization within company .. 104 185 179 22,184 37,547 29,721 20,868 34,508 22,654 Seasonal work .................. 1,034 303 953 214,220 76,218 195,956 160,359 53,842 114,689 Slack work ..................... 226 530 631 38,222 97,105 96,033 62,947 120,975 99,730 Vacation period ................ ( 2 ) 54 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 11,535 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 8,166 ( 2 ) Weather-related ................ 21 - 18 2,253 - 2,029 2,693 - 2,326 Other .......................... 47 103 111 7,655 25,762 19,575 8,105 24,984 18,385 Not reported ................... 82 52 50 18,203 10,103 9,139 17,706 10,710 9,726 1 See footnote 1, table 1. 2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards. 3 This reason for separation has been created for use effective with third quarter 2001 for work activity curtailed because of a human action resulting in a disaster, such as the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, or the threat of an attack. Only mass layoff activity directly related to the "non-natural disaster" is included. p = preliminary. r = revised. NOTE: Dash represents zero. Table 3. State and selected claimant characteristics: Extended mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance, third and fourth quarters, 2001 Percent of total Total Layoff events initial Hispanic claimants Black origin Women Persons age 55 and over State III IV III IV III IV III IV III IV III IV 2001r 2001p 2001r 2001p 2001r 2001p 2001r 2001p 2001r 2001p 2001r 2001p Total( 1 ) ........ 1,816 2,538 364,548 358,067 13.0 11.6 19.4 19.0 45.5 35.5 12.9 12.4 Alabama ............... 24 28 3,684 4,834 34.6 24.1 2.0 4.2 40.1 24.6 14.9 14.0 Alaska ................ - 5 - 472 - 2.1 - 1.5 - 11.7 - 10.8 Arizona ............... 26 6 3,895 1,043 6.0 5.1 28.0 21.0 47.3 35.3 14.1 12.1 Arkansas .............. 5 6 1,341 648 18.4 31.9 .3 .5 34.8 57.6 10.8 10.5 California ............ 465 581 78,931 65,953 5.4 4.0 46.8 58.6 45.0 40.5 11.2 11.1 Colorado .............. 20 48 4,451 6,101 5.5 4.0 12.7 22.8 52.2 37.0 8.6 11.5 Connecticut ........... 7 18 1,048 1,515 24.8 10.6 15.9 4.3 57.8 39.5 12.0 16.9 Delaware .............. 3 ( 2 ) 445 ( 2 ) 32.6 21.7 2.9 1.4 44.9 20.8 9.0 8.7 District of Columbia .. ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 33.5 19.1 6.4 2.1 51.9 28.7 8.6 21.3 Florida ............... 145 92 27,823 11,438 23.6 22.8 22.4 29.2 44.9 51.1 16.0 16.0 Georgia ............... 19 18 2,660 2,830 62.2 47.4 .3 - 61.1 50.6 13.9 13.6 Hawaii ................ 22 13 5,551 1,906 1.0 1.8 29.0 28.4 53.7 48.6 12.0 11.1 Idaho ................. 6 10 851 966 1.1 .4 .8 5.1 48.5 17.6 9.5 14.6 Illinois .............. 127 254 29,008 34,938 20.7 17.6 9.9 16.7 43.4 30.5 11.3 11.8 Indiana ............... 33 72 7,165 13,575 15.2 9.9 3.4 5.2 44.8 30.0 11.7 14.1 Iowa .................. 15 45 2,766 7,560 2.9 1.1 1.9 2.1 40.6 30.0 14.1 12.0 Kansas ................ 6 8 712 2,134 6.2 7.9 2.4 4.5 43.7 38.5 14.6 9.9 Kentucky .............. 18 32 3,765 5,183 13.7 8.9 1.2 .8 62.3 54.7 16.6 15.4 Louisiana ............. 15 27 2,621 2,969 57.6 41.4 2.5 3.8 41.0 25.8 7.2 12.4 Maine ................. 8 15 814 1,975 .1 .4 - - 31.0 28.7 12.3 14.1 Maryland .............. 5 19 469 2,171 45.6 47.8 - .5 52.9 45.1 28.8 13.3 Massachusetts ......... 59 77 10,503 11,609 7.4 6.8 5.3 3.9 48.5 44.7 15.0 13.1 Michigan .............. 42 110 7,825 16,664 21.3 12.2 5.2 7.9 51.7 32.6 9.1 10.2 Minnesota ............. 22 87 6,264 10,378 2.1 1.1 3.1 5.3 52.6 16.9 12.7 12.1 Mississippi ........... 7 17 1,017 1,844 70.2 48.7 .4 1.2 38.3 58.5 13.2 12.8 Missouri .............. 30 45 5,624 4,958 13.4 12.8 3.7 1.2 53.7 40.3 13.8 17.4 Montana ............... ( 2 ) 7 ( 2 ) 950 - .3 .9 2.1 30.2 19.9 11.8 13.2 Nebraska .............. ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 5.4 6.9 2.9 5.2 48.2 29.3 7.2 5.2 Nevada ................ 34 27 16,343 3,327 9.2 8.5 27.4 21.6 53.6 48.4 12.4 15.7 New Hampshire ......... 7 6 1,163 1,344 .5 .9 .9 1.9 23.8 44.1 15.6 13.2 New Jersey ............ 53 49 10,347 7,346 22.3 16.0 13.9 22.7 53.6 47.5 21.5 18.6 New Mexico ............ 5 ( 2 ) 1,275 ( 2 ) 2.3 2.0 59.6 67.5 55.8 40.6 11.8 13.6 New York .............. 139 118 26,393 14,965 8.0 4.5 5.8 4.2 49.0 41.8 15.9 12.7 North Carolina ........ 45 63 8,435 9,641 34.9 33.6 2.6 2.8 46.2 43.8 10.8 10.1 North Dakota .......... ( 2 ) 9 ( 2 ) 1,139 .4 .1 2.7 2.0 52.7 18.1 9.2 8.3 Ohio .................. 44 138 7,273 18,525 13.2 11.1 1.0 3.5 30.1 20.2 13.8 13.5 Oklahoma .............. 11 10 3,456 2,908 13.5 7.4 4.1 3.0 21.2 27.4 25.4 7.4 Oregon ................ 30 39 4,445 6,787 2.5 1.8 9.2 15.1 40.4 34.5 15.0 12.9 Pennsylvania .......... 96 76 26,166 16,399 6.1 4.2 1.9 1.3 37.8 22.0 15.2 14.0 Rhode Island .......... 4 4 361 313 4.4 8.0 25.2 31.0 50.1 59.4 15.5 9.3 South Carolina ........ 13 13 2,881 4,387 42.9 62.8 .1 .2 46.2 40.3 2.3 .7 South Dakota .......... - - - - - - - - - - - - Tennessee ............. 24 25 3,444 2,432 20.6 21.8 .1 .1 46.8 38.2 11.1 12.8 Texas ................. 69 103 23,383 18,002 13.8 17.5 33.9 25.3 44.4 42.7 9.9 9.8 Utah .................. 8 21 1,708 3,700 3.2 .9 16.0 7.0 45.6 30.7 6.3 12.7 Vermont ............... ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) - .6 - - 25.3 27.5 6.5 15.5 Virginia .............. 18 30 3,502 6,049 23.9 37.0 .9 1.6 35.0 34.4 15.7 14.8 Washington ............ 43 61 5,747 9,458 4.2 3.8 20.3 20.2 47.6 35.3 11.9 13.3 West Virginia ......... 3 - 238 - - - - - 39.5 - 7.6 - Wisconsin ............. 33 94 6,272 15,587 6.3 2.4 2.6 10.9 43.5 26.5 10.7 13.9 Wyoming ............... - ( 2 ) - ( 2 ) - 1.4 - 1.4 - 50.0 - 43.1 Puerto Rico ........... 17 23 3,240 3,015 ( 3 ) ( 3 ) ( 3 ) ( 3 ) 68.2 57.6 9.7 7.2 1 See footnote 1, table 1. 2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards. 3 Data are not available. p = preliminary. r = revised. NOTE: Dash represents zero. Table 4. Census region and division: Extended mass layoff events, separations, and initial claimants for unemployment insurance, selected quarters, 2000 and 2001 Initial claimants for Layoff events Separations unemployment insurance Census region and division IV III IV IV III IV IV III IV 2000 2001r 2001p 2000r 2001r 2001p 2000r 2001r 2001p United States( 1 ).. 2,005 1,816 2,538 427,070 384,115 486,406 376,588 364,548 358,067 Northeast .................. 204 374 366 44,197 70,433 65,305 43,219 76,949 55,782 New England ............ 61 86 123 18,909 13,982 24,374 9,996 14,043 17,072 Middle Atlantic ........ 143 288 243 25,288 56,451 40,931 33,223 62,906 38,710 South ...................... 365 426 487 63,782 86,458 88,769 68,652 90,119 75,637 South Atlantic ......... 180 253 239 31,530 41,159 46,566 32,134 47,408 36,817 East South Central ..... 79 73 102 12,999 14,533 19,132 12,103 11,910 14,293 West South Central ..... 106 100 146 19,253 30,766 23,071 24,415 30,801 24,527 Midwest .................... 754 355 863 153,348 85,697 154,367 154,389 73,750 125,516 East North Central ..... 622 279 668 133,741 67,808 124,229 134,468 57,543 99,289 West North Central ..... 132 76 195 19,607 17,889 30,138 19,921 16,207 26,227 West ....................... 682 661 822 165,743 141,527 177,965 110,328 123,730 101,132 Mountain ............... 75 101 123 13,274 27,722 26,612 10,855 29,056 16,556 Pacific ................ 607 560 699 152,469 113,805 151,353 99,473 94,674 84,576 1 See footnote 1, table 1. p = preliminary. r = revised. 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 5. State distribution: Extended mass layoff events, separations, and initial claimants for unemployment insurance, selected quarters, 2000 and 2001 Initial claimants for Layoff events Separations unemployment insurance State IV III IV IV III IV IV III IV 2000 2001r 2001p 2000r 2001r 2001p 2000r 2001r 2001p Total( 1 ) ......... 2,005 1,816 2,538 427,070 384,115 486,406 376,588 364,548 358,067 Alabama ................ 13 24 28 2,658 4,599 6,754 2,334 3,684 4,834 Alaska ................. 12 - 5 2,395 - 1,047 1,401 - 472 Arizona ................ 16 26 6 1,963 4,290 741 2,595 3,895 1,043 Arkansas ............... 5 5 6 1,351 1,222 1,758 1,799 1,341 648 California ............. 508 465 581 130,287 98,806 121,981 81,810 78,931 65,953 Colorado ............... 17 20 48 2,493 4,780 7,093 2,116 4,451 6,101 Connecticut ............ 11 7 18 2,874 1,796 3,317 1,817 1,048 1,515 Delaware ............... ( 2 ) 3 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 455 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 445 ( 2 ) District of Columbia ... ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) Florida ................ 81 145 92 12,433 23,002 11,508 13,997 27,823 11,438 Georgia ................ 15 19 18 2,837 2,686 8,759 2,333 2,660 2,830 Hawaii ................. 3 22 13 328 3,185 1,734 362 5,551 1,906 Idaho .................. 14 6 10 2,136 1,249 1,675 1,645 851 966 Illinois ............... 204 127 254 48,385 41,015 54,348 36,355 29,008 34,938 Indiana ................ 44 33 72 7,815 7,014 12,389 10,590 7,165 13,575 Iowa ................... 36 15 45 4,704 2,701 5,850 6,189 2,766 7,560 Kansas ................. 10 6 8 1,375 804 3,195 1,486 712 2,134 Kentucky ............... 29 18 32 5,363 4,479 6,175 3,932 3,765 5,183 Louisiana .............. 11 15 27 1,219 2,416 4,245 1,219 2,621 2,969 Maine .................. 5 8 15 6,811 1,160 4,932 995 814 1,975 Maryland ............... 9 5 19 1,249 829 3,644 911 469 2,171 Massachusetts .......... 37 59 77 8,060 9,256 13,222 6,106 10,503 11,609 Michigan ............... 157 42 110 25,145 6,407 12,885 31,527 7,825 16,664 Minnesota .............. 76 22 87 12,327 7,113 13,132 11,130 6,264 10,378 Mississippi ............ 20 7 17 2,785 1,789 2,316 2,014 1,017 1,844 Missouri ............... 8 30 45 964 6,469 6,695 879 5,624 4,958 Montana ................ 7 ( 2 ) 7 1,176 ( 2 ) 2,118 1,220 ( 2 ) 950 Nebraska ............... - ( 2 ) ( 2 ) - ( 2 ) ( 2 ) - ( 2 ) ( 2 ) Nevada ................. 7 34 27 1,567 14,114 7,067 1,159 16,343 3,327 New Hampshire .......... ( 2 ) 7 6 ( 2 ) 1,270 1,945 ( 2 ) 1,163 1,344 New Jersey ............. 33 53 49 6,527 9,516 8,036 6,745 10,347 7,346 New Mexico ............. 3 5 ( 2 ) 1,158 1,275 ( 2 ) 442 1,275 ( 2 ) New York ............... 65 139 118 11,482 32,254 20,863 10,547 26,393 14,965 North Carolina ......... 39 45 63 8,996 9,221 14,342 7,167 8,435 9,641 North Dakota ........... ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 9 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 1,208 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 1,139 Ohio ................... 130 44 138 24,183 6,843 21,713 32,212 7,273 18,525 Oklahoma ............... 5 11 10 2,175 1,371 1,910 2,175 3,456 2,908 Oregon ................. 30 30 39 7,447 4,491 7,642 7,447 4,445 6,787 Pennsylvania ........... 45 96 76 7,279 14,681 12,032 15,931 26,166 16,399 Rhode Island ........... 5 4 4 765 387 642 712 361 313 South Carolina ......... 6 13 13 776 1,332 1,275 1,419 2,881 4,387 South Dakota ........... - - - - - - - - - Tennessee .............. 17 24 25 2,193 3,666 3,887 3,823 3,444 2,432 Texas .................. 85 69 103 14,508 25,757 15,158 19,222 23,383 18,002 Utah ................... 11 8 21 2,781 1,854 5,713 1,678 1,708 3,700 Vermont ................ ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) Virginia ............... 24 18 30 3,947 2,247 6,737 5,015 3,502 6,049 Washington ............. 54 43 61 12,012 7,323 18,949 8,453 5,747 9,458 West Virginia .......... 3 3 - 186 432 - 186 238 - Wisconsin .............. 87 33 94 28,213 6,529 22,894 23,784 6,272 15,587 Wyoming ................ - - ( 2 ) - - ( 2 ) - - ( 2 ) Puerto Rico ............ 13 17 23 3,505 4,987 4,691 3,064 3,240 3,015 1 See footnote 1, table 1. 2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards. p = preliminary. r = revised. NOTE: Dash represents zero.