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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 08-1829
               http://www.bls.gov/mls/
                                           For release:  10:00 A.M. (EST)
Media contact:          (202) 691-5902     Friday, December 19, 2008
                                   
                                   
                     MASS LAYOFFS IN NOVEMBER 2008

   In November, employers took 2,328 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
224,079 on a seasonally adjusted basis.  The number of mass layoff
events in November increased by 188 from the prior month, while the
number of associated initial claims decreased by 8,389.  Over the
year, the number of mass layoff events increased by 999, and the
number of associated initial claims increased by 84,408.  In November,
874 mass layoff events reported in the manufacturing sector, season-
ally adjusted, resulting in 98,408 initial claims.  Over the month,
mass layoff events in manufacturing increased by 239, and initial
claims increased by 11,005, the fourth consecutive over-the-month
increase for both.  (See table 1.)

   From the start of the recession in December 2007 through November
2008, the total number of mass layoff events (seasonally adjusted) was
20,712, and the number of initial claims (seasonally adjusted) was
2,108,743.

   The national unemployment rate was 6.7 percent in November, season-
ally adjusted, up from 6.5 percent the prior month and from 4.7 percent
a year earlier.  In November, total nonfarm payroll employment decreased
by 533,000 over the month and by 1,870,000 from a year earlier.
   
Industry Distribution (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

   The number of mass layoff events in November was 2,574 on a not sea-
sonally adjusted basis; the number of associated initial claims was
241,589.  (See table 2.)  Average weekly layoff events rose from 360
in November 2007 to 644 in November 2008, and average weekly initial
claimants increased from 39,644 to 60,397.  In 2008, both average
weekly events and initial claimants reached their highest November
levels in program history (with data available back to 1995).  Eight
major industry sectors reported program highs in terms of average
weekly initial claimants for the month of November--accommodation and
food services; construction; finance and insurance; real estate and
rental and leasing; retail trade; transportation and warehousing;
utilities; and wholesale trade.

   The manufacturing sector accounted for 39 percent of all mass layoff
events and 45 percent of initial claims filed in November 2008; a year
earlier, manufacturing made up 29 percent of events and 38 percent of
initial claims.  This November, the number of manufacturing claimants
was greatest in transportation equipment manufacturing (25,042), fol-
lowed by wood products manufacturing (9,439).  (See table 3.)  The
construction industry accounted for 15 percent of mass layoff events 
and 12 percent of associated initial claims during the month.


                                   - 2 -


Table A. Industries with the largest number of mass layoff initial
claims in November 2008
---------------------------------------------------------------------
                                          |                          
                                          | Initial | November peak  
             Industry                     |  claims |----------------
                                          |         |      | Initial 
                                          |         | Year |  claims 
---------------------------------------------------------------------
                                          |         |      |         
Temporary help services ..................|  14,430 | 2000 |  19,023 
Highway, street, and bridge construction .|  12,563 | 2001 |  14,805 
Professional employer organizations ......|   5,873 | 2008 |   5,873 
Food service contractors .................|   3,932 | 2007 |   6,163 
Travel trailer and camper manufacturing ..|   3,237 | 2006 |   3,548 
Motion picture and video production ......|   3,157 | 2000 |   8,664 
Farm labor contractors and crew leaders ..|   2,935 | 1999 |  11,613 
Motor vehicle metal stamping .............|   2,901 | 2008 |   2,901 
Heavy duty truck manufacturing ...........|   2,858 | 2001 |   3,267 
Discount department stores ...............|   2,823 | 2008 |   2,823 
                                          |         |      |         
---------------------------------------------------------------------


   The six-digit NAICS industry with the largest number of initial
claims was temporary help services (14,430), followed by highway,
street, and bridge construction (12,563).  Among the 10 industries
with the highest levels of initial claims, 3 of the 10--professional
employer organizations, motor vehicle metal stamping, and discount
department stores--reached program highs in 2008 for the month of
November (with data available back to 1995).  (See table A.)

Geographic Distribution (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

   Of the 4 census regions, the Midwest had the highest number of
initial claims in November due to mass layoffs (85,730), followed by
the West (70,460) and the South (56,608).  (See table 5.)  Average
weekly initial claims associated with mass layoffs increased over the
year in all 4 regions, with the Midwest (+9,000) and the West (+5,785)
experiencing the largest increases.  In 2008, the Midwest and the
South regions reported their highest November levels of average weekly
initial claims in program history.

   Of the 9 divisions, the East North Central (65,287) and the Pacific
(59,410) had the highest numbers of initial claims in November due to
mass layoffs. (See table 5.)  All 9 divisions experienced over-the-
year increases in average weekly initial claims, led by the East North
Central (+5,931) and the Pacific (+4,401).  In 2008, the East North
Central, East South Central, and West North Central divisions reached
their highest November levels of average weekly initial claims in
program history.

   California recorded the highest number of initial claims filed due
to mass layoff events in November with 47,690.  The states with the
next highest number of mass layoff initial claims were Michigan
(14,657), Wisconsin (13,966), and Indiana (13,420). (See table 6.)  In
2008, 15 states reached program highs in average weekly initial claims
for the month of November--Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Iowa,
Kentucky, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota,
Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, and Tennessee.  Thirty-nine states
and the District of Columbia registered over-the-year increases in
average weekly initial claims associated with mass layoffs, led by
California (+3,097), Indiana (+1,827), and Florida (+1,746).


                      ___________________________


   The report on Mass Layoffs in December 2008 and Annual Totals for
2008 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, January 28, 2009.  Mass
Layoff release dates for the balance of 2009 can be found on the BLS
Web site at http://www.bls.gov/schedule/news_release/mmls.htm.






                              - 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, December 2004 to
November 2008, seasonally adjusted

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

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
November ...................     2,328     224,079     2,180     211,658       874      98,408







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

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

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
November ...................     2,574     241,589     2,389     226,657       997     107,620






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

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

      Total .....................................    1,329     2,269    2,140     2,328     139,671    235,681   232,468    224,079

  Total, private nonfarm ........................    1,215     2,092    1,976     2,180     131,390    221,538   218,131    211,658
    Manufacturing ...............................      414       603      635       874      56,965     81,414    87,403     98,408

              Not seasonally adjusted                                                                                              

      Total (1) .................................    1,799     1,292    2,125     2,574     198,220    129,586   221,784    241,589

Total, private ..................................    1,729     1,227    2,034     2,502     191,917    124,096   213,602    235,560
    Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting ..      136        25      117       113      10,733      1,591     8,049      8,903

  Total, private nonfarm ........................    1,593     1,202    1,917     2,389     181,184    122,505   205,553    226,657
    Mining ......................................       11         6        6        22         928        728       449      2,004
    Utilities ...................................     (2)       (2)      (2)          3       (2)        (2)       (2)          332
    Construction ................................      324       144      206       382      28,277     10,763    14,864     29,775
    Manufacturing ...............................      514       361      689       997      75,413     46,391   100,457    107,620
        Food ....................................       62        33       75        71       6,642      3,068    11,144      7,123
        Beverage and tobacco products ...........        9         7        7         9         746        648       488        620
        Textile mills ...........................       27        13       20        19       5,381      1,422     2,925      2,558
        Textile product mills (3) ...............        5         3       10        10         608        347       792        669
        Apparel (3) .............................       10         7        9        16         625        688       914      1,783
        Leather and allied products .............        4      (2)      (2)          3         376      (2)       (2)          270
        Wood products ...........................       69        32       68        93       8,094      2,901     6,932      9,439
        Paper ...................................        9         8       17        28         696        603     1,392      2,645
        Printing and related support activities .       11         5       10        14         763        341     1,042      1,527
        Petroleum and coal products .............        8       -       (2)         11         624       -        (2)          929

        Chemicals ...............................        6         8       13        20         668        527     1,394      2,042
        Plastics and rubber products (3) ........       27        16       47        74       2,568      1,224     4,903      7,013
        Nonmetallic mineral products ............       24        12       21        55       2,493        861     1,755      4,937
        Primary metals ..........................       27        13       48        74       2,955      1,582     6,038      7,813
        Fabricated metal products ...............       24        35       47       104       2,341      2,357     4,632      8,905
        Machinery (3) ...........................       40        28       43        62       6,289      4,058     7,897      9,019
        Computer and electronic products ........       13        15       36        40         987      1,556     3,705      3,592
        Electrical equipment and appliances .....       15        22       21        27       5,418      3,453     3,873      2,891
        Transportation equipment (3) ............       93        87      149       190      23,323     19,278    36,110     25,042
        Furniture and related products (3) ......       23        13       32        55       3,164      1,153     2,902      6,716
        Miscellaneous manufacturing (3) .........        8      (2)        13        22         652      (2)       1,210      2,087

    Wholesale trade .............................       40        20       38        65       3,095      1,642     2,573      4,779
    Retail trade ................................       93       112      161       155       8,199     10,345    15,328     13,429
    Transportation and warehousing ..............       82        54       75        99       7,499      4,383     6,007      7,749
    Information .................................       28        45       49        48       5,386      6,021     7,820      5,390
    Finance and insurance (3) ...................       43        38       63        48       3,898      3,104     5,025      3,591
    Real estate and rental and leasing (3) ......        7         7       15        18         539        396     1,014      1,084
    Professional and technical services (3) .....       51        35       46        66       7,435      5,623     3,022      6,695
    Management of companies and enterprises .....     (2)       (2)      (2)         10       (2)        (2)       (2)          656
    Administrative and waste services (3) .......      217       181      334       280      22,050     18,557    30,945     26,341
    Educational services ........................      -           5        5         5        -           346       292        365
    Health care and social assistance ...........       24        54       39        33       2,522      4,021     2,823      2,775
    Arts, entertainment, and recreation .........       36        30       42        33       3,543      2,043     3,106      2,642
    Accommodation and food services .............      107        99      125       115      10,865      7,552    10,278     10,682
    Other services, except public administration        10         6       16        10       1,062        297       962        748
    Unclassified ................................        1         2        2       -            57         73       136       -   

Government ......................................       70        65       91        72       6,303      5,490     8,182      6,029
    Federal .....................................       19         9       19        11       1,928        764     1,746        860
    State .......................................       20        12       30        21       1,786        922     2,985      1,797
    Local .......................................       31        44       42        40       2,589      3,804     3,451      3,372
                                                                                                                                   
 
   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 November 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         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         258,767             35.9       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         1,756         335,854             44.7       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                                                          
November ...................    2,574      241,589     2,389     226,657                                                          

   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.
   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                                                                                       
  
                                 November  September  October   November  November  September   October    November
                                    2007      2008      2008      2008      2007      2008        2008       2008  
                                                                                                                   
        United States (1) ...      1,799     1,292     2,125    2,574     198,220    129,586     221,784    241,589

Northeast ...................        355       142       270      314      34,766     11,646      23,945     28,791
    New England .............         38        15        25       40       3,754      1,180       2,522      3,505
    Middle Atlantic .........        317       127       245      274      31,012     10,466      21,423     25,286

South .......................        350       475       538      616      42,139     43,772      53,087     56,608
    South Atlantic ..........        180       153       295      304      19,924     12,291      25,535     25,648
    East South Central ......         91        54       111      196       9,831      4,788      15,162     19,725
    West South Central ......         79       268       132      116      12,384     26,693      12,390     11,235

Midwest .....................        483       225       511      824      62,163     26,646      75,210     85,730
    East North Central ......        389       189       406      645      51,952     23,087      60,196     65,287
    West North Central ......         94        36       105      179      10,211      3,559      15,014     20,443

West ........................        611       450       806      820      59,152     47,522      69,542     70,460
    Mountain ................         76        43        98      126       6,893      3,675       9,191     11,050
    Pacific .................        535       407       708      694      52,259     43,847      60,351     59,410
                                                                                                                   
 
   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, 
adjusted

                                                                                      Initial claimants for          
                                         Mass layoff events                           unemployment insurance          
           State                                                                                                      
                             November    September   October   November    November    September   October    November
                               2007        2008        2008     2008        2007         2008        2008       2008  

   Total (1) ............    1,799        1,292      2,125      2,574      198,220      129,586     221,784    241,589
                                 
Alabama .................       29           12         26         48        2,917        1,090       3,865      5,289
Alaska ..................        8            3         13       (2)           780          241       1,631      (2)  
Arizona .................        3            8         13         20          197          586         979      1,603
Arkansas ................       12            3         18         21        2,678          359       1,877      2,026
California ..............      455          358        621        580       44,127       34,584      51,286     47,690
Colorado ................       14            3         11         15        1,244          196       1,143      1,162
Connecticut .............        3            6          4          3          232          402         540        186
Delaware ................        3         (2)        (2)           6          356        (2)         (2)          415
District of Columbia ....      -            -          -         (2)          -            -           -         (2)  
Florida .................       73           96        176        151        4,499        5,988      12,946     10,582
Georgia .................       39           20         61         51        7,500        1,885       6,825      4,970
Hawaii ..................        5            9          9          9          390          919         910        641
Idaho ...................       21            4         22         27        2,101          324       2,682      2,298

Illinois ................       67           43         64        126        7,704        4,941       7,842     11,564
Indiana .................       52           34         63        111        7,638        4,314       7,961     13,420
Iowa ....................       23           10         23         49        2,503        1,455       3,818      8,213
Kansas ..................     (2)             6         18         14        (2)            478       2,543      1,321
Kentucky ................       34           24         46         78        4,747        2,351       8,327      9,210
Louisiana ...............        6          163         22         13        1,672       14,929       1,662      1,093
Maine ...................        6         (2)        (2)           4          467        (2)         (2)          451
Maryland ................       11            5         11          7        1,446          349         885        828
Massachusetts ...........       18            4         11         18        1,495          310         980      1,459
Michigan ................       92           40         81        157       15,578        4,130      16,851     14,657
Minnesota ...............       41            4         23         60        4,315          430       1,880      5,442
Mississippi .............       12            6         17         34          839          463       1,513      2,736
Missouri ................       19           16         35         44        2,312        1,196       5,877      3,087

Montana .................        8         (2)           5         11          760        (2)           573      1,226
Nebraska ................        4          -            5          4          402         -            819        450
Nevada ..................       18           18         29         33        1,713        1,604       2,421      2,992
New Hampshire ...........     (2)          (2)           3          4        (2)          (2)           310        311
New Jersey ..............       50           17         45         46        6,234        1,663       3,670      5,665
New Mexico ..............     (2)             4          5          9        (2)            440         396        554
New York ................       82           36         54         79        7,658        2,905       4,725      7,366
North Carolina ..........        4            9         18         34          457          793       1,838      3,410
North Dakota ............        4          -         (2)           5          444         -          (2)        1,631
Ohio ....................       68           32        118        120        7,369        5,912      17,764     11,680
Oklahoma ................        6            5          6         18        1,198          789       1,137      1,708
Oregon ..................       37           21         36         60        3,866        2,942       3,883      7,259
Pennsylvania ............      185           74        146        149       17,120        5,898      13,028     12,255

Rhode Island ............      -           (2)           3        -           -           (2)           325       -   
South Carolina ..........       28           16         23         36        3,038        1,793       2,268      3,916
South Dakota ............     (2)           -          -            3        (2)           -           -           299
Tennessee ...............       16           12         22         36        1,328          884       1,457      2,490
Texas ...................       55           97         86         64        6,836       10,616       7,714      6,408
Utah ....................        9            3          9         10          658          243         721      1,161
Vermont .................       10         (2)        (2)          11        1,500        (2)         (2)        1,098
Virginia ................       18            4          4         16        2,384          546         655      1,316
Washington ..............       30           16         29         44        3,096        5,161       2,641      3,724
West Virginia ...........        4         (2)         -         (2)           244        (2)          -         (2)  
Wisconsin ...............      110           40         80        131       13,663        3,790       9,778     13,966
Wyoming .................     (2)          (2)           4       (2)         (2)          (2)           276      (2)  

Puerto Rico..............       15           18         13         14        1,385        1,715       1,117      1,686

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






Last Modified Date: December 19, 2008