Technical information: (202) 691-6392 USDL 09-0151
http://www.bls.gov/mls/
For release: 10:00 A.M. (EST)
Media contact: (202) 691-5902 Friday, February 13, 2009
EXTENDED MASS LAYOFFS IN THE FOURTH QUARTER OF 2008
AND ANNUAL TOTALS FOR 2008
Employers initiated 3,140 mass layoff events in the fourth quarter
of 2008 that resulted in the separation of 508,859 workers from their
jobs for at least 31 days, according to preliminary figures released
by the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics. Extended
mass layoff events and separations reached their highest levels in pro-
gram history (with data available back to 1995). The total number of
layoff events in the fourth quarter 2008 was 1,326 higher than the
same period a year earlier, and the number of associated separations
increased by 207,267 over the year. (See table A.) The construction
and manufacturing industries experienced record highs in both the num-
ber of layoff events and separations for any quarter in program history.
Separations due to business demand reasons more than doubled over the
year to 207,609, with those related specifically to slack work/insuf-
ficient demand more than tripling to 152,279. Forty-five percent of
employers reporting an extended layoff in the fourth quarter of 2008
indicated they anticipated some recall of workers, the lowest fourth
quarter proportion since 2001. Fourth quarter 2008 layoff data are
preliminary and are subject to revision. (See the Technical Note.)
The national unemployment rate averaged 6.6 percent, not seasonally
adjusted, in the fourth quarter of 2008, up from 4.6 percent a year
earlier. Private nonfarm payroll employment, not seasonally adjust-
ed, decreased by 2.0 percent (-2,362,000) over the year.
For all of 2008, the total number of extended mass layoff events
reached a program high at 7,818, and associated worker separations
were at its highest level since 2001 at 1,383,553. Four major indus-
try sectors reported program highs in terms of events and separations
in 2008--construction; finance and insurance; educational services; and
accommodation and food services (with annual data available back to
1996). In 2008, eight states reached program highs in terms of numbers
of separations--Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Missouri,
New Jersey, and Wyoming. Additional information on the annual data is
available starting on page 6 of this release.
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Table A. Selected measures of extended mass layoff activity
Period Layoff events Separations Initial claimants
2004
January-March .......... 1,339 276,503 238,392
April-June ............. 1,358 278,831 254,063
July-September ......... 886 164,608 148,575
October-December ....... 1,427 273,967 262,049
2005
January-March .......... 1,142 186,506 185,486
April-June ............. 1,203 246,099 212,673
July-September ......... 1,136 201,878 190,186
October-December ....... 1,400 250,178 246,188
2006
January-March .......... 963 183,089 193,510
April-June ............. 1,353 295,964 264,927
July-September ......... 929 160,254 161,764
October-December ....... 1,640 296,662 330,954
2007
January-March .......... 1,110 225,600 199,250
April-June ............. 1,421 278,719 259,234
July-September ......... 1,018 160,024 173,077
October-December (r) ... 1,814 301,592 347,151
2008
January-March (r) ...... 1,340 229,952 259,084
April-June (r) ......... 1,756 354,690 339,184
July-September (r) ..... 1,582 290,052 300,337
October-December (p) ... 3,140 508,859 463,715
r = revised.
p = preliminary.
Industry Distribution of Extended Layoffs
Manufacturing firms reported 1,103 extended mass layoff events in-
volving 185,686 separations, the highest levels for the industry on
record. Manufacturing industries were responsible for 35 percent of
private nonfarm extended layoff events and 36 percent of related
separations in the fourth quarter of 2008. A year earlier, manufac-
turing made up 24 percent of events and 27 percent of separations.
(See table 1.) The largest numbers of separations within manufac-
turing were associated with transportation equipment manufacturing
(56,341, mostly associated with automobile manufacturing) and food
manufacturing (21,863).
Construction firms recorded 843 extended mass layoff events and
100,922 separations, the highest levels for the industry on record.
While most construction layoff events were due to the end of seasonal
work and the completion of contracts, the number of layoff events due
to slack work/insufficient demand more than doubled over the year.
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Table B. Distribution of extended layoff events and separations by
economic reason categories, October-December 2008(p)
Layoff events Separations
Category
Number Percent Number Percent
Total .................. 3,140 100.0 508,859 100.0
Business demand ............. 1,387 44.2 207,609 40.8
Organizational changes ...... 139 4.4 26,434 5.2
Financial issues ............ 300 9.6 65,034 12.8
Production specific ......... 21 0.7 3,694 0.7
Disaster/safety ............. 12 0.4 1,346 0.3
Seasonal .................... 808 25.7 135,500 26.6
Other/miscellaneous ......... 473 15.1 69,242 13.6
p = preliminary.
In the fourth quarter 2008, thirteen major industry sectors re-
ported fourth quarter program highs in terms of extended mass layoff
events--construction; manufacturing; wholesale trade; retail trade;
transportation and warehousing; real estate and rental and leasing;
management of companies and enterprises; administrative and waste
services; educational services; health care and social assistance;
arts, entertainment, and recreation; accommodation and food services;
and other services, except public administration.
Reasons for Extended Layoffs
Among the seven categories of economic reasons for extended mass
layoffs, business demand factors (contract cancellation, contract com-
pletion, domestic competition, excess inventory, import competition, and
slack work) accounted for 44 percent of the extended layoff events and
41 percent of separations during the fourth quarter of 2008 (See table B.)
This compared to 34 percent of events and 28 percent of separations in the
same period a year earlier. Separations related to these business demand
factors more than doubled over the year from 83,996 to 207,609, with those
due to slack work/insufficient demand/nonseasonal business slowdown more
than tripling from 42,201 to 152,279. (See table 2.)
Job losses stemming from financial issues (bankruptcy, cost control,
and financial difficulty) more than doubled from 124 events associated
with 24,652 separations in the fourth quarter 2007 to 300 events and
65,034 separations in the fourth quarter 2008. These layoffs accounted
for 10 percent of the events and 13 percent of separations during the
fourth quarter of 2008, compared to 7 and 8 percent, respectively, a
year earlier. Seasonal factors (seasonal and vacation period) resulted
in 26 percent of the extended layoff events and 27 percent of the sepa-
rations in October-December 2008.
Movement of Work
In the fourth quarter of 2008, 110 extended mass layoffs involved
the movement of work and were associated with 24,236 separated workers.
(See table C.) These movements of work were to other domestic locations
or to locations outside of the U.S., and they occurred either within the
same company or to other companies. Movement of work layoffs accounted
for 5 percent of nonseasonal layoff events in the fourth quarter of 2008.
A year earlier, there were 69 layoff events and 11,302 separations asso-
ciated with the movement of work. (See table 10.)
Among the 110 extended mass layoff events with reported relocation of
work in the fourth quarter of 2008, 64 percent were permanent closures of
worksites, which affected 16,849 workers. In comparison, 9 percent of
the total extended mass layoff events reported for the quarter involved
the permanent closure of worksites and affected 71,111 workers.
Of the layoffs involving the movement of work, 68 percent of the
events and 61 percent of the laid-off workers were from manufacturing
industries during the fourth quarter. (See table 7.) Among all pri-
vate nonfarm extended layoffs, manufacturing accounted for 35 percent
of the events and 36 percent of separations.
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Table C. Extended mass layoff events and separations, selected measures,
fourth quarter 2008(p)
Action Layoff events Separations
Total, private nonfarm ................ 3,140 508,859
Total, excluding seasonal and
vacation events (1) ............... 2,332 373,359
Total events with movement
of work (2) ................... 110 24,236
Movement of work actions ...... 150 (3)
With separations reported .. 111 16,061
With separations unknown ... 39 (3)
1 The questions on movement of work were not asked of employers when the reason
for layoff was either seasonal work or vacation period.
2 A layoff event can involve more than one movement of work action.
3 Data are not available.
p = preliminary.
While only 4 percent of the extended mass layoff events in the
total private nonfarm economy were because of organizational change,
such reasons accounted for 44 percent of layoff events associated with
work relocation and resulted in 8,706 separations during the fourth
quarter. (See table 8.)
Among the regions, the Midwest accounted for the largest proportion
of workers affected by extended mass layoffs associated with the move-
ment of work (59 percent), followed by the West and the South (16 percent
each). (See table 9.) Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia,
Ohio accounted for the largest proportion of workers affected by extended
mass layoffs associated with the movement of work (24 percent), followed
by Illinois (14 percent) and California (9 percent).
Some extended mass layoff events involve more than one relocation of
work action. For example, an extended mass layoff event at an employer
may involve job loss due to movement of work to both another domestic
location of the company and a location out of the country; this would be
counted as two movement of work actions. The 110 extended layoff events
with movement of work for the fourth quarter of 2008 involved 150 identi-
fiable relocations of work. An identifiable relocation of work occurs
when the employer provides sufficient information on the new location of
work and/or the number of workers affected by the movement. Of the 150
relocations, employers were able to provide information on the specific
number of separations associated with the movement of work component of
the layoff in 111 actions involving 16,061 workers. (See table 10.)
Of the 111 actions where employers were able to provide more complete
separations information, 90 percent of relocations occurred within the
same company and 70 percent of relocations were domestic reassignments.
(See table D.) Domestic relocation of work affected 12,286 workers, and
out-of-country relocations were associated with 3,775 separations, 1 per-
cent of all nonseasonal and nonvacation extended mass layoff separations.
(See table 11.)
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Table D. Movement of work actions by type of separation where the
number of separations is known by employers, fourth quarter 2008(p)
Activities Actions(1) Separations
With separations reported .......... 111 16,061
By location
Out-of-country relocations ....... 33 3,775
Within company ................ 28 3,436
Different company ............. 5 339
Domestic relocations ............. 78 12,286
Within company ................ 72 6,844
Different company ............. 6 5,442
By company
Within company ................... 100 10,280
Domestic ...................... 72 6,844
Out of country ................ 28 3,436
Different company ................ 11 5,781
Domestic ...................... 6 5,442
Out of country ................ 5 339
1 Only actions for which separations associated with the movement of
work were reported are shown.
p = preliminary.
Recall Expectations
Forty-five percent of employers reporting an extended layoff in the
fourth quarter of 2008 indicated they anticipated some type of recall,
down from 56 percent a year earlier and the lowest fourth quarter propor-
tion since 2001. (See table E.) Of those employers expecting to recall
workers, 36 percent indicated that the offer would be extended to all
displaced employees, and 79 percent of employers anticipated extending
the offer to at least half of the workers. Seventy-eight percent of em-
ployers expecting to recall laid-off employees intend to do so within 6
months. Excluding layoff events due to seasonal work and vacation period
in which 96 percent of the employers expected a recall, employers antici-
pated recalling laid-off workers in 43 percent of the events, the lowest
fourth quarter proportion since 1997.
Size of Extended Layoffs
The average size of a layoff (as measured by separations per layoff
event) in the fourth quarter of 2008 was 162, compared to 166 per layoff
in fourth quarter 2007. Layoff events continued to be increasingly con-
centrated at the lower end of the extended layoff-size spectrum, with 46
percent of events involving between 50 and 99 workers and 70 percent of
events with less than 150 workers. This was the fourth consecutive
fourth quarter that both of these proportions increased. Similarly, the
proportion of events involving more than 500 workers, less than 4 percent,
has also decreased each fourth quarter since 2004.
Layoffs involving between 50 and 99 workers accounted for 20 percent
of all separations during the period, and layoffs with less than 150 sepa-
rated workers accounted for 37 percent. These proportions are up from 18
and 36 percent from a year earlier, respectively, and have been increasing
for the last four consecutive fourth quarters. Separations involving 500
or more workers accounted for 24 percent of all separations in the fourth
quarter of 2008, up slightly from a year earlier. (See table F.)
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Table E. Summary of employer expectations of a recall from extended layoff,
fourth quarter 2007-fourth quarter 2008
Percentage of events
Nature of the recall IV I II III IV
2007 2008 2008 2008(r) 2008(p)
Anticipate a recall ............. 55.8 40.1 51.1 28.6 44.8
Timeframe
Within 6 months ............. 87.9 69.8 84.5 71.0 78.0
Within 3 months .......... 34.2 45.4 59.1 53.8 34.1
Size
At least half ............... 90.5 73.2 88.3 77.0 78.9
All workers .............. 50.5 28.5 51.7 37.6 36.2
r = revised.
p = preliminary.
Initial Claimant Characteristics
A total of 463,715 initial claimants for unemployment insurance were
associated with extended mass layoffs in the fourth quarter of 2008. Of
these claimants, 12 percent were black, 16 percent were Hispanic, 30 per-
cent were women, 36 percent were 30 to 44 years of age, and 16 percent
were 55 years of age or older. (See table 3.) Among persons in the ci-
vilian labor force for the same period, 11 percent were black, 14 percent
were Hispanic, 47 percent were women, 33 percent were age 30 to 44, and
18 percent were 55 years of age or older.
Geographic Distribution
Among the 4 census regions, the Midwest recorded the highest number
of separations (202,392) due to extended mass layoff events in the
fourth quarter of 2008, followed by the West with 164,717. Both re-
gions recorded program highs in terms of numbers of separations in the
fourth quarter. (See table 4.) Among the 9 census divisions, the high-
est number of separations during the fourth quarter of 2008 was in the
East North Central division (156,100). The Pacific division had the next
highest level of separations with 132,747. (See table 4.) Five divi-
sions reported program highs in terms of numbers of separations in the
fourth quarter--the East North Central, West North Central, East South
Central, Mountain, and Pacific.
California recorded the largest number of worker separations (103,470),
followed by Illinois (55,229), Michigan (38,820), and Ohio (30,295). (See
table 5.) After excluding the impact of seasonal reasons, California still
reported the highest number of job cuts (88,075). Seventeen states reported
fourth quarter program highs in terms of numbers of separations--Arkansas,
California, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan,
Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Vermont.
Forty-six percent of extended mass layoff events and 43 percent of sepa-
rations (217,268) occurred in metropolitan areas in the fourth quarter of
2008, compared with 50 percent of events and 45 percent of separations
(136,573) during the fourth quarter of 2007. Among the 369 metropolitan
areas, Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, Ill.-Ind.-Wis., reported the highest num-
ber of separations (19,894) in the fourth quarter of 2008. Next were Detroit-
Warren-Livonia, Mich., with 14,714 separations and Los Angeles-Long Beach-
Santa Ana, Calif., with 12,438 separations. (See table G.) Employers lo-
cated in nonmetropolitan areas separated 62,879 workers in extended mass
layoffs.
Review of 2008
For all of 2008, employers reported 7,818 extended mass layoff actions,
affecting 1,383,553 workers. Compared to 2007, the number of events was
up 46 percent (+2,455 from 5,363), and the number of separations increased
by 43 percent (+417,618 from 965,935). (See table H.) The annual average
national unemployment rate increased from 4.6 percent in 2007 to 5.8 per-
cent in 2008, and private nonfarm payroll employment decreased by 0.7 per-
cent, or 812,000.
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Table F. Distribution of extended layoff events by size of layoff,
fourth quarter 2008(p)
Layoff events Separations
Size
Number Percent Number Percent
Total ..................... 3,140 100.0 508,859 100.0
50-99 ................... 1,447 46.1 100,859 19.8
100-149 ................. 737 23.5 86,250 16.9
150-199 ................. 320 10.2 52,983 10.4
200-299 ................. 335 10.7 77,182 15.2
300-499 ................. 184 5.9 67,198 13.2
500-999 ................. 81 2.6 54,916 10.8
1,000 or more ........... 36 1.1 69,471 13.7
p = preliminary.
In 2008, employers expected a recall in 42 percent of the mass layoff
events, down from 50 percent of events in 2007. Eleven percent of extended
events in 2008 were permanent closures, the same proportion as in 2007.
Permanent closures were most numerous in the manufacturing industry, pri-
marily in transportation equipment manufacturing, and in retail trade, pri-
marily in general merchandise stores. When compared with 2007, events as-
sociated with permanent closures in 2008 increased 45 percent from 594 to
860, and separations increased 65 percent from 125,836 to 208,103.
Industry Distribution of Extended Layoffs
In 2008, four major industry sectors reported program highs in terms of
extended mass layoff events and separations--construction; finance and in-
surance; educational services; and accommodation and food services. Manu-
facturing industries had the largest share of extended mass layoff events
and separations (31 percent each). Within manufacturing, separations
were most numerous in transportation equipment manufacturing (133,474,
mainly in automobile manufacturing) and in food manufacturing (61,295,
largely in fruit and vegetable canning). The largest over-the-year increases
occurred in transportation equipment manufacturing (+73,560) and food manu-
facturing (+17,735). The construction sector accounted for 21 percent of
all events and 14 percent of the associated separations in 2008. Separa-
tions were concentrated in specialty trade contracting (78,983) and heavy
and civil engineering construction (77,609).
Reasons for Extended Layoffs
From 2007 to 2008, the number of extended mass layoff events increased
in all seven categories of economic reasons for layoffs. In 2008, job
losses related to business demand accounted for the largest proportion of
extended mass layoff activity. Events related to business demand increased
69 percent over the year from 1,888 to 3,195 and associated separations
nearly doubled from 248,056 to 476,302. In 2008, layoffs due to business
demand factors occurred primarily in transportation equipment manufacturing,
administrative and support services, and specialty trade contracting.
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Table G. Mass layoff events and separations, selected metropolitan areas
Events Separations
Metropolitan area IV IV IV IV
2007(r) 2008(p) 2007(r) 2008(p)
Total, nonmetropolitan areas .................... 225 409 41,331 62,879
Total, 369 metropolitan areas ................... 914 1,452 136,573 217,268
Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, Ill.-Ind.-Wis. ... 100 114 15,687 19,894
Detroit-Warren-Livonia, Mich. ............... 45 96 9,541 14,714
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, Calif. .... 92 112 12,518 12,438
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington,
Minn.-Wis. ............................ 37 59 5,874 10,676
New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island,
N.Y.-N.J.-Pa. ......................... 60 39 9,673 7,306
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, Calif. ....... 35 52 2,979 6,394
St. Louis, Mo.-Ill. ......................... 11 24 1,352 6,208
Las Vegas-Paradise, Nev. .................... 7 37 1,817 6,205
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif. ...... 16 29 3,591 4,870
Rockford, Ill. .............................. 7 12 1,224 4,179
r = revised.
p = preliminary.
NOTE: The geographic boundaries of the metropolitan areas shown in this table are
defined in Office of Management and Budget Bulletin 08-01, November 20, 2007.
Job loss due to seasonal factors remained nearly unchanged, but the
relative proportion of these layoffs dropped significantly due to higher
layoff activity related to other reasons. Seasonal layoffs occurred largely
among food services and drinking places; heavy and civil engineering con-
struction; transit and ground passenger transportation; and professional
and technical services.
Movement of Work
In 2008, there were 324 extended mass layoff events that involved work
moving within the same company or to a different company, domestically
or out of the U.S. The events involving movement of work were associated
with the separation of 64,805 workers, about 6 percent of all separations
resulting from nonseasonal/nonvacation extended mass layoff events. Sixty
percent of events with movement of work involved the permanent closure
of a worksite, affecting 42,779 workers. Manufacturing industries accounted
for 66 percent of the events and 62 percent of the separations involving
movement of work, mostly in transportation equipment manufacturing and in
computer and electronic product manufacturing. Among the regions, the
Midwest accounted for the largest proportion of laid-off workers associated
with the movement of work (45 percent), followed by the South (22 percent).
As part of the 324 layoff events, 432 identifiable movement-of-work
actions were taken by employers. Employers were able to provide informa-
tion on specific separations associated with the movement-of-work component
of the layoff in 308 actions (out of the 432), which totaled 39,218 laid-
off workers. Of these movement-of-work actions for which complete informa-
tion is available, 70 percent were to other locations within the U.S., and
89 percent involved moving work within the company. The separation of
11,147 workers was associated with out-of-country relocations, which ac-
counts for 28 percent of the separations related to the movement of work
and 1 percent of all separations in nonseasonal/nonvacation extended mass
layoff events.
Geographic Distribution
Compared to 2007, all 4 geographic regions reported an increase in
workers separated due to extended mass layoffs in 2008, with the largest
increase in the Midwest (+149,800). The Midwest reported more workers af-
fected by extended mass layoffs in 2008 (428,283) than any other region.
In the Midwest, transportation equipment manufacturing and administrative
and waste services had the largest number of separations. The Northeast
region reported the lowest annual number of separations with 216,060.
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Table H. Selected measures of mass layoff activity, 1996-2008
Period Layoff events Separations Initial claimants
1996 ................ 4,760 948,122 805,810
1997 ................ 4,671 947,843 879,831
1998 ................ 4,859 991,245 1,056,462
1999 ................ 4,556 901,451 796,917
2000 ................ 4,591 915,962 846,267
2001 ................ 7,375 1,524,832 1,457,512
2002 ................ 6,337 1,272,331 1,218,143
2003 ................ 6,181 1,216,886 1,200,811
2004 ................ 5,010 993,909 903,079
2005 ................ 4,881 884,661 834,533
2006 (r) ............ 4,885 935,969 951,155
2007 (r) ............ 5,363 965,935 978,712
2008 (p) ............ 7,818 1,383,553 1,362,320
r = revised.
p = preliminary.
Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, California reported
the largest number of separated workers in 2008 (330,003). States with
the next highest number of separations due to extended mass layoffs were
Illinois (119,692), Florida (88,213), Ohio (78,852), and Michigan (72,946).
California recorded the largest over-the-year increase in the number of
separations (+72,697), while Virginia recorded the largest over-the-year
decrease in separations (-4,569). Eight states reported program highs in
terms of numbers of separations in 2008--Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho,
Indiana, Missouri, New Jersey, and Wyoming.
Among the 369 metropolitan areas, Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, Ill.-Ind.-
Wis., reported the highest number of separations, 46,455. The next highest
numbers of separations were in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, Calif.,
with 45,904 and New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, N.Y.-N.J.-Pa.,
with 39,182. Employers located in nonmetropolitan areas separated 135,626
workers in mass layoffs during 2008, up from 106,129 in 2007.
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 employer
filing initial claims for unemployment insurance during a consecutive 5-week
period. Approximately 30 days after a mass layoff is triggered, 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 sug-
gest 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 2009 is scheduled to be released
on Wednesday, February 25.
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Technical Note
The Mass Layoff Statistics (MLS) program is a federal-state program
which identifies, describes, and tracks the effects of major job cutbacks,
using data from each state's unemployment insurance database. Employers
which have at least 50 initial claims filed against them during a con-
secutive 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. Employers are identified according to in-
dustry classification and location, and unemployment insurance claimants
are identified by such demographic factors as age, race, gender, 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.
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 admin-
istered by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Extended layoff event. Fifty or more initial claims for unemployment
insurance benefits from an employer 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 eligi-
bility 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.
Mass layoff. Fifty or more initial claims for unemployment insurance
benefits from an employer beginning in a given month, regardless of dura-
tion.
Worksite closure. The complete closure of either multi-unit or single-
unit employers or the partial closure of a multi-unit employer where entire
worksites affected by layoffs are closed or planned to be closed.
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Revisions to preliminary data
The latest quarterly data in this news release are considered preliminary.
After the initial publication of quarterly information, more data are col-
lected as remaining employer interviews for the quarter are completed and
additional initial claimant information associated with extended layoff
events is received.
Movement of work concepts and questions
Because of the employer interview component, the BLS decided to use
the MLS program as a vehicle for collecting additional information on
offshoring and outsourcing associated with job loss, by adding questions
that address movement of work. The term "moving work" means that the
company experiencing the layoff has reassigned work activities that were
performed at a worksite by the company's employees (1) to another work-
site within the company; (2) to another company under formal arrangements
at the same worksite; or (3) to another company under formal arrangements
at another worksite. The type of work activities subject to movement can
include accounting, customer service, cleaning, warehousing, etc.
"Overseas relocation" is the movement of work from within the U.S. to
locations outside of the U.S. "Overseas relocation" can occur within the
same company and involve movement of work to a different location of that
company outside of the U.S., or to a different company altogether.
"Domestic relocation" is the movement of work to other locations inside
the U.S., either within the same company or to a different company.
"Overseas relocation" and "domestic relocation" are no longer used in the
same way as they were in earlier extended mass layoff news releases. There-
fore, the data presented in this news release are not comparable to those
that were presented in earlier news releases.
Questions on movement of work and location are asked for all identified
layoff events when the reason for separation is other than "seasonal work"
or "vacation period." Seasonal and vacation layoff events were excluded
because movement of work appears unlikely.
Questions on movement of work are asked after the analyst verifies that
a layoff in fact occurred and lasted more than 30 days, and obtained the
total number of workers separated from jobs, the date the layoff began, and
the economic reason for the layoff. If the reason for layoff is other than
seasonal or vacation, the employer was asked the following:
(1) "Did this layoff include your company moving work from this loca-
tion(s) to a different geographic location(s) within your company?"
(2) "Did this layoff include your company moving work that was performed
in-house by your employees to a different company, through contractual ar-
rangements?"
A "yes" response to either question is followed by:
"Is the location inside or outside of the U.S.?" and "How many of the
layoffs were a result of this relocation?"
Layoff actions are classified as "overseas relocation" if the employer
responds "yes" to questions 1 and/or 2, and indicates that the location(s)
was outside of the U.S. Domestic relocation is determined if the employer
responds "yes" to questions 1 and/or 2 and indicates that the location(s)
was within the U.S.
After asking the movement of work questions, the employer interview
continues and responses are obtained for questions on recall expectations
and open/closed status of the worksite.
- 12 -
Reliability of the data
The identification of employers and layoff events in the MLS program
and associated characteristics of claimants is based on administrative
data on covered establishments and unemployment insurance claims, and,
therefore, is not subject to issues associated with sampling error.
Nonsampling errors such as typographical errors may occur but are not
likely to be significant. While the MLS employers and layoff events
are not subject to sampling error, and all such employers are asked the
interview questions, the employer responses are subject to nonsampling
error. Nonsampling error can occur for many reasons, including the in-
ability to obtain information for all respondents, inability or unwill-
ingness of respondents to provide correct information, and errors made
in the collection or processing of the data. For the fourth quarter of
2008, outright refusal to participate in the employer interview accounted
for 3.1 percent of all private nonfarm events. Although included in the
total number of instances involving the movement of work, for the fourth
quarter, employers in 39 relocations were unable to provide the number of
separations specifically associated with the movement of work, 8 of which
involved out-of-country moves.
Other information
Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired
individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-691-5200; TDD message referral
phone: 1-800-877-8339.
Table 1. Industry distribution: Extended mass layoff events, separations, and initial claimants for unemployment insurance,
private nonfarm sector, selected quarters, 2007 and 2008
Initial claimants for
Layoff events Separations unemployment insurance
Industry
IV III IV IV III IV IV III IV
2007r 2008r 2008p 2007r 2008r 2008p 2007r 2008r 2008p
Total, private nonfarm (1) ................. 1,814 1,582 3,140 301,592 290,052 508,859 347,151 300,337 463,715
Mining ....................................... 27 4 36 3,584 1,014 5,108 3,494 834 4,520
Utilities .................................... (2) (2) 3 (2) (2) 746 (2) (2) 531
Construction ................................. 682 229 843 86,900 26,924 100,922 100,731 37,449 97,246
Manufacturing ................................ 442 498 1,103 80,567 95,193 185,686 117,632 104,320 199,563
Food .................................... 71 48 95 17,131 13,058 21,863 17,015 8,407 19,475
Beverage and tobacco products ........... (2) 5 11 (2) 684 1,196 (2) 784 1,115
Textile mills ........................... 10 7 23 1,799 1,592 4,338 4,840 2,380 5,533
Textile product mills (3) ............... 5 5 12 968 779 1,340 1,808 884 1,665
Apparel (3) ............................. 10 13 (2) 1,524 1,482 (2) 1,379 1,784 (2)
Leather and allied products ............. (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2)
Wood products ........................... 49 38 81 6,553 6,080 9,973 7,628 6,184 11,649
Paper ................................... 6 10 26 899 3,544 3,389 1,059 2,481 3,208
Printing and related support activities . 14 11 14 2,331 1,336 2,073 2,280 952 2,212
Petroleum and coal products ............. 18 (2) 17 2,760 (2) 2,421 2,925 (2) 2,315
Chemicals ............................... 11 15 26 2,892 1,358 3,795 2,393 1,402 3,553
Plastics and rubber products (3) ........ 19 23 70 2,998 3,654 8,335 2,633 3,497 9,075
Nonmetallic mineral products ............ 56 16 95 7,773 2,080 13,367 9,755 2,358 12,409
Primary metals .......................... 14 14 68 2,456 1,647 11,123 3,131 2,206 11,377
Fabricated metal products ............... 21 33 109 2,774 3,967 12,375 3,317 5,021 13,595
Machinery (3) ........................... 22 35 65 4,384 9,123 9,551 6,568 11,626 13,116
Computer and electronic products ........ 12 47 58 1,857 8,286 9,656 1,738 7,061 9,046
Electrical equipment and appliances ..... 16 16 33 3,616 3,066 5,741 8,528 2,855 6,109
Transportation equipment (3) ............ 55 124 238 12,858 27,610 56,341 35,573 37,199 65,292
Furniture and related products (3) ...... 19 24 37 2,490 4,180 4,956 3,108 5,242 5,139
Miscellaneous manufacturing (3) ......... 7 11 16 1,648 1,306 2,507 1,028 1,696 2,532
Wholesale trade .............................. 38 33 78 4,442 4,543 9,808 5,470 3,721 8,503
Retail trade ................................. 76 92 170 19,175 20,887 44,850 21,293 22,541 23,329
Transportation and warehousing ............... 43 131 109 9,724 24,199 21,014 8,758 23,303 13,588
Information .................................. 29 54 54 5,061 10,553 6,404 7,215 10,923 5,769
Finance and insurance (3) .................... 104 104 98 18,575 19,812 16,497 19,424 20,420 14,727
Real estate and rental and leasing (3) ....... 9 11 25 1,461 1,458 2,841 1,176 1,368 2,680
Professional and technical services (3) ...... 50 50 74 9,634 8,877 9,719 9,675 9,297 8,373
Management of companies and enterprises ...... 9 (2) 12 1,642 (2) 2,427 1,229 (2) 1,774
Administrative and waste services (3) ........ 136 142 280 21,629 31,757 52,484 24,906 33,205 46,322
Educational services ......................... (2) 18 4 (2) 2,635 608 (2) 2,545 311
Health care and social assistance ............ 22 74 34 4,697 8,360 6,160 3,476 6,597 4,451
Arts, entertainment, and recreation .......... 50 39 58 17,859 11,161 13,551 7,226 5,121 6,506
Accommodation and food services .............. 73 84 132 12,846 20,184 27,019 11,824 15,856 22,767
Other services, except public administration . 14 15 26 2,220 1,980 2,942 1,949 2,084 2,682
Unclassified ................................. 3 - 1 696 - 73 514 - 73
1 For the fourth quarter of 2008, 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.
3 Data beginning in 2008 are not strictly comparable to prior years due to a change in NAICS versions.
r = revised.
p = preliminary.
NOTE: Dash represents zero.
Table 2. Reason for layoff: Extended mass layoff events, separations, and initial claimants for unemployment insurance,
private nonfarm sector, selected quarters, 2007 and 2008
Initial claimants for
Layoff events Separations unemployment insurance
Reason for layoff
IV III IV IV III IV IV III IV
2007r 2008r 2008p 2007r 2008r 2008p 2007r 2008r 2008p
Total, private nonfarm (1) ..... 1,814 1,582 3,140 301,592 290,052 508,859 347,151 300,337 463,715
Business demand ................... 613 642 1,387 83,996 97,183 207,609 137,912 125,986 219,894
Contract cancellation ........... 17 44 46 2,564 7,298 11,059 3,292 6,984 6,247
Contract completion ............. 286 195 280 34,838 32,262 38,617 49,165 41,736 39,291
Domestic competition ............ (2) (2) 5 (2) (2) 752 (2) (2) 735
Excess inventory/saturated
market ........................ (2) (2) 13 (2) (2) 3,134 (2) (2) 2,687
Import competition .............. 16 12 13 2,868 3,197 1,768 6,203 3,223 2,010
Slack work/insufficient demand/
non-seasonal business slowdown. 282 382 1,030 42,201 52,328 152,279 77,221 71,164 168,924
Organizational changes ............ 92 122 139 22,626 33,567 26,434 20,648 29,498 20,320
Business-ownership change ....... 24 20 29 9,673 14,033 7,939 5,695 4,849 4,105
Reorganization or restructuring
of company .................... 68 102 110 12,953 19,534 18,495 14,953 24,649 16,215
Financial issues .................. 124 192 300 24,652 37,051 65,034 25,849 30,421 44,005
Bankruptcy ...................... 15 42 40 4,665 13,032 9,087 2,598 7,858 5,295
Cost control/cost cutting/
increase profitability ........ 42 92 156 8,254 12,179 23,227 13,322 12,764 23,222
Financial difficulty ............ 67 58 104 11,733 11,840 32,720 9,929 9,799 15,488
Production specific ............... 25 30 21 3,935 5,998 3,694 4,864 7,013 3,011
Automation/technological
advances ...................... (2) 4 (2) (2) 760 (2) (2) 822 (2)
Energy related .................. - 6 (2) - 720 (2) - 2,656 (2)
Governmental regulations/
intervention .................. (2) 5 6 (2) 806 1,395 (2) 475 795
Labor dispute/contract
negotiations/strike ........... 10 4 4 1,457 1,880 520 2,386 1,169 478
Material or supply shortage ..... (2) 4 - (2) 466 - (2) 371 -
Model changeover ................ (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2)
Plant or machine repair/
maintenance ................... 8 3 4 1,360 685 671 972 433 480
Product line discontinued ....... (2) (2) 3 (2) (2) 590 (2) (2) 623
Disaster/safety ................... 6 32 12 778 4,988 1,346 809 4,233 1,076
Hazardous work environment ...... - - - - - - - - -
Natural disaster (not weather
related) ...................... - (2) - - (2) - - (2) -
Non-natural disaster ............ - (2) (2) - (2) (2) - (2) (2)
Extreme weather-related event ... 6 (2) (2) 778 (2) (2) 809 (2) (2)
Seasonal .......................... 752 216 808 129,784 43,920 135,500 119,288 36,532 105,091
Seasonal ........................ 747 116 803 129,368 27,566 134,237 118,724 21,395 103,926
Vacation period-school related
or otherwise .................. 5 100 5 416 16,354 1,263 564 15,137 1,165
Other/miscellaneous ............... 202 348 473 35,821 67,345 69,242 37,781 66,654 70,318
Other ........................... 12 23 23 2,091 4,444 2,991 3,150 4,440 4,622
Data not provided: refusal ...... 57 53 104 11,259 13,033 20,838 11,273 12,988 20,639
Data not provided: does not
know .......................... 133 272 346 22,471 49,868 45,413 23,358 49,226 45,057
1 See footnote 1, table 1.
2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
r = revised.
p = preliminary.
NOTE: Dash represents zero.
Table 3. State and selected claimant characteristics: Extended mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance,
private nonfarm sector, third and fourth quarters, 2008
Total Percent of total
initial Hispanic Persons age 55
Layoff events claimants Black origin Women and over
State
III IV III IV III IV III IV III IV III IV
2008r 2008p 2008r 2008p 2008r 2008p 2008r 2008p 2008r 2008p 2008r 2008p
Total, private nonfarm (1) . 1,582 3,140 300,337 463,715 16.4 11.7 18.2 16.3 39.8 29.7 17.8 16.2
Alabama ........................ 9 16 3,044 6,134 45.9 42.9 3.4 2.4 52.9 39.2 13.9 11.7
Alaska ......................... 3 12 1,331 2,142 3.7 4.1 22.2 13.3 33.7 29.5 26.0 22.0
Arizona ........................ 9 23 1,211 2,924 6.8 5.5 27.7 38.0 45.4 27.5 14.4 12.1
Arkansas ....................... 7 18 1,352 2,184 46.8 20.6 1.8 4.1 51.8 36.5 12.9 17.9
California ..................... 466 734 78,628 88,393 10.1 6.9 33.6 41.3 38.8 34.2 15.3 14.5
Colorado ....................... 7 28 686 3,223 6.7 4.1 23.3 37.3 44.9 17.8 18.5 19.2
Connecticut .................... 11 11 1,384 1,519 18.0 9.3 21.7 10.4 53.6 17.8 18.2 19.0
Delaware ....................... - 6 - 768 - 13.8 - 4.2 - 13.3 - 21.5
District of Columbia ........... - (2) - (2) - 98.0 - .7 - 65.1 - 11.4
Florida ........................ 127 123 26,565 19,331 15.8 14.3 28.9 27.8 41.6 34.8 18.0 16.8
Georgia ........................ 22 59 4,614 9,274 58.9 40.2 2.1 5.1 46.3 36.5 15.6 15.6
Hawaii ......................... 7 10 1,112 1,217 3.5 3.2 13.3 12.7 37.4 21.6 17.4 14.8
Idaho .......................... 14 29 2,020 5,268 .5 .3 25.8 13.6 45.4 36.1 20.0 15.1
Illinois ....................... 97 285 18,560 40,614 27.7 15.9 15.7 17.5 44.5 25.8 15.4 14.3
Indiana ........................ 57 120 15,055 23,165 9.5 7.5 4.1 4.2 33.4 27.0 14.2 14.8
Iowa ........................... 10 42 3,466 7,091 1.6 1.9 2.5 4.4 33.7 21.2 20.5 19.8
Kansas ......................... 8 25 754 2,749 13.5 8.5 4.6 3.8 44.2 30.5 19.9 14.6
Kentucky ....................... 22 42 3,079 8,729 7.0 7.2 .3 .4 17.7 18.6 15.3 13.0
Louisiana ...................... 41 20 6,085 3,191 58.4 53.3 3.0 2.0 46.6 31.3 15.0 16.3
Maine .......................... 3 3 187 544 2.1 .9 - .2 25.1 11.8 20.9 24.1
Maryland ....................... 10 3 1,132 326 57.6 59.2 2.4 .9 58.6 35.6 16.8 26.4
Massachusetts .................. 21 42 2,896 4,357 11.1 8.0 3.8 1.1 51.8 33.9 25.8 22.0
Michigan ....................... 41 211 7,867 43,556 9.2 16.3 5.6 5.0 36.3 27.3 15.9 15.8
Minnesota ...................... 11 120 2,128 16,079 6.7 3.6 2.1 6.9 23.0 17.6 14.6 16.0
Mississippi .................... 14 21 1,660 3,229 72.2 47.4 1.9 3.1 36.6 43.9 14.2 14.1
Missouri ....................... 31 99 4,068 12,678 20.2 12.8 .3 .2 45.5 35.3 20.6 17.8
Montana ........................ 4 11 348 1,869 .3 .1 2.6 3.0 22.7 12.6 22.7 17.6
Nebraska ....................... (2) 8 (2) 683 13.0 1.5 2.3 8.3 21.4 14.3 20.6 29.3
Nevada ......................... 22 46 4,979 8,964 9.8 9.2 27.5 35.5 32.1 45.7 16.9 16.7
New Hampshire .................. (2) (2) (2) (2) 6.7 1.0 11.2 - 27.0 18.6 14.6 33.8
New Jersey ..................... 49 73 6,578 9,935 23.3 18.2 8.4 8.5 57.8 38.2 23.7 19.4
New Mexico ..................... 8 17 1,429 1,736 2.9 1.7 39.7 50.6 33.9 35.1 13.4 18.7
New York ....................... 118 91 22,462 14,091 18.2 9.1 17.8 9.7 54.9 34.8 27.3 19.7
North Carolina ................. 14 27 2,895 3,426 28.3 32.3 7.2 5.5 55.4 34.2 22.9 19.7
North Dakota ................... (2) 10 (2) 1,024 - 1.5 - 3.3 24.3 19.3 9.0 17.2
Ohio ........................... 49 138 9,847 22,870 15.9 11.0 3.4 3.4 28.9 24.6 19.1 16.7
Oklahoma ....................... 5 21 1,179 2,972 8.6 8.1 2.7 6.3 28.2 32.3 20.0 16.9
Oregon ......................... 19 70 4,627 15,706 .8 .8 12.6 16.4 31.3 26.3 18.3 18.2
Pennsylvania ................... 98 183 22,213 25,975 3.9 5.2 2.4 3.7 32.3 26.1 22.8 20.2
Rhode Island ................... (2) 6 (2) 560 6.7 1.8 24.2 21.8 52.6 20.9 25.8 23.9
South Carolina ................. 12 21 3,659 3,816 71.6 56.9 .2 1.0 50.2 41.6 2.9 9.0
South Dakota ................... - 3 - 213 - .5 - .9 - 32.4 - 19.7
Tennessee ...................... 31 67 5,945 6,235 34.1 23.4 .1 .1 47.3 38.9 23.6 20.3
Texas .......................... 51 40 12,683 6,868 19.0 21.5 41.7 38.6 31.5 31.1 10.5 14.3
Utah ........................... (2) 18 (2) 3,100 2.6 1.5 18.1 16.0 65.0 27.3 14.0 9.6
Vermont ........................ (2) 7 (2) 1,058 .7 .7 .7 .3 22.8 24.1 22.8 20.4
Virginia ....................... 6 14 885 1,298 38.8 25.7 3.5 5.5 21.6 37.5 31.0 21.1
Washington ..................... 21 76 2,803 9,833 5.3 4.1 11.7 17.4 31.0 29.2 14.7 18.0
West Virginia .................. (2) 6 (2) 431 - .2 - - 59.5 13.0 13.7 11.8
Wisconsin ...................... 15 79 7,613 11,746 3.2 2.6 2.5 9.6 28.0 15.5 21.8 16.8
Wyoming ........................ (2) 3 (2) 268 - 1.5 - .4 17.2 32.8 10.8 34.0
Puerto Rico .................... 12 7 2,477 694 .1 .6 98.5 97.7 58.5 45.2 8.4 14.3
1 See footnote 1, table 1.
2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
3 Data are not available.
r = revised.
p = preliminary.
NOTE: Dash represents zero.
Table 4. Census region and division: Extended mass layoff events, separations, and initial claimants for unemployment insurance,
private nonfarm sector, selected quarters, 2007 and 2008
Initial claimants for
Layoff events Separations unemployment insurance
Census region and division
IV III IV IV III IV IV III IV
2007r 2008r 2008p 2007r 2008r 2008p 2007r 2008r 2008p
United States (1) ..... 1,814 1,582 3,140 301,592 290,052 508,859 347,151 300,337 463,715
Northeast ..................... 293 304 418 49,004 60,295 61,160 56,569 56,139 58,243
New England ............... 55 39 71 11,348 5,043 9,932 7,697 4,886 8,242
Middle Atlantic ........... 238 265 347 37,656 55,252 51,228 48,872 51,253 50,001
South ......................... 263 373 505 45,367 75,443 80,590 45,929 74,945 78,361
South Atlantic ............ 153 193 260 24,190 42,491 43,217 23,862 39,918 38,819
East South Central ........ 60 76 146 12,963 12,134 20,983 11,933 13,728 24,327
West South Central ........ 50 104 99 8,214 20,818 16,390 10,134 21,299 15,215
Midwest ....................... 684 322 1,140 114,727 59,679 202,392 139,345 69,600 182,468
East North Central ........ 519 259 833 88,795 50,322 156,100 113,563 58,942 141,951
West North Central ........ 165 63 307 25,932 9,357 46,292 25,782 10,658 40,517
West .......................... 574 583 1,077 92,494 94,635 164,717 105,308 99,653 144,643
Mountain .................. 78 67 175 16,135 11,415 31,970 12,593 11,152 27,352
Pacific ................... 496 516 902 76,359 83,220 132,747 92,715 88,501 117,291
1 See footnote 1, table 1.
r = revised.
p = preliminary.
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,
private nonfarm sector, selected quarters, 2007 and 2008
Initial claimants for
Layoff events Separations unemployment insurance
State
IV III IV IV III IV IV III IV
2007r 2008r 2008p 2007r 2008r 2008p 2007r 2008r 2008p
Total, private nonfarm (1) . 1,814 1,582 3,140 301,592 290,052 508,859 347,151 300,337 463,715
Alabama ........................ 9 9 16 1,693 2,769 4,393 1,867 3,044 6,134
Alaska ......................... 8 3 12 1,916 3,460 3,329 1,373 1,331 2,142
Arizona ........................ 7 9 23 1,364 1,255 2,977 1,079 1,211 2,924
Arkansas ....................... 8 7 18 1,193 1,394 2,870 3,229 1,352 2,184
California ..................... 435 466 734 64,718 70,898 103,470 80,145 78,628 88,393
Colorado ....................... 18 7 28 3,588 1,229 5,131 2,308 686 3,223
Connecticut .................... 8 11 11 1,624 1,724 1,746 1,237 1,384 1,519
Delaware ....................... 3 - 6 231 - 858 209 - 768
District of Columbia ........... (2) - (2) (2) - (2) (2) - (2)
Florida ........................ 61 127 123 9,110 31,391 24,816 7,122 26,565 19,331
Georgia ........................ 15 22 59 2,813 3,635 8,310 6,450 4,614 9,274
Hawaii ......................... 4 7 10 563 840 1,196 495 1,112 1,217
Idaho .......................... 14 14 29 2,218 2,111 5,114 2,041 2,020 5,268
Illinois ....................... 178 97 285 30,467 19,992 55,229 27,607 18,560 40,614
Indiana ........................ 54 57 120 8,797 10,363 17,713 17,268 15,055 23,165
Iowa ........................... 27 10 42 4,559 1,220 5,452 6,287 3,466 7,091
Kansas ......................... 8 8 25 1,066 710 2,889 1,335 754 2,749
Kentucky ....................... 18 22 42 2,716 3,578 6,694 2,179 3,079 8,729
Louisiana ...................... 12 41 20 2,080 6,540 3,797 1,296 6,085 3,191
Maine .......................... 8 3 3 1,827 267 648 1,388 187 544
Maryland ....................... 25 10 3 3,122 1,238 220 3,295 1,132 326
Massachusetts .................. 26 21 42 6,181 2,553 5,806 3,554 2,896 4,357
Michigan ....................... 95 41 211 16,434 5,852 38,820 32,450 7,867 43,556
Minnesota ...................... 75 11 120 12,047 2,219 20,893 11,285 2,128 16,079
Mississippi .................... 5 14 21 782 2,330 3,621 747 1,660 3,229
Missouri ....................... 40 31 99 6,019 4,687 14,839 5,054 4,068 12,678
Montana ........................ 10 4 11 1,385 390 1,471 1,379 348 1,869
Nebraska ....................... 6 (2) 8 859 (2) 958 580 (2) 683
Nevada ......................... 13 22 46 2,780 4,421 7,907 3,121 4,979 8,964
New Hampshire .................. 3 (2) (2) 415 (2) (2) 369 (2) (2)
New Jersey ..................... 54 49 73 9,257 8,637 12,525 7,609 6,578 9,935
New Mexico ..................... 3 8 17 434 1,431 2,326 428 1,429 1,736
New York ....................... 106 118 91 17,570 27,855 15,458 19,864 22,462 14,091
North Carolina ................. 6 14 27 553 1,377 3,069 1,132 2,895 3,426
North Dakota ................... 8 (2) 10 1,166 (2) 1,024 1,166 (2) 1,024
Ohio ........................... 116 49 138 20,000 10,187 30,295 22,436 9,847 22,870
Oklahoma ....................... (2) 5 21 (2) 2,549 3,014 (2) 1,179 2,972
Oregon ......................... 24 19 70 6,535 4,494 12,374 6,795 4,627 15,706
Pennsylvania ................... 78 98 183 10,829 18,760 23,245 21,399 22,213 25,975
Rhode Island ................... 6 (2) 6 779 (2) 612 726 (2) 560
South Carolina ................. 13 12 21 2,001 3,744 3,398 1,942 3,659 3,816
South Dakota ................... (2) - 3 (2) - 237 (2) - 213
Tennessee ...................... 28 31 67 7,772 3,457 6,275 7,140 5,945 6,235
Texas .......................... 29 51 40 4,840 10,335 6,709 5,552 12,683 6,868
Utah ........................... 11 (2) 18 2,004 (2) 3,700 2,105 (2) 3,100
Vermont ........................ 4 (2) 7 522 (2) 825 423 (2) 1,058
Virginia ....................... 21 6 14 5,251 862 1,937 2,669 885 1,298
Washington ..................... 25 21 76 2,627 3,528 12,378 3,907 2,803 9,833
West Virginia .................. 8 (2) 6 987 (2) 460 921 (2) 431
Wisconsin ...................... 76 15 79 13,097 3,928 14,043 13,802 7,613 11,746
Wyoming ........................ (2) (2) 3 (2) (2) 3,344 (2) (2) 268
Puerto Rico .................... 9 12 7 755 1,118 383 2,088 2,477 694
1 See footnote 1, table 1.
2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
r = revised.
p = preliminary.
NOTE: Dash represents zero.
Table 6. Information technology-producing industries: Extended mass layoff events and separations, private nonfarm sector, 2001-2008
Information technology-producing industries(1)
Total extended
Year mass layoffs
Computer Software and Communications Communications
hardware(2) computer services(3) equipment(4) services(5)
Layoff Layoff Layoff Layoff Layoff
events Separations events Separations events Separations events Separations events Separations
2001
First quarter .... 1,546 304,171 91 20,991 32 5,558 22 4,441 13 3,317
Second quarter ... 1,828 430,499 161 38,986 69 9,563 36 12,109 15 3,519
Third quarter .... 1,629 330,391 142 24,813 45 5,724 39 8,200 21 5,350
Fourth quarter ... 2,372 459,771 109 17,797 50 7,667 43 10,124 38 9,889
Total ........ 7,375 1,524,832 503 102,587 196 28,512 140 34,874 87 22,075
2002
First quarter .... 1,611 299,266 84 18,574 34 3,770 32 8,192 28 4,346
Second quarter ... 1,624 344,606 69 11,764 39 4,326 27 4,870 34 5,643
Third quarter .... 1,186 255,152 76 15,017 36 4,359 34 6,529 33 5,496
Fourth quarter ... 1,916 373,307 74 14,298 26 5,709 19 3,645 31 7,643
Total ........ 6,337 1,272,331 303 59,653 135 18,164 112 23,236 126 23,128
2003
First quarter .... 1,502 286,947 71 11,900 27 5,097 23 4,402 26 4,513
Second quarter ... 1,799 368,273 54 9,221 19 2,741 21 3,098 22 4,169
Third quarter .... 1,190 236,333 46 6,488 24 4,189 9 1,289 8 842
Fourth quarter ... 1,690 325,333 25 5,080 8 1,167 9 1,619 23 5,774
Total ........ 6,181 1,216,886 196 32,689 78 13,194 62 10,408 79 15,298
2004
First quarter .... 1,339 276,503 27 3,222 13 2,786 8 894 14 2,832
Second quarter ... 1,358 278,831 18 2,959 15 2,775 - - 15 3,250
Third quarter .... 886 164,608 13 2,288 14 1,467 4 430 11 3,792
Fourth quarter ... 1,427 273,967 18 3,055 10 1,547 4 563 20 3,143
Total ........ 5,010 993,909 76 11,524 52 8,575 16 1,887 60 13,017
2005
First quarter .... 1,142 186,506 13 1,526 9 2,355 4 439 12 2,400
Second quarter ... 1,203 246,099 20 2,973 13 1,558 4 842 7 1,331
Third quarter .... 1,136 201,878 23 3,307 7 1,034 (6) (6) 3 304
Fourth quarter ... 1,400 250,178 19 4,122 3 720 (6) (6) 5 845
Total ........ 4,881 884,661 75 11,928 32 5,667 13 3,000 27 4,880
2006
First quarter .... 963 183,089 12 1,159 6 744 (6) (6) (6) (6)
Second quarter ... 1,353 295,964 10 3,294 7 1,564 8 988 (6) (6)
Third quarter .... 929 160,254 14 3,544 6 487 (6) (6) 8 1,222
Fourth quarter ... 1,640 296,662 12 4,039 4 708 5 1,482 8 947
Total ........ 4,885 935,969 48 12,036 23 3,503 19 3,753 23 3,406
2007
First quarter .... 1,110 225,600 19 3,007 5 875 3 415 5 885
Second quarter ... 1,421 278,719 22 3,634 4 413 5 433 3 315
Third quarter .... 1,018 160,024 22 5,279 6 1,030 4 403 3 276
Fourth quarter ... 1,814 301,592 9 1,459 4 473 3 381 7 870
Total ........ 5,363 965,935 72 13,379 19 2,791 15 1,632 18 2,346
2008
First quarter(r) . 1,340 229,952 19 3,040 9 987 (6) (6) 3 329
Second quarter(r). 1,756 354,690 25 4,018 7 969 (6) (6) 16 2,545
Third quarter(r) . 1,582 290,052 37 6,774 20 3,015 6 1,331 11 1,906
Fourth quarter(p). 3,140 508,859 48 8,007 17 1,738 6 937 9 986
Total(p) ..... 7,818 1,383,553 129 21,839 53 6,709 16 2,953 39 5,766
1 Information technology-producing industries are defined in Digital Economy 2003, (U.S. Department of Commerce, Economics and
Statistics Administration, 2003). In the MLS program, however, computer and software merchant wholesalers and computer and
software stores are only included in the computer hardware industry.
2 The industries included in this grouping, based on the 2002 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), are:
semiconductor machinery manufacturing; office machinery manufacturing; electronic computer manufacturing; computer storage device
manufacturing; computer terminal manufacturing; other computer peripheral equipment mfg.; electron tube manufacturing; bare
printed circuit board manufacturing; semiconductors and related device mfg.; electronic capacitor manufacturing; electronic
resistor manufacturing; electronic coils, transformers, and inductors; electronic connector manufacturing; printed circuit
assembly manufacturing; other electronic component manufacturing; industrial process variable instruments; electricity and signal
testing instruments; analytical laboratory instrument mfg.; computer and software merchant wholesalers; and computer and software
stores.
3 The industries included in this grouping, based on the 2002 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), are:
software publishers; internet service providers; web search portals; data processing and related services; custom computer
programming services; computer systems design services; computer facilities management services; other computer related services;
office equipment rental and leasing; and computer and office machine repair.
4 The industries included in this grouping, based on the 2002 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), are:
telephone apparatus manufacturing; audio and video equipment manufacturing; broadcast and wireless communications equip.; fiber
optic cable manufacturing; software reproducing; and magnetic and optical recording media mfg.
5 The industries included in this grouping, based on the 2002 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), are:
wired telecommunications carriers; cellular and other wireless carriers; telecommunications resellers; cable and other program
distribution; satellite telecommunications; other telecommunications; and communication equipment repair.
6 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
r = revised.
p = preliminary.
NOTE: Dash represents zero.
Table 7. Industry distribution: Extended mass layoff events and separations associated with the movement of work,
selected quarters, 2007 and 2008
Layoff events Separations
Industry
IV III IV IV III IV
2007 2008r 2008p 2007 2008r 2008p
Total, private nonfarm (1) ................ 69 84 110 11,302 14,938 24,236
Mining ...................................... - - - - - -
Utilities ................................... - - - - - -
Construction ................................ - - (2) - - (2)
Manufacturing ............................... 48 56 75 7,980 10,949 14,688
Food ................................... 5 4 3 1,232 1,302 425
Beverage and tobacco products .......... - - (2) - - (2)
Textile mills .......................... (2) 3 (2) (2) 314 (2)
Textile product mills (3) .............. (2) - (2) (2) - (2)
Apparel (3) ............................ - (2) (2) - (2) (2)
Leather and allied products ............ - (2) - - (2) -
Wood products .......................... - - (2) - - (2)
Paper .................................. (2) 3 4 (2) 391 602
Printing and related support activities 3 (2) (2) 411 (2) (2)
Petroleum and coal products ............ - - - - - -
Chemicals .............................. (2) (2) 4 (2) (2) 1,125
Plastics and rubber products (3) ....... 3 3 4 382 292 555
Nonmetallic mineral products ........... (2) - (2) (2) - (2)
Primary metals ......................... 3 - 3 390 - 1,795
Fabricated metal products .............. 5 (2) 5 879 (2) 665
Machinery (3) .......................... (2) 4 5 (2) 776 1,118
Computer and electronic products ....... 3 9 9 620 1,527 1,323
Electrical equipment and appliances .... 6 6 7 1,360 1,278 789
Transportation equipment (3) ........... 10 13 16 1,438 3,378 3,973
Furniture and related products (3) ..... (2) (2) 3 (2) (2) 456
Miscellaneous manufacturing (3) ........ - (2) 3 - (2) 509
Wholesale trade ............................. (2) 3 7 (2) 539 804
Retail trade ................................ 3 (2) 6 334 (2) 682
Transportation and warehousing .............. (2) 4 4 (2) 684 5,606
Information ................................. 3 4 3 252 557 581
Finance and insurance (3) ................... 5 8 6 861 938 700
Real estate and rental and leasing (3) ...... - - - - - -
Professional and technical services (3) ..... 4 (2) (2) 647 (2) (2)
Management of companies and enterprises ..... (2) - - (2) - -
Administrative and waste services (3) ....... (2) 3 4 (2) 479 545
Educational services ........................ - - - - - -
Health care and social assistance ........... - (2) (2) - (2) (2)
Arts, entertainment, and recreation ......... - (2) - - (2) -
Accommodation and food services ............. - - - - - -
Other services, except public administration (2) - (2) (2) - (2)
Unclassified ................................ - - - - - -
1 See footnote 1, table 1.
2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
r = revised.
p = preliminary.
NOTE: Dash represents zero.
Table 8. Reason for layoff: Extended mass layoff events and separations associated with the movement of work,
selected quarters, 2007 and 2008
Layoff events Separations
Reason for layoff IV III IV IV III IV
2007 2008r 2008p 2007 2008r 2008p
Total, private nonfarm (1) .... 69 84 110 11,302 14,938 24,236
Business demand .................. (2) (2) 33 (2) (2) 10,710
Contract cancellation .......... (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2)
Contract completion ............ (2) - (2) (2) - (2)
Domestic competition ........... - - (2) - - (2)
Excess inventory/saturated
market ....................... - - - - - -
Import competition ............. 7 (2) 9 1,167 (2) 1,417
Slack work/insufficient demand/
non-seasonal business slowdown 7 12 20 950 3,130 4,032
Organizational changes ........... 30 47 48 5,110 8,445 8,706
Business-ownership change ...... 5 6 9 1,326 1,628 1,498
Reorganization or restructuring
of company ................... 25 41 39 3,784 6,817 7,208
Financial issues ................. 21 19 25 3,600 2,669 4,038
Bankruptcy ..................... - - (2) - - (2)
Cost control/cost cutting/
increase profitability ....... (2) (2) 22 (2) (2) 2,852
Financial difficulty ........... (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2)
Production specific .............. - - (2) - - (2)
Automation/technological
advances ..................... - - - - - -
Energy related ................. - - - - - -
Governmental regulations/
intervention ................. - - (2) - - (2)
Labor dispute/contract
negotiations/strike .......... - - - - - -
Material or supply shortage .... - - - - - -
Model changeover ............... - - (2) - - (2)
Plant or machine repair/
maintenance .................. - - - - - -
Product line discontinued ...... - - - - - -
Disaster/safety .................. - - (2) - - (2)
Hazardous work environment ..... - - - - - -
Natural disaster (not weather
related) ..................... - - - - - -
Non-natural disaster ........... - - - - - -
Extreme weather-related event .. - - (2) - - (2)
Other/miscellaneous .............. (2) (2) - (2) (2) -
Other .......................... (2) (2) - (2) (2) -
Data not provided: refusal ..... - - - - - -
Data not provided: does not
know ......................... - - - - - -
1 See footnote 1, table 1.
2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
r = revised.
p = preliminary.
NOTE: Dash represents zero.
Table 9. Census region and division: Extended mass layoff events and separations associated with the movement of work,
selected quarters, 2007 and 2008
Layoff events Separations
Census region and division
IV III IV IV III IV
2007 2008r 2008p 2007 2008r 2008p
United States (1) . 69 84 110 11,302 14,938 24,236
Northeast ................. 11 14 14 1,726 2,306 2,106
New England ........... 3 (2) 4 562 (2) 686
Middle Atlantic ....... 8 (2) 10 1,164 (2) 1,420
South ..................... 16 13 22 2,105 2,238 3,848
South Atlantic ........ 8 5 7 903 704 843
East South Central .... 5 4 10 512 472 1,425
West South Central .... 3 4 5 690 1,062 1,580
Midwest ................... 30 42 47 5,847 8,162 14,306
East North Central .... 23 32 33 4,190 6,105 11,564
West North Central .... 7 10 14 1,657 2,057 2,742
West ...................... 12 15 27 1,624 2,232 3,976
Mountain .............. (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2)
Pacific ............... (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2)
1 See footnote 1, table 1.
2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
r = revised.
p = preliminary.
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 10. Extended mass layoff events and separations, selected measures, selected quarters, 2007 and 2008
Layoff events Separations
Action
IV III IV IV III IV
2007 2008r 2008p 2007 2008r 2008p
Total, private nonfarm (1) ......... 1,814 1,582 3,140 301,592 290,052 508,859
Total, excluding seasonal
and vacation events (2) .... 1,062 1,366 2,332 171,808 246,132 373,359
Total, movement of work (3). 69 84 110 11,302 14,938 24,236
Movement of work
actions ............. 90 106 150 (4) (4) (4)
With separations
reported ....... 66 78 111 7,152 9,631 16,061
With separations
unknown ........ 24 28 39 (4) (4) (4)
1 See footnote 1, table 1.
2 The questions on movement of work were not asked of employers when the reason for layoff was either seasonal work
or vacation period.
3 Movement of work can involve more than one action.
4 Data are not available.
r = revised.
p = preliminary.
Table 11. Movement of work actions by type of separation where number of separations is known by employers,
selected quarters, 2007 and 2008
Actions(1) Separations
Activities
IV III IV IV III IV
2007 2008r 2008p 2007 2008r 2008p
With separations reported (2) . 66 78 111 7,152 9,631 16,061
By location
Out-of-country relocations .. 27 19 33 2,997 2,312 3,775
Within company .......... 26 17 28 2,910 2,135 3,436
Different company ....... 1 2 5 87 177 339
Domestic relocations ........ 39 59 78 4,155 7,319 12,286
Within company .......... 38 50 72 3,975 6,522 6,844
Different company ....... 1 9 6 180 797 5,442
Unable to assign place of
relocation ............... - - - - - -
By company
Within company .............. 64 67 100 6,885 8,657 10,280
Domestic ................ 38 50 72 3,975 6,522 6,844
Out of country .......... 26 17 28 2,910 2,135 3,436
Unable to assign ........ - - - - - -
Different company ........... 2 11 11 267 974 5,781
Domestic ................ 1 9 6 180 797 5,442
Out of country .......... 1 2 5 87 177 339
Unable to assign ........ - - - - - -
1 Only actions for which separations associated with the movement of work were reported are
shown.
2 See footnote 1, table 1.
r = revised.
p = preliminary.
Note: Dash represents zero.
United States Department of Labor
