Technical information: (202) 691-6392 USDL 08-1669
http://www.bls.gov/mls/
For release: 10:00 A.M. (EST)
Media contact: (202) 691-5902 Thursday, November 13, 2008
EXTENDED MASS LAYOFFS IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF 2008
In the third quarter of 2008, employers initiated 1,330 mass layoff
events that resulted in the separation of 218,158 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. Layoff
events reached their highest level for the third quarter since 2001,
while separations reached their highest level since 2003. The total
number of layoff events was 312 higher in the third quarter 2008 than
the same period a year earlier, and the number of associated
separations increased by 58,134. (See table A.) Third quarter 2008
layoff data are preliminary and are subject to revision. (See the
Technical Note.)
Both events and separations in the construction industry reached
third quarter program highs in 2008. The number of separations in
manufacturing rose sharply (+32,175) over the year, largely due to
increased layoff activity in the transportation equipment sector
(+12,930).
Among the seven categories of economic reasons for layoff, business
demand accounted for the highest share of events (43 percent) and
number of separations (76,979) in July-September 2008. (See table B.)
The largest over-the-year increases in the number of separations
occurred in layoffs attributed to business demand factors (+27,711)
and organizational changes (+10,533). Within business demand, the
number of separations due to slack work nearly doubled to 41,116,
while in organizational changes, layoffs attributed to business-
ownership changes more than doubled to 11,692. Within financial
issues, the number of workers terminated because of bankruptcies
nearly doubled over the year to 12,156.
Permanent closure of worksites occurred in 15 percent of all
extended mass layoff events and affected 50,025 workers during the
third quarter of 2008. Thirty-one percent of employers reporting a
layoff indicated they anticipate some type of recall, down from 38
percent a year earlier and the lowest third quarter proportion since
2002. Excluding seasonal events, employers anticipated recalling
workers in 20 percent of the layoffs, matching third quarter 2002 as
the lowest proportion for any quarter since data collection began in
1995.
The national unemployment rate averaged 6.0 percent, not seasonally
adjusted, in the third quarter of 2008, up from 4.7 percent a year
earlier. Private nonfarm payroll employment, not seasonally adjusted,
decreased by 0.6 percent (-672,000) over the year.
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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) .... 1,814 301,592 347,149
2008
January-March(r) ....... 1,340 229,858 258,767
April-June(r) .......... 1,756 354,361 335,854
July-September(p) ...... 1,330 218,158 181,386
r = revised.
p = preliminary.
Industry Distribution of Extended Layoffs
Manufacturing industries were responsible for 32 percent of private
nonfarm extended layoff events and 35 percent of related separations
in the third quarter of 2008; a year earlier, manufacturing made up 26
percent of events and 27 percent of separations. (See table 1.) Manu-
facturing had 430 extended mass layoff events and 75,511 separations,
the highest third quarter levels for the industry since 2003. The
largest numbers of separations were in transportation equipment manu-
facturing (21,630, mostly associated with light truck and utility
vehicle manufacturing) and food manufacturing (10,975).
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Table B. Distribution of extended layoff events and separations by
economic reason categories, July-September 2008(p)
Category Layoff events Separations
Number Percent Number Percent
Total .................. 1,330 100.0 218,158 100.0
Business demand ............. 577 43.4 76,979 35.3
Organizational changes ...... 107 8.0 28,256 13.0
Financial issues ............ 174 13.1 32,812 15.0
Production specific ......... 23 1.7 3,527 1.6
Disaster/safety ............. 5 0.4 1,362 0.6
Seasonal .................... 198 14.9 38,742 17.8
Other/miscellaneous ......... 246 18.5 36,480 16.7
p = preliminary.
The construction sector accounted for 16 percent of events and 10
percent of separations, the highest third quarter percentages recorded
in the program. These job cuts were largely in specialty trade con-
tracting. Layoffs in administrative and waste services accounted for
9 percent of all events and separations and were concentrated in tem-
porary help services.
Reasons for Extended Layoffs
Among the seven categories of economic reasons for extended mass
layoffs, events related to business demand factors (contract cancel-
lation, contract completion, domestic competition, excess inventory,
import competition, and slack work) accounted for 43 percent of the
extended layoffs and 35 percent of separations during the third quar-
ter of 2008. (See table 2.) Separations in this category registered
the largest over-the-year increase (+27,711), with those related to
slack work/insufficient demand/nonseasonal business slowdown nearly
doubling. The numbers of workers terminated because of business de-
mand reasons were highest in temporary help services, light truck and
utility vehicle manufacturing, and professional employer organizations.
Seasonal factors (seasonal and vacation period) made up 15 percent
of the extended layoff events and resulted in 38,742 separations, pri-
marily in school and employee bus transportation and in food service
contracting.
Job losses related to financial issues (bankruptcy, cost control,
and financial difficulty) accounted for 13 percent of events and
resulted in 32,812 separations during the third quarter of 2008,
compared with 28,461 separations a year earlier. This increase was
largely due to bankruptcies in full service restaurants.
Movement of Work
In the third quarter of 2008, 82 extended mass layoffs involved the
movement of work and were associated with 14,613 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 7 percent of nonseasonal layoff events
in the third quarter of 2008. A year earlier, there were 63 layoff
events and 12,367 separations associated with the movement of work.
(See table 10.)
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Table C. Extended mass layoff events and separations, selected measures,
third quarter 2008(p)
Action Layoff events Separations
Total, private nonfarm ................ 1,330 218,158
Total, excluding seasonal and
vacation events(1) ................ 1,132 179,416
Total events with movement
of work(2) .................... 82 14,613
Movement of work actions ...... 104 (3)
With separations reported .. 76 9,265
With separations unknown ... 28 (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.
Among the 82 extended mass layoff events with reported relocation
of work in the third quarter of 2008, 55 percent were permanent clo-
sures of worksites, which affected 9,873 workers. In comparison,
15 percent of the total extended mass layoff events reported for the
quarter involved the permanent closure of worksites affecting 50,025
workers.
Of the layoffs involving the movement of work, 67 percent of the
events and 75 percent of the laid-off workers were from manufacturing
industries during the third quarter. (See table 7.) Among all pri-
vate nonfarm extended layoffs, manufacturing accounted for 32 percent
of the events and 35 percent of separations.
While only 8 percent of the extended mass layoff events in the
total private nonfarm economy were because of organizational change,
such reasons accounted for 56 percent of layoff events associated with
work relocation and resulted in 8,276 separations during the third
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 (56 percent), followed by the Northeast and the West
(15 percent each), and the South (13 percent). (See table 9.)
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 82 ex-
tended layoff events with movement of work for the third quarter of
2008 involved 104 identifiable relocations of work. (See table C.)
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 104 relocations, employers
were able to provide information on the specific number of separations
associated with the movement of work component of the layoff in 76
actions involving 9,265 workers. (See table 10.)
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Table D. Movement of work actions by type of separation where the
number of separations is known by employers, third quarter 2008(p)
Activities Actions (1) Separations
With separations reported ..... 76 9,265
By location
Out-of-country relocations .. 19 2,211
Within company ........... 17 2,034
Different company ........ 2 177
Domestic relocations ........ 57 7,054
Within company ........... 48 6,257
Different company ........ 9 797
By company
Within company .............. 65 8,291
Domestic ................. 48 6,257
Out of country ........... 17 2,034
Different company ........... 11 974
Domestic ................. 9 797
Out of country ........... 2 177
1 Only actions for which separations associated with the
movement of work were reported are shown.
p = preliminary.
In the 76 actions where employers were able to provide more complete
separations information, 86 percent of relocations (65 out of 76) occurred
within the same company. (See table D.) Seventy-five percent of reloca-
tions (57 out of 76) were domestic reassignments, while 25 percent (19 out
of 76) involved out-of-country moves. Domestic relocation of work--both
within the company and to other companies--affected 7,054 workers. Out-of-
country relocations were associated with the separation of 2,211 workers,
1 percent of all nonseasonal and nonvacation extended mass layoff separa-
tions. (See table 11.)
Recall Expectations
Thirty-one percent of employers reporting an extended layoff in the
third quarter of 2008 indicated they anticipated some type of recall,
down from 38 percent a year earlier and the lowest third quarter propor-
tion since 2002. (See table E.) Of those employers expecting to recall
workers, 38 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-two percent of em-
ployers expecting to recall laid-off employees intend to do so within
6 months.
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Table E. Summary of employer expectations of a recall from extended
layoff, third quarter 2007-third quarter 2008
Percentage of events
Nature of the recall III IV I II III
2007 2007 2008 2008(r) 2008(p)
Anticipate a recall ........ 37.9 55.8 40.1 51.1 30.5
Timeframe
Within 6 months ........ 83.9 87.9 69.8 84.5 71.9
Within 3 months ..... 62.7 34.2 45.4 59.1 54.9
Size
At least half .......... 86.0 90.5 73.2 88.3 79.1
All workers ......... 45.6 50.5 28.5 51.7 37.9
r = revised.
p = preliminary.
Excluding layoff events due to seasonal work and vacation period (in
which 93 percent of the employers expected a recall), employers antici-
pated recalling laid-off workers in 20 percent of the events, matching
third quarter 2002 as the lowest proportion since the program began in
1995.
Size of Extended Layoffs
The average size of a layoff (as measured by separations per layoff
event) in the third quarter of 2008 was 164, compared to 157 per layoff
in third quarter 2007. Layoff events continued to be concentrated at
the lower end of the extended layoff-size spectrum, with 48 percent of
events involving between 50 and 99 workers and 71 percent of events with
less than 150 workers.
Layoffs involving less than 150 workers accounted for 37 percent of all
separations during the period, about the same percentage recorded a year
earlier (38 percent). Separations involving 500 or more workers, while
comprising only 4 percent of the events, accounted for 28 percent of all
separations in the third quarter of 2008, up from 24 percent a year earlier.
(See table F.)
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Table F. Distribution of extended layoff events by size of layoff, third
quarter 2008(p)
Layoff events Separations
Size
Number Percent Number Percent
Total ................. 1,330 100.0 218,158 100.0
50-99 ............... 639 48.0 44,934 20.6
100-149 ............. 311 23.4 36,314 16.6
150-199 ............. 122 9.2 20,675 9.5
200-299 ............. 124 9.3 28,034 12.9
300-499 ............. 76 5.7 27,640 12.7
500-999 ............. 38 2.9 24,955 11.4
1,000 or more ....... 20 1.5 35,606 16.3
p = preliminary.
Initial Claimant Characteristics
A total of 181,386 initial claimants for unemployment insurance were
associated with extended mass layoffs in the third quarter of 2008. Of
these claimants, 16 percent were black, 18 percent were Hispanic, 40 per-
cent were women, 34 percent were 30 to 44 years of age, and 18 percent
were 55 years of age or older. (See table 3.) Among persons in the civi-
lian labor force for the same period, 12 percent were black, 14 percent were
Hispanic, 46 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 West recorded the highest number of se-
parations (78,277) due to extended mass layoff events in the third quarter
of 2008, followed by the Midwest, with 53,265. (See table 4.) Separations
in the West occurred largely in specialty trade contracting and in food manu-
facturing. The West accounted for 36 percent of all separations, up from
33 percent in the same period last year.
Among the 9 census divisions, the highest number of separations during the
third quarter of 2008 was in the Pacific division (70,079). The East North
Central division had the next-highest level of separations, with 44,284.
(See table 4.)
California recorded the largest number of worker separations (61,375),
followed by Florida (20,261), Illinois (17,552), and New York (14,310).
(See table 5.) After excluding the impact of seasonal reasons, California
still reported the highest number of job cuts (57,116).
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Table G. Mass layoff events and separations, selected metropolitan areas
Events Separations
Metropolitan area III III III III
2007(r) 2008(p) 2007(r) 2008(p)
Total, nonmetropolitan areas .................. 109 127 15,319 17,564
Total, 369 metropolitan areas ................. 524 670 78,211 101,362
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, Calif. .. 81 87 10,304 11,187
New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island,
N.Y.-N.J.-Pa. .......................... 61 49 14,397 11,140
Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, Ill.-Ind.-Wis. . 28 46 4,849 8,923
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif. .... 11 26 1,106 3,700
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, Calif. ..... 20 29 1,913 3,536
Las Vegas-Paradise, Nev. .................. (1) 20 (1) 3,101
Elkhart-Goshen, Ind. ...................... 3 11 243 2,434
San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, Calif. ..... 23 19 2,753 2,234
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, Fla. . 5 12 492 2,022
Modesto, Calif. ........................... 5 5 436 2,017
1 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
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.
California accounted for 28 percent of all separations due to extended
mass layoffs in the third quarter 2008, up from 26 percent in 2007. Florida
accounted for 9 percent of the separations, up from 5 percent last year. In
2008, four states reported third quarter program highs in terms of numbers of
separations--Indiana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Wyoming.
Fifty percent of extended mass layoff events and 46 percent of separations
(101,362) occurred in metropolitan areas in the third quarter of 2008, compared
with 51 percent of events and 49 percent of separations (78,211) during the third
quarter of 2007. Among the 369 metropolitan areas, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa
Ana, Calif., reported the highest number of separations (11,187) in the third
quarter of 2008. Next were New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, N.Y.-N.J.-
Pa., with 11,140 separations and Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, Ill.-Ind.-Wis., with
8,923 separations. (See table G.) Employers located in nonmetropolitan areas
separated 17,564 workers in extended mass layoffs.
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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 con-
tacted for additional information. Data for the third quarter are preliminary
and subject to revision. This release also includes revised data for previous
quarters. Data are not seasonally adjusted, but survey data suggest that there
is a seasonal pattern to layoffs. Thus, comparisons between consecutive quar-
ters 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 October 2008 is scheduled to be released on
Friday, November 21.
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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.
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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 third quarter of
2008, outright refusal to participate in the employer interview accounted
for 3.4 percent of all private nonfarm events. Although included in the
total number of instances involving the movement of work, for the third
quarter, employers in 28 relocations were unable to provide the number of
separations specifically associated with the movement of work, 4 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
III II III III II III III II III
2007r 2008r 2008p 2007r 2008r 2008p 2007r 2008r 2008p
Total, private nonfarm(1) .................. 1,018 1,756 1,330 160,024 354,361 218,158 173,077 335,854 181,386
Mining ....................................... 4 3 (2) 677 627 (2) 530 357 (2)
Utilities .................................... - 4 (2) - 758 (2) - 738 (2)
Construction ................................. 187 243 208 17,315 27,477 21,099 28,059 35,327 21,727
Manufacturing ................................ 269 382 430 43,336 64,998 75,511 54,116 85,757 67,141
Food .................................... 30 61 41 5,834 11,597 10,975 6,976 8,986 4,327
Beverage and tobacco products ........... (2) (2) 5 (2) (2) 520 (2) (2) 497
Textile mills ........................... 9 (2) 8 2,730 (2) 1,839 4,552 (2) 2,388
Textile product mills (3) ............... 3 6 (2) 908 728 (2) 918 805 (2)
Apparel (3) ............................. 16 11 12 1,706 1,589 1,618 1,836 1,399 1,474
Leather and allied products ............. - (2) (2) - (2) (2) - (2) (2)
Wood products ........................... 21 37 31 2,756 5,003 4,636 3,496 5,518 3,448
Paper ................................... 5 12 10 893 1,426 2,154 882 1,284 1,932
Printing and related support activities . (2) 12 10 (2) 1,548 1,260 (2) 1,953 836
Petroleum and coal products ............. - 3 (2) - 378 (2) - 218 (2)
Chemicals ............................... 6 13 11 463 1,598 931 583 1,352 905
Plastics and rubber products (3) ........ 11 20 20 1,213 3,272 3,202 1,703 3,259 2,896
Nonmetallic mineral products ............ 8 13 15 919 1,846 1,850 1,074 1,499 1,630
Primary metals .......................... 9 8 12 1,486 728 1,178 2,331 1,360 1,027
Fabricated metal products ............... 21 19 26 3,093 2,178 2,721 3,575 3,294 2,401
Machinery (3) ........................... 18 25 29 3,608 4,354 6,630 3,546 5,967 7,292
Computer and electronic products ........ 27 20 43 5,957 2,783 7,335 4,974 2,692 5,433
Electrical equipment and appliances ..... 5 9 11 328 1,739 2,000 441 1,477 1,366
Transportation equipment (3) ............ 54 84 110 8,700 19,307 21,630 14,641 38,882 24,960
Furniture and related products (3) ...... 14 17 20 1,411 3,366 3,154 1,127 4,021 2,675
Miscellaneous manufacturing (3) ......... 7 8 10 791 895 1,185 1,014 1,084 1,079
Wholesale trade .............................. 19 32 25 2,336 5,047 3,214 1,838 4,034 2,143
Retail trade ................................. 59 81 76 10,095 15,043 17,199 11,486 19,692 13,669
Transportation and warehousing ............... 84 191 107 15,251 44,637 18,438 14,498 43,948 14,552
Information .................................. 18 50 46 2,415 9,815 8,758 2,713 10,373 6,896
Finance and insurance (3) .................... 133 89 80 24,757 31,417 13,594 24,199 19,868 10,608
Real estate and rental and leasing (3) ....... 8 8 10 1,194 723 1,153 1,354 883 1,138
Professional and technical services (3) ...... 35 80 41 5,144 38,365 6,289 5,728 21,369 5,535
Management of companies and enterprises ...... 8 6 (2) 782 658 (2) 1,100 529 (2)
Administrative and waste services (3) ........ 60 114 116 8,225 21,408 18,555 9,349 23,486 16,927
Educational services ......................... 9 16 14 1,323 1,644 1,516 1,726 1,985 1,302
Health care and social assistance ............ 49 186 62 9,724 23,798 6,846 5,017 21,605 5,183
Arts, entertainment, and recreation .......... 22 57 34 6,118 23,768 7,519 2,734 5,830 2,797
Accommodation and food services .............. 40 158 65 8,622 36,841 16,444 6,985 32,966 10,000
Other services, except public administration . 13 54 11 2,560 6,819 1,335 1,572 6,816 1,291
Unclassified ................................. 1 2 - 150 518 - 73 291 -
1 For the third 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
III II III III II III III II III
2007r 2008r 2008p 2007r 2008r 2008p 2007r 2008r 2008p
Total, private nonfarm(1) ...... 1,018 1,756 1,330 160,024 354,361 218,158 173,077 335,854 181,386
Business demand ................... 421 566 577 49,268 79,925 76,979 73,378 106,297 78,420
Contract cancellation .......... 15 22 42 2,320 2,854 6,468 1,809 3,236 5,306
Contract completion ............ 201 211 179 20,331 27,716 24,964 31,636 35,481 24,845
Domestic competition ........... 3 (2) (2) 254 (2) (2) 208 (2) (2)
Excess inventory/saturated
market ....................... 6 (2) (2) 1,551 (2) (2) 1,641 (2) (2)
Import competition ............. 16 13 12 3,273 1,831 3,197 3,645 1,624 2,489
Slack work/insufficient demand/
non-seasonal
business slowdown ............ 180 311 336 21,539 46,145 41,116 34,439 64,595 44,466
Organizational changes ............ 99 122 107 17,723 37,097 28,256 17,299 32,654 15,354
Business-ownership change ...... 27 20 16 4,990 17,922 11,692 3,475 3,545 2,535
Reorganization or restructuring
of company ................... 72 102 91 12,733 19,175 16,564 13,824 29,109 12,819
Financial issues .................. 122 120 174 28,461 27,778 32,812 23,770 21,095 21,090
Bankruptcy ..................... 21 23 40 6,819 9,011 12,156 2,904 5,246 6,324
Cost control/cost cutting/
increase profitability ....... 36 55 82 6,130 10,046 10,458 8,031 7,906 8,483
Financial difficulty ........... 65 42 52 15,512 8,721 10,198 12,835 7,943 6,283
Production specific ............... (2) (2) 23 (2) (2) 3,527 (2) (2) 4,018
Automation/technological
advances ..................... 4 3 4 1,468 264 707 1,293 545 640
Energy related ................. - (2) 6 - (2) 720 - (2) 1,866
Governmental regulations/
intervention ................. 4 4 3 997 1,067 290 605 436 224
Labor dispute/contract
negotiations/strike .......... (2) 5 (2) (2) 1,430 (2) (2) 1,369 (2)
Material or supply shortage .... - 5 4 - 624 466 - 614 309
Model changeover ............... - (2) - - (2) - - (2) -
Plant or machine repair/
maintenance .................. 4 3 (2) 865 802 (2) 579 732 (2)
Product line discontinued ...... - (2) (2) - (2) (2) - (2) (2)
Disaster/safety ................... (2) (2) 5 (2) (2) 1,362 (2) (2) 860
Hazardous work environment ..... (2) - - (2) - - (2) - -
Natural disaster (not weather
related) ..................... (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2)
Non-natural disaster ........... (2) - (2) (2) - (2) (2) - (2)
Extreme weather-related event .. - (2) (2) - (2) (2) - (2) (2)
Seasonal .......................... 218 651 198 40,361 156,308 38,742 34,840 121,904 26,150
Seasonal ....................... 123 364 105 23,314 107,469 22,185 20,441 70,175 12,146
Vacation period-school related
or otherwise ................. 95 287 93 17,047 48,839 16,557 14,399 51,729 14,004
Other/miscellaneous ............... 140 267 246 19,641 47,685 36,480 20,424 47,202 35,494
Other .......................... 9 18 20 1,363 3,176 3,274 2,050 3,031 3,449
Data not provided: refusal ..... 43 54 46 6,019 12,666 8,763 6,016 12,434 8,733
Data not provided: does not
know ......................... 88 195 180 12,259 31,843 24,443 12,358 31,737 23,312
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, second and third quarters, 2008
Total Percent of total
initial Hispanic Persons age 55
Layoff events claimants Black origin Women and over
State
II III II III II III II III II III II III
2008r 2008p 2008r 2008p 2008r 2008p 2008r 2008p 2008r 2008p 2008r 2008p
Total, private nonfarm(1) .. 1,756 1,330 335,854 181,386 16.6 16.1 16.8 17.7 49.9 40.4 21.5 18.4
Alabama ........................ 21 9 3,694 2,461 57.4 46.6 2.8 3.3 58.3 53.4 20.5 13.9
Alaska ......................... 6 3 1,207 241 4.9 2.1 16.2 27.8 45.7 28.2 27.8 26.1
Arizona ........................ 20 9 2,741 860 3.1 7.2 57.8 29.1 57.4 48.5 18.8 15.5
Arkansas ....................... 11 (2) 1,263 (2) 42.8 38.4 6.5 - 76.6 72.6 18.8 23.3
California ..................... 464 446 81,944 52,748 10.3 10.3 37.0 33.2 42.9 38.5 15.9 15.5
Colorado ....................... 12 7 1,576 525 6.5 8.4 30.6 26.1 63.8 40.4 22.8 19.8
Connecticut .................... 22 11 3,877 1,026 15.0 17.2 12.7 18.3 60.5 53.4 26.9 19.1
Delaware ....................... (2) - (2) - 43.2 - 8.6 - 83.3 - 31.8 -
District of Columbia ........... 4 - 566 - 89.6 - 4.8 - 70.8 - 13.4 -
Florida ........................ 113 97 20,439 13,744 17.3 17.5 31.2 26.2 45.4 44.1 22.6 20.2
Georgia ........................ 14 20 1,612 2,437 48.9 58.1 2.7 2.9 44.0 48.5 18.2 16.0
Hawaii ......................... 9 6 2,522 867 3.1 4.3 7.4 15.6 41.9 34.3 18.1 16.7
Idaho .......................... 20 6 2,135 623 .5 .8 6.6 12.4 44.8 38.4 24.5 16.4
Illinois ....................... 110 97 26,194 12,094 24.2 26.9 10.1 16.3 57.3 45.5 20.9 17.1
Indiana ........................ 52 47 13,384 8,699 7.4 8.0 4.8 4.0 38.8 34.4 18.8 14.1
Iowa ........................... 14 8 2,280 2,904 11.4 1.3 2.5 2.0 59.2 35.3 23.6 21.8
Kansas ......................... 15 8 1,577 586 15.5 11.6 1.7 5.1 61.9 40.6 23.7 20.6
Kentucky ....................... 20 18 1,979 1,775 4.7 7.3 - .4 23.0 19.3 22.4 18.0
Louisiana ...................... 26 15 3,300 2,662 73.2 45.5 1.5 3.1 74.4 32.6 20.9 21.6
Maine .......................... 5 (2) 788 (2) 1.9 2.2 .1 - 43.8 40.0 27.9 22.2
Maryland ....................... 10 (2) 1,404 (2) 56.6 21.4 1.1 1.4 62.3 71.4 21.2 38.6
Massachusetts .................. 25 21 4,315 2,499 13.8 11.1 2.0 4.2 59.4 51.9 27.7 26.9
Michigan ....................... 75 41 27,887 6,170 19.7 9.0 2.7 6.0 42.1 39.6 17.9 16.4
Minnesota ...................... 22 11 2,803 1,493 9.4 7.2 6.2 2.1 46.0 26.9 22.5 15.1
Mississippi .................... 12 14 1,548 1,556 57.8 73.5 2.5 1.9 47.9 36.6 15.2 14.3
Missouri ....................... 43 31 8,252 3,409 22.6 20.9 .3 .4 69.2 45.8 26.2 20.6
Montana ........................ 9 4 683 250 - .4 3.7 2.0 56.1 28.0 31.3 24.4
Nebraska ....................... 5 (2) 715 (2) 10.9 13.0 6.4 2.3 33.6 16.8 32.3 20.6
Nevada ......................... 15 22 2,550 2,904 12.9 9.7 27.7 27.8 47.5 29.9 21.2 16.3
New Hampshire .................. 7 (2) 897 (2) .2 6.7 .4 11.2 64.7 27.0 32.0 14.6
New Jersey ..................... 77 43 17,427 4,139 20.6 26.6 7.1 8.4 66.2 61.6 35.1 25.7
New Mexico ..................... 8 8 853 1,189 3.9 2.7 37.7 42.0 27.7 33.9 19.1 13.1
New York ....................... 70 62 12,901 9,848 13.2 17.0 9.8 15.1 48.5 56.9 24.4 31.5
North Carolina ................. 10 14 2,697 1,638 35.6 27.5 2.9 6.9 31.6 55.9 15.4 25.3
North Dakota ................... - (2) - (2) - - - - - 23.1 - 9.3
Ohio ........................... 83 49 15,110 9,299 14.8 16.3 3.0 3.5 50.3 29.1 20.2 19.2
Oklahoma ....................... 5 5 786 846 14.5 10.2 2.0 3.5 48.3 29.7 13.4 20.1
Oregon ......................... 27 19 6,775 4,179 1.5 .7 12.9 13.6 54.8 33.3 27.2 17.3
Pennsylvania ................... 97 60 20,964 9,392 9.5 4.0 3.5 2.0 52.3 38.5 31.4 24.6
Rhode Island ................... 9 (2) 1,274 (2) 5.0 6.7 19.3 24.2 80.5 52.6 36.7 25.8
South Carolina ................. 16 11 3,678 3,440 75.4 69.2 .4 .2 59.8 51.5 6.6 2.5
South Dakota ................... (2) - (2) - - - 1.0 - 86.0 - 47.0 -
Tennessee ...................... 20 31 3,412 3,152 30.5 24.1 - .1 58.8 49.6 35.6 20.7
Texas .......................... 51 30 10,166 5,037 16.0 19.5 48.0 42.7 44.2 35.0 15.4 10.8
Utah ........................... 9 (2) 1,801 (2) 1.7 2.4 18.0 16.3 45.7 63.9 10.2 12.3
Vermont ........................ 5 (2) 731 (2) 1.0 .7 .3 .7 37.2 22.8 18.7 22.8
Virginia ....................... 14 7 1,860 858 51.6 36.9 5.2 3.7 73.8 21.6 21.1 30.4
Washington ..................... 26 13 3,797 1,401 4.3 4.9 10.8 17.5 57.0 27.6 27.4 17.1
West Virginia .................. 7 (2) 763 (2) .7 - - - 34.3 31.4 12.8 -
Wisconsin ...................... 35 13 6,194 3,148 11.5 3.9 3.2 1.8 59.5 25.1 32.6 29.0
Wyoming ........................ (2) (2) (2) (2) - - - - 27.0 14.9 2.7 12.2
Puerto Rico .................... 13 8 3,468 1,568 .1 .1 98.2 98.9 59.6 64.0 8.7 8.7
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 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
III II III III II III III II III
2007r 2008r 2008p 2007r 2008r 2008p 2007r 2008r 2008p
United States (1) ..... 1,018 1,756 1,330 160,024 354,361 218,158 173,077 335,854 181,386
Northeast ..................... 271 317 202 46,902 61,910 35,433 47,396 63,174 27,413
New England ............... 34 73 37 8,696 15,478 4,655 5,815 11,882 4,034
Middle Atlantic ........... 237 244 165 38,206 46,432 30,778 41,581 51,292 23,379
South ......................... 182 358 274 27,005 62,931 51,183 27,375 59,526 39,819
South Atlantic ............ 108 192 151 15,451 35,723 29,575 15,312 33,378 22,257
East South Central ........ 35 73 72 5,493 10,748 10,086 4,636 10,633 8,944
West South Central ........ 39 93 51 6,061 16,460 11,522 7,427 15,515 8,618
Midwest ....................... 191 455 308 32,557 92,768 53,265 37,620 104,496 48,041
East North Central ........ 152 355 247 26,161 75,631 44,284 32,640 88,769 39,410
West North Central ........ 39 100 61 6,396 17,137 8,981 4,980 15,727 8,631
West .......................... 374 626 546 53,560 136,752 78,277 60,686 108,658 66,113
Mountain .................. 26 94 59 6,237 30,318 8,198 5,264 12,413 6,677
Pacific ................... 348 532 487 47,323 106,434 70,079 55,422 96,245 59,436
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
III II III III II III III II III
2007r 2008r 2008p 2007r 2008r 2008p 2007r 2008r 2008p
Total, private nonfarm (1) . 1,018 1,756 1,330 160,024 354,361 218,158 173,077 335,854 181,386
Alabama ........................ 8 21 9 1,714 3,191 2,542 1,411 3,694 2,461
Alaska ......................... (2) 6 3 (2) 3,707 3,460 (2) 1,207 241
Arizona ........................ 8 20 9 2,014 3,484 955 1,578 2,741 860
Arkansas ....................... 7 11 (2) 1,084 1,366 (2) 1,109 1,263 (2)
California ..................... 316 464 446 41,235 88,740 61,375 50,591 81,944 52,748
Colorado ....................... (2) 12 7 (2) 14,369 1,229 (2) 1,576 525
Connecticut .................... (2) 22 11 (2) 5,254 1,516 (2) 3,877 1,026
Delaware ....................... - (2) - - (2) - - (2) -
District of Columbia ........... (2) 4 - (2) 566 - (2) 566 -
Florida ........................ 50 113 97 8,199 21,648 20,261 5,986 20,439 13,744
Georgia ........................ 21 14 20 2,285 1,384 3,228 4,594 1,612 2,437
Hawaii ......................... 3 9 6 503 4,333 504 344 2,522 867
Idaho .......................... 3 20 6 1,280 2,219 669 1,200 2,135 623
Illinois ....................... 70 110 97 13,488 26,735 17,552 12,865 26,194 12,094
Indiana ........................ 14 52 47 2,211 9,504 8,824 3,372 13,384 8,699
Iowa ........................... 4 14 8 491 1,702 1,071 614 2,280 2,904
Kansas ......................... 3 15 8 333 2,086 700 476 1,577 586
Kentucky ....................... 13 20 18 1,975 2,320 2,332 1,433 1,979 1,775
Louisiana ...................... 4 26 15 813 4,022 3,027 738 3,300 2,662
Maine .......................... 4 5 (2) 341 1,953 (2) 310 788 (2)
Maryland ....................... 12 10 (2) 1,378 1,444 (2) 1,395 1,404 (2)
Massachusetts .................. 22 25 21 7,348 5,123 2,550 4,697 4,315 2,499
Michigan ....................... 29 75 41 5,166 13,357 5,664 8,039 27,887 6,170
Minnesota ...................... 8 22 11 1,163 3,399 2,184 1,159 2,803 1,493
Mississippi .................... 5 12 14 796 1,296 2,302 588 1,548 1,556
Missouri ....................... 21 43 31 4,174 8,992 4,508 2,526 8,252 3,409
Montana ........................ - 9 4 - 671 292 - 683 250
Nebraska ....................... (2) 5 (2) (2) 750 (2) (2) 715 (2)
Nevada ......................... (2) 15 22 (2) 3,359 3,324 (2) 2,550 2,904
New Hampshire .................. (2) 7 (2) (2) 1,172 (2) (2) 897 (2)
New Jersey ..................... 30 77 43 6,927 21,327 7,480 4,234 17,427 4,139
New Mexico ..................... 6 8 8 1,156 853 1,203 1,156 853 1,189
New York ....................... 135 70 62 24,583 14,492 14,310 23,233 12,901 9,848
North Carolina ................. 6 10 14 761 4,384 1,373 1,049 2,697 1,638
North Dakota ................... - - (2) - - (2) - - (2)
Ohio ........................... 28 83 49 3,882 20,134 10,121 5,577 15,110 9,299
Oklahoma ....................... 4 5 5 413 1,134 2,224 363 786 846
Oregon ......................... 12 27 19 1,813 6,541 3,317 1,695 6,775 4,179
Pennsylvania ................... 72 97 60 6,696 10,613 8,988 14,114 20,964 9,392
Rhode Island ................... 4 9 (2) 464 1,239 (2) 411 1,274 (2)
South Carolina ................. 6 16 11 1,493 3,077 3,571 1,134 3,678 3,440
South Dakota ................... (2) (2) - (2) (2) - (2) (2) -
Tennessee ...................... 9 20 31 1,008 3,941 2,910 1,204 3,412 3,152
Texas .......................... 24 51 30 3,751 9,938 6,198 5,217 10,166 5,037
Utah ........................... 5 9 (2) 604 4,563 (2) 570 1,801 (2)
Vermont ........................ (2) 5 (2) (2) 737 (2) (2) 731 (2)
Virginia ....................... 10 14 7 963 1,997 956 887 1,860 858
Washington ..................... 15 26 13 1,387 3,113 1,423 1,979 3,797 1,401
West Virginia .................. (2) 7 (2) (2) 894 (2) (2) 763 (2)
Wisconsin ...................... 11 35 13 1,414 5,901 2,123 2,787 6,194 3,148
Wyoming ........................ - (2) (2) - (2) (2) - (2) (2)
Puerto Rico .................... 11 13 8 938 1,310 657 2,647 3,468 1,568
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) . 1,340 229,858 19 3,040 9 987 3 330 3 329
Second quarter(r) 1,756 354,361 25 4,018 7 969 (6) (6) 16 2,545
Third quarter(p) 1,330 218,158 33 5,818 19 2,835 6 1,331 8 924
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; computer and software
merchant wholesalers; computer and software stores; 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
III II III III II III
2007 2008r 2008p 2007r 2008r 2008p
Total, private nonfarm (1) ................ 63 71 82 12,367 12,315 14,613
Mining ...................................... - - - - - -
Utilities ................................... - - - - - -
Construction ................................ - (2) - - (2) -
Manufacturing ............................... 45 49 55 8,955 7,697 10,983
Food ................................... (2) 5 4 (2) 1,025 1,302
Beverage and tobacco products .......... (2) - - (2) - -
Textile mills .......................... 5 - 3 1,505 - 314
Textile product mills (3) .............. (2) (2) - (2) (2) -
Apparel (3) ............................ 5 3 (2) 660 599 (2)
Leather and allied products ............ - - (2) - - (2)
Wood products .......................... - - - - - -
Paper .................................. - 3 3 - 256 391
Printing and related support activities (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2)
Petroleum and coal products ............ - - - - - -
Chemicals .............................. - (2) (2) - (2) (2)
Plastics and rubber products (3) ....... 5 (2) 3 595 (2) 292
Nonmetallic mineral products ........... (2) (2) - (2) (2) -
Primary metals ......................... (2) (2) - (2) (2) -
Fabricated metal products .............. 3 3 (2) 462 338 (2)
Machinery (3) .......................... 3 4 4 565 539 776
Computer and electronic products ....... 3 4 9 1,924 408 1,527
Electrical equipment and appliances .... (2) 5 6 (2) 1,432 1,282
Transportation equipment (3) ........... 6 9 12 1,065 1,125 3,268
Furniture and related products (3) ..... (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2)
Miscellaneous manufacturing (3) ........ 3 (2) (2) 188 (2) (2)
Wholesale trade ............................. 5 4 (2) 678 578 (2)
Retail trade ................................ (2) 5 (2) (2) 454 (2)
Transportation and warehousing .............. (2) 3 4 (2) 1,589 684
Information ................................. - (2) 4 - (2) 557
Finance and insurance (3) ................... 7 (2) 8 1,612 (2) 938
Real estate and rental and leasing (3) ...... - - - - - -
Professional and technical services (3) ..... (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2)
Management of companies and enterprises ..... - - - - - -
Administrative and waste services (3) ....... - 5 3 - 1,206 479
Educational services ........................ - - - - - -
Health care and social assistance ........... - - 3 - - 431
Arts, entertainment, and recreation ......... - - (2) - - (2)
Accommodation and food services ............. - - - - - -
Other services, except public administration (2) - - (2) - -
Unclassified ................................ - - - - - -
1 See footnote 1, table 1.
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 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 III II III III II III
2007 2008r 2008p 2007r 2008r 2008p
Total, private nonfarm (1) .... 63 71 82 12,367 12,315 14,613
Business demand .................. 17 19 (2) 3,303 4,560 (2)
Contract cancellation .......... (2) - (2) (2) - (2)
Contract completion ............ (2) - - (2) - -
Domestic competition ........... - (2) - - (2) -
Excess inventory/saturated
market ....................... (2) (2) - (2) (2) -
Import competition ............. 10 (2) (2) 2,269 (2) (2)
Slack work/insufficient demand/
non-seasonal business slowdown (2) 9 12 (2) 2,810 3,134
Organizational changes ........... 23 34 46 4,729 5,154 8,276
Business-ownership change ...... 4 3 6 903 634 1,628
Reorganization or restructuring
of company ................... 19 31 40 3,826 4,520 6,648
Financial issues ................. 18 12 18 3,763 1,689 2,509
Bankruptcy ..................... - - - - - -
Cost control/cost cutting/
increase profitability ....... (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2)
Financial difficulty ........... (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2)
Production specific .............. (2) (2) - (2) (2) -
Automation/technological
advances ..................... (2) - - (2) - -
Energy related ................. - - - - - -
Governmental regulations/
intervention ................. - - - - - -
Labor dispute/contract
negotiations/strike .......... - - - - - -
Material or supply shortage .... - - - - - -
Model changeover ............... - - - - - -
Plant or machine repair/
maintenance .................. - - - - - -
Product line discontinued ...... - (2) - - (2) -
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) (2) (2)
Other .......................... (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2)
Data not provided: refusal ..... - (2) - - (2) -
Data not provided: does not
know ......................... (2) - - (2) - -
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
III II III III II III
2007 2008r 2008p 2007r 2008r 2008p
United States (1) . 63 71 82 12,367 12,315 14,613
Northeast ................. 9 15 14 1,400 1,839 2,236
New England ........... 3 (2) (2) 514 (2) (2)
Middle Atlantic ....... 6 (2) (2) 886 (2) (2)
South ..................... 29 20 11 5,298 3,404 1,968
South Atlantic ........ 14 12 4 2,321 1,899 544
East South Central .... (2) 5 3 (2) 734 362
West South Central .... (2) 3 4 (2) 771 1,062
Midwest ................... 15 22 42 2,706 3,569 8,177
East North Central .... 8 17 32 1,355 2,959 6,179
West North Central .... 7 5 10 1,351 610 1,998
West ...................... 10 14 15 2,963 3,503 2,232
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
III II III III II III
2007r 2008r 2008p 2007r 2008r 2008p
Total, private nonfarm(1) .......... 1,018 1,756 1,330 160,024 354,361 218,158
Total, excluding seasonal
and vacation events(2) ....... 800 1,105 1,132 119,663 198,053 179,416
Total, movement of work(3) . 63 71 82 12,367 12,315 14,613
Movement of work
actions ............. 87 100 104 (4) (4) (4)
With separations
reported ....... 60 78 76 7,159 7,346 9,265
With separations
unknown ........ 27 22 28 (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
III II III III II III
2007 2008r 2008p 2007 2008r 2008p
With separations reported(2) .. 60 78 76 7,159 7,346 9,265
By location
Out-of-country relocations .. 21 25 19 3,187 3,159 2,211
Within company .......... 11 23 17 1,504 2,935 2,034
Different company ....... 10 2 2 1,683 224 177
Domestic relocations ........ 38 52 57 3,793 3,912 7,054
Within company .......... 34 47 48 3,396 3,694 6,257
Different company ....... 4 5 9 397 218 797
Unable to assign place of
relocation ................ 1 1 - 179 275 -
By company
Within company .............. 46 70 65 5,079 6,629 8,291
Domestic ................ 34 47 48 3,396 3,694 6,257
Out of country .......... 11 23 17 1,504 2,935 2,034
Unable to assign ........ 1 - - 179 - -
Different company ........... 14 8 11 2,080 717 974
Domestic ................ 4 5 9 397 218 797
Out of country .......... 10 2 2 1,683 224 177
Unable to assign ........ - 1 - - 275 -
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
