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For release 10:00 a.m. (EDT) Friday, June 21, 2013 USDL-13-1179 Technical information: (202) 691-6392 * mlsinfo@bls.gov * www.bls.gov/mls Media contact: (202) 691-5902 * PressOffice@bls.gov MASS LAYOFFS -- MAY 2013 Employers took 1,301 mass layoff actions in May involving 127,821 workers as measured by new filings for unemployment insurance benefits during the month, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (Data are seasonally adjusted.) Each mass layoff involved at least 50 workers from a single employer. Mass layoff events increased by 102 from April, and the number of associated initial claims increased by 10,972. In May, 276 mass layoff events occurred in the manufacturing sector resulting in 33,527 initial claims. Monthly mass layoff events are identified using administrative data sources without regard to layoff duration. (See table 1 and the note at the end of this release.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | | Mass Layoffs Data Discontinued | | | | On March 1, 2013, President Obama ordered into effect the across-the- | | board spending cuts (commonly referred to as sequestration) required | | by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, as amended. | | Under the order, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) must cut its | | current budget by more than $30 million, 5 percent of the current 2013 | | appropriation, by September 30, 2013. In order to help achieve these | | savings and protect core programs, the BLS will eliminate two | | programs, including Mass Layoff Statistics, and all "measuring green | | jobs" products. This news release is the final publication of monthly | | mass layoff survey data. | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The national unemployment rate was 7.6 percent in May, essentially unchanged from the prior month and down from 8.2 percent a year earlier. Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 175,000 over the month, and increased by 2,115,000 over the year. Industry Distribution (Not Seasonally Adjusted) The number of mass layoff events in May was 1,383, not seasonally adjusted, resulting in 134,483 initial claims for unemployment insurance. (See table 2.) Over the year, the number of average weekly mass layoff events for May decreased by 23 to 277, and associated average weekly initial claims decreased by 418 to 26,897. Ten of the 19 major industry sectors in the private economy reported over-the-year decreases in average weekly initial claims, with the largest decrease occurring in retail trade and information. (See table 3.) Temporary help services was the six-digit industry with the largest number of private nonfarm initial claims due to mass layoffs in May. (See table A.) Table A. Six-digit NAICS industries with the largest number of mass layoff initial claims in May 2013, private nonfarm, not seasonally adjusted Industry May peak Initial claims Year Initial claims Temporary help services (1) ............... 11,779 2002 16,992 Food service contractors .................. 10,421 2009 11,216 Child day care services ................... 10,327 2013 10,327 Construction machinery manufacturing ...... 4,084 2013 4,084 School and employee bus transportation .... 2,783 2008 6,323 Other individual and family services ...... 2,427 2013 2,427 Motion picture and video production ....... 2,222 1999 8,985 Professional employer organizations (1) ... 2,189 2009 5,898 Discount department stores ................ 1,880 2002 3,981 Supermarkets and other grocery stores ..... 1,851 1996 4,492 1 See the Technical Note for more information on these industries. The manufacturing sector accounted for 18 percent of mass layoff events and 21 percent of the associated initial claims in the private economy in May. Within manufacturing, the numbers of mass layoff claimants were highest in machinery and in food. Eleven of the 21 manufacturing subsectors experienced over-the-year decreases in average weekly initial claims. (See table 3.) Geographic Distribution (Not Seasonally Adjusted) Among the census regions, the South had the largest number of initial claims due to mass layoffs in May. Three of the 4 regions experienced over-the-year increases in average weekly initial claims, with the largest increase occurring in the South. (See table 4.) Among the states, California had the highest number of mass layoff initial claims in May, followed by Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Texas. Twenty-eight states and the District of Columbia experienced over-the-year decreases in average weekly initial claims, led by Missouri and New York. (See table 4.) Note The monthly data series in this release cover mass layoffs of 50 or more workers beginning in a given month, regardless of the duration of the layoffs. The monthly data series in this release are subjected to average weekly analysis, which mitigates the effect of differing lengths of months. See the Technical Note for more detailed definitions and for a description of average weekly analysis.