Mass layoffs by industry, February 2006

The manufacturing sector—with 24,892 initial claims for unemployment insurance due to mass layoffs (not seasonally adjusted)—accounted for 37 percent of all initial claims filed in February 2006. A year earlier, manufacturing comprised 33 percent of initial claims.

[Chart data—TXT]

In February 2006, the number of manufacturing claimants was highest in transportation equipment manufacturing (mostly automotive-related), followed by food processing.

Administrative and waste services accounted for 8,492 initial claims filed in February 2006, with layoffs mainly in temporary help services.

During the month, 6,781 initial claims were from retail trade, primarily in general merchandise stores.

Construction accounted for 5,997 initial claims in February, mostly in specialty trade contractors.

These data are from the Mass Layoff Statistics program. To learn more, see Mass Layoffs in February 2006 (PDF) (TXT), news release 06-512. Mass layoffs data for February 2006 are preliminary and subject to revision.