Mass layoff events and initial claims decrease in July

Employers took 2,157 mass layoff actions in July that resulted in the separation of 206,791 workers, seasonally adjusted, as measured by new filings for unemployment insurance benefits during the month.

[Chart data—TXT]

The number of mass layoff events in July decreased by 606 from the prior month, and the number of associated initial claims decreased by 72,440.

Over the year, the number of mass layoff events increased by 622, and associated initial claims increased by 54,292.

During the 20 months from December 2007 through July 2009, the total number of mass layoff events was 41,979, and the number of initial claims filed in those events was 4,297,329 (data seasonally adjusted).

These data are from the Mass Layoff Statistics program. Data are seasonally adjusted. December 2007 was the start of a recession as designated by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Each mass layoff action involved at least 50 persons from a single employer. To learn more, see "Mass Layoffs in July 2009" (HTML) (PDF), news release USDL 09-0980.