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Total layoffs and discharges number 1.5 million in September 2016, a series low

November 14, 2016

In September 2016, the number of nonfarm layoffs and discharges totaled 1.5 million, the fewest since the series began in December 2000. The information industry had 15,000 layoffs and discharges, the lowest since November 2007. The education and health services industry had 118,000 layoffs and discharges, the fewest since July 2007. The leisure and hospitality industry had 215,000 layoffs in September 2016, the fewest since November 2013.

Nonfarm layoffs and discharges by industry, September 2006 to September 2016, seasonally adjusted
Month Total nonfarm Mining and logging Construction Manufacturing Trade, transportation, and utilities Information Financial activities Professional and business services Education and health services Leisure and hospitality Other services Government

Sep 2006

1,706,000 11,000 200,000 173,000 325,000 20,000 65,000 397,000 127,000 227,000 58,000 103,000

Oct 2006

1,830,000 5,000 223,000 140,000 329,000 27,000 70,000 414,000 144,000 262,000 105,000 110,000

Nov 2006

1,870,000 6,000 288,000 147,000 312,000 25,000 73,000 398,000 124,000 318,000 74,000 106,000

Dec 2006

1,725,000 7,000 246,000 151,000 312,000 25,000 95,000 351,000 126,000 246,000 70,000 96,000

Jan 2007

1,746,000 10,000 226,000 144,000 361,000 28,000 65,000 348,000 148,000 259,000 57,000 99,000

Feb 2007

1,750,000 7,000 246,000 168,000 297,000 29,000 83,000 374,000 142,000 267,000 35,000 102,000

Mar 2007

1,788,000 6,000 188,000 160,000 328,000 22,000 99,000 436,000 151,000 246,000 66,000 86,000

Apr 2007

1,879,000 6,000 241,000 148,000 354,000 22,000 73,000 394,000 143,000 278,000 119,000 103,000

May 2007

1,755,000 6,000 221,000 151,000 340,000 28,000 86,000 340,000 152,000 284,000 41,000 106,000

Jun 2007

1,851,000 4,000 270,000 154,000 306,000 24,000 84,000 349,000 173,000 304,000 74,000 109,000

Jul 2007

1,759,000 7,000 193,000 176,000 381,000 31,000 96,000 345,000 108,000 206,000 65,000 151,000

Aug 2007

1,811,000 9,000 247,000 159,000 372,000 31,000 87,000 361,000 148,000 226,000 62,000 109,000

Sep 2007

2,079,000 7,000 263,000 179,000 383,000 23,000 103,000 428,000 170,000 348,000 78,000 98,000

Oct 2007

1,917,000 8,000 242,000 186,000 401,000 17,000 89,000 432,000 154,000 234,000 55,000 100,000

Nov 2007

1,919,000 11,000 235,000 181,000 421,000 15,000 80,000 429,000 176,000 203,000 80,000 88,000

Dec 2007

1,770,000 10,000 232,000 143,000 316,000 17,000 105,000 406,000 121,000 244,000 67,000 111,000

Jan 2008

1,843,000 12,000 250,000 140,000 365,000 21,000 85,000 417,000 167,000 235,000 58,000 93,000

Feb 2008

1,908,000 11,000 232,000 150,000 365,000 21,000 76,000 382,000 176,000 342,000 70,000 83,000

Mar 2008

1,835,000 6,000 283,000 140,000 326,000 35,000 78,000 390,000 169,000 232,000 75,000 101,000

Apr 2008

1,845,000 10,000 261,000 179,000 372,000 23,000 91,000 386,000 140,000 231,000 57,000 93,000

May 2008

1,842,000 5,000 250,000 166,000 352,000 20,000 77,000 299,000 203,000 270,000 110,000 92,000

Jun 2008

1,974,000 5,000 279,000 195,000 409,000 33,000 92,000 436,000 157,000 217,000 55,000 95,000

Jul 2008

1,894,000 9,000 246,000 162,000 410,000 19,000 103,000 388,000 160,000 225,000 89,000 82,000

Aug 2008

2,075,000 5,000 267,000 167,000 422,000 21,000 105,000 451,000 173,000 279,000 91,000 94,000

Sep 2008

1,963,000 6,000 281,000 196,000 387,000 43,000 89,000 395,000 149,000 266,000 60,000 91,000

Oct 2008

2,138,000 11,000 322,000 211,000 440,000 40,000 68,000 421,000 177,000 264,000 79,000 105,000

Nov 2008

2,190,000 15,000 355,000 224,000 404,000 42,000 88,000 483,000 153,000 258,000 63,000 104,000

Dec 2008

2,405,000 18,000 316,000 304,000 466,000 36,000 89,000 509,000 192,000 279,000 96,000 101,000

Jan 2009

2,573,000 18,000 378,000 344,000 440,000 33,000 141,000 493,000 184,000 271,000 128,000 143,000

Feb 2009

2,501,000 16,000 340,000 304,000 452,000 37,000 143,000 533,000 190,000 282,000 76,000 129,000

Mar 2009

2,433,000 23,000 358,000 307,000 463,000 37,000 117,000 445,000 172,000 296,000 112,000 104,000

Apr 2009

2,559,000 15,000 402,000 286,000 515,000 49,000 105,000 489,000 201,000 292,000 86,000 119,000

May 2009

2,121,000 13,000 316,000 270,000 402,000 29,000 104,000 349,000 135,000 248,000 89,000 165,000

Jun 2009

2,115,000 11,000 281,000 228,000 343,000 30,000 114,000 395,000 169,000 267,000 110,000 168,000

Jul 2009

2,273,000 16,000 351,000 202,000 372,000 30,000 114,000 444,000 219,000 274,000 120,000 132,000

Aug 2009

2,063,000 8,000 284,000 180,000 352,000 23,000 110,000 406,000 207,000 293,000 88,000 113,000

Sep 2009

2,127,000 12,000 307,000 180,000 463,000 18,000 83,000 379,000 179,000 259,000 96,000 150,000

Oct 2009

1,964,000 15,000 307,000 188,000 348,000 25,000 93,000 377,000 173,000 267,000 78,000 94,000

Nov 2009

1,823,000 12,000 226,000 173,000 338,000 27,000 54,000 390,000 171,000 261,000 61,000 111,000

Dec 2009

1,994,000 19,000 256,000 160,000 414,000 38,000 83,000 376,000 165,000 268,000 91,000 122,000

Jan 2010

1,874,000 12,000 276,000 179,000 336,000 30,000 73,000 366,000 158,000 240,000 80,000 125,000

Feb 2010

1,790,000 8,000 250,000 149,000 292,000 23,000 65,000 369,000 182,000 216,000 125,000 111,000

Mar 2010

1,830,000 7,000 241,000 148,000 377,000 23,000 66,000 384,000 162,000 239,000 68,000 116,000

Apr 2010

1,676,000 7,000 283,000 133,000 288,000 19,000 64,000 324,000 158,000 224,000 53,000 123,000

May 2010

1,733,000 8,000 284,000 109,000 264,000 29,000 76,000 362,000 155,000 227,000 71,000 148,000

Jun 2010

1,959,000 4,000 223,000 124,000 327,000 25,000 50,000 329,000 185,000 274,000 70,000 348,000

Jul 2010

2,081,000 6,000 267,000 142,000 327,000 24,000 70,000 424,000 219,000 281,000 59,000 262,000

Aug 2010

1,748,000 6,000 236,000 136,000 272,000 26,000 49,000 317,000 166,000 213,000 89,000 237,000

Sep 2010

1,768,000 7,000 241,000 136,000 292,000 21,000 56,000 342,000 213,000 213,000 51,000 197,000

Oct 2010

1,645,000 7,000 236,000 140,000 301,000 21,000 76,000 312,000 139,000 235,000 76,000 101,000

Nov 2010

1,753,000 9,000 251,000 139,000 293,000 23,000 67,000 340,000 174,000 236,000 77,000 143,000

Dec 2010

1,776,000 14,000 292,000 124,000 301,000 28,000 67,000 415,000 176,000 187,000 46,000 126,000

Jan 2011

1,710,000 11,000 238,000 120,000 335,000 21,000 72,000 365,000 141,000 234,000 77,000 94,000

Feb 2011

1,652,000 4,000 251,000 121,000 281,000 20,000 61,000 345,000 160,000 218,000 91,000 101,000

Mar 2011

1,709,000 3,000 255,000 126,000 278,000 36,000 44,000 384,000 139,000 269,000 67,000 108,000

Apr 2011

1,676,000 8,000 262,000 111,000 243,000 19,000 41,000 419,000 125,000 213,000 97,000 138,000

May 2011

1,692,000 6,000 250,000 119,000 236,000 23,000 39,000 408,000 146,000 271,000 83,000 110,000

Jun 2011

1,826,000 6,000 300,000 113,000 276,000 21,000 66,000 405,000 200,000 251,000 83,000 106,000

Jul 2011

1,749,000 6,000 248,000 110,000 284,000 26,000 48,000 392,000 161,000 262,000 95,000 118,000

Aug 2011

1,715,000 7,000 266,000 116,000 269,000 20,000 50,000 387,000 165,000 240,000 71,000 122,000

Sep 2011

1,756,000 7,000 246,000 110,000 285,000 20,000 71,000 393,000 137,000 271,000 100,000 115,000

Oct 2011

1,707,000 5,000 220,000 91,000 265,000 23,000 49,000 418,000 158,000 270,000 112,000 94,000

Nov 2011

1,757,000 8,000 186,000 100,000 283,000 25,000 65,000 391,000 188,000 306,000 91,000 111,000

Dec 2011

1,740,000 12,000 205,000 103,000 311,000 23,000 49,000 414,000 150,000 268,000 90,000 115,000

Jan 2012

1,711,000 17,000 228,000 103,000 308,000 21,000 39,000 324,000 189,000 309,000 82,000 92,000

Feb 2012

1,777,000 12,000 252,000 106,000 261,000 26,000 48,000 472,000 133,000 280,000 77,000 110,000

Mar 2012

1,654,000 12,000 195,000 100,000 273,000 23,000 54,000 419,000 151,000 261,000 73,000 93,000

Apr 2012

1,840,000 11,000 229,000 106,000 290,000 25,000 55,000 412,000 175,000 277,000 139,000 121,000

May 2012

1,829,000 12,000 264,000 110,000 289,000 22,000 56,000 444,000 176,000 260,000 94,000 104,000

Jun 2012

1,819,000 9,000 253,000 132,000 293,000 18,000 51,000 463,000 220,000 224,000 55,000 101,000

Jul 2012

1,663,000 6,000 258,000 101,000 269,000 18,000 51,000 422,000 156,000 231,000 50,000 102,000

Aug 2012

1,825,000 10,000 242,000 100,000 344,000 31,000 56,000 450,000 153,000 269,000 61,000 108,000

Sep 2012

1,750,000 9,000 266,000 95,000 310,000 18,000 42,000 437,000 139,000 244,000 100,000 90,000

Oct 2012

1,779,000 12,000 183,000 115,000 306,000 19,000 56,000 436,000 188,000 263,000 99,000 103,000

Nov 2012

1,773,000 10,000 276,000 102,000 242,000 20,000 78,000 442,000 141,000 256,000 109,000 95,000

Dec 2012

1,615,000 20,000 171,000 91,000 360,000 18,000 51,000 350,000 155,000 238,000 75,000 87,000

Jan 2013

1,614,000 18,000 184,000 103,000 287,000 20,000 59,000 429,000 153,000 224,000 49,000 89,000

Feb 2013

1,599,000 12,000 208,000 102,000 277,000 21,000 59,000 358,000 185,000 223,000 51,000 102,000

Mar 2013

1,711,000 7,000 241,000 96,000 292,000 12,000 52,000 379,000 152,000 257,000 113,000 111,000

Apr 2013

1,717,000 12,000 196,000 101,000 284,000 27,000 43,000 402,000 167,000 286,000 107,000 92,000

May 2013

1,733,000 8,000 191,000 117,000 323,000 25,000 59,000 396,000 177,000 241,000 92,000 102,000

Jun 2013

1,637,000 7,000 199,000 97,000 261,000 39,000 49,000 391,000 157,000 262,000 83,000 92,000

Jul 2013

1,642,000 10,000 186,000 103,000 327,000 25,000 63,000 358,000 153,000 253,000 74,000 90,000

Aug 2013

1,716,000 9,000 172,000 113,000 278,000 39,000 58,000 471,000 170,000 258,000 59,000 88,000

Sep 2013

1,760,000 11,000 179,000 98,000 287,000 34,000 103,000 405,000 164,000 310,000 64,000 107,000

Oct 2013

1,539,000 17,000 200,000 83,000 295,000 18,000 61,000 338,000 148,000 214,000 55,000 111,000

Nov 2013

1,531,000 9,000 189,000 78,000 307,000 20,000 58,000 359,000 164,000 200,000 60,000 87,000

Dec 2013

1,715,000 19,000 188,000 96,000 339,000 27,000 62,000 372,000 157,000 274,000 80,000 100,000

Jan 2014

1,751,000 13,000 138,000 106,000 360,000 23,000 62,000 376,000 225,000 284,000 67,000 97,000

Feb 2014

1,672,000 11,000 144,000 82,000 313,000 24,000 54,000 430,000 158,000 289,000 76,000 90,000

Mar 2014

1,641,000 13,000 137,000 87,000 296,000 36,000 66,000 405,000 207,000 240,000 52,000 102,000

Apr 2014

1,677,000 9,000 137,000 108,000 342,000 28,000 59,000 412,000 196,000 259,000 40,000 87,000

May 2014

1,650,000 12,000 159,000 92,000 310,000 23,000 62,000 411,000 141,000 294,000 61,000 85,000

Jun 2014

1,697,000 9,000 139,000 105,000 312,000 23,000 56,000 446,000 161,000 284,000 66,000 95,000

Jul 2014

1,809,000 7,000 223,000 84,000 350,000 37,000 47,000 445,000 146,000 310,000 85,000 75,000

Aug 2014

1,673,000 9,000 156,000 90,000 326,000 21,000 69,000 481,000 146,000 231,000 62,000 80,000

Sep 2014

1,643,000 12,000 146,000 105,000 304,000 26,000 38,000 439,000 175,000 260,000 55,000 83,000

Oct 2014

1,760,000 12,000 166,000 99,000 346,000 25,000 44,000 489,000 171,000 259,000 63,000 86,000

Nov 2014

1,666,000 15,000 196,000 103,000 310,000 21,000 51,000 415,000 136,000 244,000 77,000 99,000

Dec 2014

1,749,000 20,000 204,000 104,000 304,000 23,000 61,000 438,000 157,000 272,000 62,000 104,000

Jan 2015

1,756,000 30,000 197,000 90,000 375,000 27,000 54,000 402,000 133,000 262,000 76,000 110,000

Feb 2015

1,683,000 27,000 175,000 107,000 281,000 23,000 42,000 429,000 135,000 283,000 75,000 108,000

Mar 2015

1,907,000 31,000 200,000 108,000 354,000 23,000 61,000 495,000 143,000 297,000 88,000 106,000

Apr 2015

1,798,000 25,000 161,000 96,000 314,000 21,000 68,000 435,000 127,000 378,000 62,000 112,000

May 2015

1,702,000 15,000 148,000 91,000 321,000 25,000 53,000 431,000 150,000 298,000 63,000 107,000

Jun 2015

1,783,000 9,000 222,000 105,000 351,000 28,000 65,000 403,000 137,000 264,000 91,000 107,000

Jul 2015

1,664,000 16,000 144,000 103,000 354,000 24,000 60,000 425,000 133,000 217,000 75,000 113,000

Aug 2015

1,693,000 16,000 187,000 111,000 322,000 25,000 64,000 336,000 140,000 307,000 80,000 105,000

Sep 2015

1,842,000 15,000 175,000 108,000 301,000 26,000 73,000 471,000 152,000 303,000 112,000 106,000

Oct 2015

1,721,000 18,000 177,000 102,000 273,000 29,000 46,000 409,000 146,000 314,000 79,000 129,000

Nov 2015

1,718,000 12,000 157,000 101,000 302,000 31,000 58,000 441,000 156,000 280,000 59,000 119,000

Dec 2015

1,672,000 26,000 138,000 104,000 266,000 19,000 62,000 414,000 149,000 298,000 72,000 123,000

Jan 2016

1,704,000 21,000 182,000 97,000 312,000 25,000 57,000 442,000 152,000 237,000 56,000 122,000

Feb 2016

1,808,000 27,000 202,000 121,000 320,000 21,000 64,000 427,000 145,000 295,000 66,000 121,000

Mar 2016

1,768,000 21,000 165,000 116,000 287,000 22,000 65,000 438,000 145,000 295,000 97,000 118,000

Apr 2016

1,708,000 20,000 217,000 115,000 283,000 29,000 53,000 384,000 151,000 266,000 67,000 122,000

May 2016

1,701,000 10,000 204,000 131,000 301,000 30,000 53,000 368,000 157,000 261,000 80,000 107,000

Jun 2016

1,622,000 11,000 168,000 106,000 311,000 24,000 51,000 340,000 167,000 281,000 71,000 93,000

Jul 2016

1,639,000 8,000 146,000 95,000 331,000 30,000 47,000 413,000 140,000 278,000 54,000 97,000

Aug 2016

1,692,000 13,000 171,000 110,000 276,000 24,000 51,000 358,000 179,000 317,000 58,000 134,000

Sep 2016(p)

1,474,000 8,000 158,000 98,000 280,000 15,000 54,000 348,000 118,000 215,000 75,000 103,000
Footnotes:

(p) = preliminary.

Among major industries in September 2016, the mining and logging industry experienced the fewest layoffs and discharges with 8,000. The professional and business services industry had the highest number of layoffs and discharges with 348,000, followed by trade, transportation, and utilities with 280,000. 

These data are from the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey and are seasonally adjusted. Data for the most recent month are preliminary. To learn more, see "Job Openings and Labor Turnover — September 2016" (HTML) (PDF). We also have more charts featuring data on job openings, hires, and separations. Layoffs and discharges are involuntary separations initiated by employers.

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Total layoffs and discharges number 1.5 million in September 2016, a series low at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2016/total-layoffs-and-discharges-number-1-point-5-million-in-september-2016-a-series-low.htm (visited March 29, 2024).

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