Technical information:  (202) 691-6392        USDL 05-873
http://www.bls.gov/mls/

                                              For release: 10:00 A.M. EDT
Media contact:               691-5902         Thursday, May 19, 2005
                                     
                                     
                                     
            EXTENDED MASS LAYOFFS IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2005
  
   In the first quarter of 2005, 989 mass layoff actions were taken by
employers that resulted in the separation of 156,252 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.  Both the total
number of layoff events and the number of separations were sharply lower
than in January-March 2004, with events and separations at their lowest
levels for any first quarter since the program began in April 1995.  (See
table A.)  The declines over the year were most notable in food and beve-
rage stores, general merchandise stores, and administrative and support
services.  Extended mass layoffs that involve the movement of work within
the same company or to a different company, domestically or outside the
U.S., occurred in about 10 percent of the nonseasonal layoff events and
accounted for about 13 percent of the worker separations in nonseasonal
events.  (See table B.)  Forty-three percent of the employers anticipating
a recall expected to extend the offer to all laid-off workers, the highest
proportion for a first quarter since 1999.
 
   The completion of seasonal work accounted for 34 percent of all events
and resulted in 50,804 separations during the period--the highest share of
separations for any first quarter since the program began.  Layoffs due to
internal company restructuring (bankruptcy, business ownership change, finan-
cial difficulty, and reorganization) represented 22 percent of events and
resulted in 42,768 separations, the lowest level for any first quarter.
Permanent closure of worksites occurred in 14 percent of all events and
affected 25,716 workers, the fewest number of workers for any first quarter.
 
   In the first quarter of 2005 the national unemployment rate was 5.6 per-
cent, not seasonally adjusted; a year earlier it was 6.1 percent.  Private
nonfarm payroll employment, not seasonally adjusted, increased by 1.9 percent
or about 2 million jobs from January-March 2004 to January-March 2005.
 
Industry Distribution of Extended Layoffs
 
   Extended mass layoff separations occurred in 336 of the 1,105 detailed
industries for which data are available for the first quarter 2005.  This
is the fewest number of industries to have at least one extended mass lay-
off event in a first quarter.
 
   Manufacturing industries accounted for 30 percent of private nonfarm
layoff events and 28 percent of separations during January-March 2005.
(See table 1.)  The 44,229 worker separations in manufacturing were the
fewest for manufacturing for any first quarter.  In the first quarter of
2005, layoff activity in this sector was concentrated in food manufacturing
(9,689), followed by transportation equipment manufacturing (6,916).

                               - 2 -

Table A.  Selected measures of extended mass layoff activity
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Period          | Layoff events|  Separations | Initial claimants
-------------------------|--------------|--------------|-------------------
          2001           |              |              |
January-March............|     1,546    |    304,171   |      306,535
April-June...............|     1,828    |    430,499   |      358,611
July-September...........|     1,629    |    330,391   |      336,298
October-December.........|     2,372    |    459,771   |      456,068
          2002           |              |              |
January-March............|     1,611    |    299,266   |      292,998
April-June...............|     1,624    |    344,606   |      299,598
July-September...........|     1,186    |    255,152   |      254,955
October-December.........|     1,916    |    373,307   |      370,592
          2003           |              |              |
January-March............|     1,502    |    286,947   |      297,608
April-June...............|     1,799    |    368,273   |      348,966
July-September...........|     1,190    |    236,333   |      227,909
October-December.........|     1,690    |    325,333   |      326,328
          2004           |              |              |
January-March(r).........|     1,339    |    276,503   |      238,392
April-June(r)............|     1,358    |    278,568   |      253,787
July-September(r)........|       886    |    164,477   |      148,180
October-December(r)......|     1,427    |    273,963   |      262,006
         2005            |              |              |
January-March(p).........|       989    |    156,252   |      127,950
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
  r = revised.
  p = preliminary.

   The construction sector had 24 percent of events and 16 percent of separa-
tions, mostly in heavy and civil engineering construction and specialty trade
contractors.  Layoffs in the retail trade sector comprised 10 percent of events
and 16 percent of separations, mostly among general merchandise stores and non-
store retailers.  Administrative and waste services accounted for 11 percent of
private nonfarm layoff events and 13 percent of separations, primarily in tem-
porary help services.  Cutbacks in transportation and warehousing accounted for
4 percent of events and 7 percent of separations, mainly in couriers and mes-
sengers and in air transportation.
  
   Information technology-producing industries (communication equipment, com-
munications services, computer hardware, and software and computer services)
accounted for 4 percent of layoff events and 7,127 worker separations in the
first quarter of 2005, the fewest number of separations in the industry group-
ing for a first quarter since 1997.  (See table 6.)  A year earlier these in-
dustries accounted for 6 percent of layoff events and 11,305 separations.  Lay-
offs in the information technology-producing industries in the first quarter
of 2005 were most numerous in communications services with 3,494 separations,
followed by software and computer services.
  

                                  - 3 -

Table B.  Extended mass layoff events and separations, selected
measures, first quarter 2005p
----------------------------------------------------------------------             
                                  |                 |
               Action             |  Layoff events  |   Separations
                                  |                 |                       
----------------------------------|-----------------|-----------------                
                                  |                 |                               
 Total private nonfarm............|        989      |     156,252          
                                  |                 |  
   Total, excluding seasonal      |                 |             
     and vacation events(1).......|        651      |     105,323
                                  |                 |       
     Total events with move-      |                 |
      ment of work(2).............|         64      |      14,054
                                  |                 |
                                  |                 |
      Movement of work actions....|         82      |        (3)
       With separations reported..|         60      |       9,377
       With separations unknown...|         22      |        (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 not available.
   p = preliminary.

Reasons for Extended Layoff
  
   Layoffs due to the completion of seasonal work accounted for 34 percent
of the extended layoff events and resulted in 50,804 separations in the
first quarter, almost one-third of the total.  (See table 2.)  Seasonal
layoffs were most numerous among workers in nonstore retailers, in heavy
and civil engineering construction, and in food manufacturing.

   Internal company restructuring (due to bankruptcy, business ownership
change, financial difficulty, and reorganization) accounted for 22 percent
of layoff events and resulted in 42,768 separations.  These layoffs were
mostly among workers in air transportation, in credit intermediation and
related activities, and in telecommunications.  Over half of both the in-
ternal company restructuring layoff events and separations were due to
reorganization within the company.

Movement of Work

   Between January and March of 2005, 64 extended mass layoff events involved
the movement of work; this was about 10 percent of total extended mass layoff
events, excluding those for seasonal and vacation reasons.  (See table B.)
These movements of work were to other U.S. locations or to locations outside
of the U.S., and they occurred either within the same company or to other
companies.  The extended mass layoff events involving movement of work were
associated with the separation of 14,054 workers, about 13 percent of all
separations resulting from nonseasonal/nonvacation mass layoff events.  A
year earlier, there were 113 layoff events and 19,978 separations associated
with the movement of work.  (See table 10.)

   Among the 64 extended mass layoff events with reported relocation of work,
53 percent were permanent closures of worksites, which affected 7,387 workers.
In comparison, for the 989 total layoff events reported for the first quarter
of 2005, only 14 percent involved the permanent closure of worksites.

   Of the layoffs involving the movement of work, 63 percent of the events and
61 percent of the laid-off workers were from manufacturing industries during
the first quarter of 2005.  (See table 7.)  Among all private nonfarm extended
layoffs, manufacturing accounted for 30 percent of the events and 28 percent of
the separations.

                                  - 4 -

Table C.  Movement of work actions by type of separation where the
number of separations is known by employers, first quarter 2005p
--------------------------------------------------------------------
                          |                    |    
          Action          |  Layoff events (1) |    Separations
                          |                    |                
--------------------------------------------------------------------         
                          |                    |
With separations reported.|         60         |        9,377  
                          |                    |             
        By location       |                    |             
                          |                    |             
  Out of country..........|         19         |        3,592          
    Within company........|         15         |        3,134          
    Different company.....|          4         |          458        
                          |                    |             
  Domestic relocations....|         41         |        5,785          
    Within company .......|         34         |        4,870          
    Different company.....|          7         |          915        
                          |                    |             
        By company        |                    |             
                          |                    |             
  Within company..........|         49         |        8,004            
    Domestic..............|         34         |        4,870           
    Out of country........|         15         |        3,134    
                          |                    |             
  Different company.......|         11         |        1,373     
    Domestic..............|          7         |          915     
    Out of country........|          4         |          458     
--------------------------------------------------------------------           
   1 Only actions for which separations associated with the movement
of work were reported are shown.
   p = preliminary.

   Internal company restructuring (bankruptcy, business ownership change,
financial difficulty, and reorganization) accounted for 70 percent of layoff
events associated with work relocation and resulted in 10,461 separations dur-
ing the first quarter.  (See table 8.)  Most of these were due to reorganiza-
tion within the company.  Only 22 percent of the layoff events in the total
private nonfarm economy were because of internal company restructuring.

   Among the regions, the South accounted for the largest proportion of
workers in extended mass layoffs associated with the movement of work (43
percent) in the first quarter of 2005, followed by the West (25 percent),
the Midwest (18 percent), and the Northeast (14 percent).

   As noted in table B, the 64 extended layoff events for the first quarter
of 2005 discussed above involve 82 identifiable relocations of work.  (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.  Some extended mass layoff events involve more than one re-
location of work action.  For example, an extended mass layoff event at an
establishment 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.)  Of the 82 relocations,
employers were able to provide information on the specific separations
(9,377 workers) associated with the movement of work component of the lay-
off in 60 actions, or 73 percent of the total actions for the first quarter
of 2005.  Thus, a range of 9,377 (separations in movement of work actions
where the employer was able to provide specific detail) to 14,054 (total
separations in all layoff events that included movement of work) is esta-
blished for separations due to the movement of work in the first quarter.
(See table 10.)

                                  - 5 -

Table D.  Summary of employer expectations of a recall from
extended layoff, first quarter 2004-first quarter 2005
---------------------------------------------------------------
                     |          Percentage of events
 Nature of the recall|-----------------------------------------
                     |    I  |   II  |  III  |   IV   |   I 
                     |  2004 |  2004 |  2004r|  2004r | 2005p
---------------------|-------|-------|-------|--------|--------
                     |       |       |       |        |
Anticipate a recall..|  39.6 |  55.2 |  41.1 |  64.2  |  53.5
                     |       |       |       |        |
      Timeframe      |       |       |       |        |
                     |       |       |       |        |
Within 6 months......|  82.5 |  84.6 |  84.1 |  84.8  |  85.6
  Within 3 months....|  48.7 |  55.5 |  66.8 |  33.1  |  51.8
                     |       |       |       |        |
        Size         |       |       |       |        |
                     |       |       |       |        |
At least half........|  86.4 |  91.3 |  86.0 |  92.9  |  93.8
  All workers........|  35.3 |  52.3 |  46.7 |  49.8  |  43.3
---------------------------------------------------------------
  r = revised.
  p = preliminary.

   In the 60 actions where employers were able to provide more complete
separations information, 8 in 10 relocations (49 out of 60) occurred among
establishments within the same company.  (See table C.)  In 69 percent of
these relocations, the work activities were reassigned to places elsewhere
in the U.S.  Almost one-third of the movement-of-work situations involved
out-of-country moves (19 out of 60).  The separation of 3,592 workers was
associated with out-of-country relocations and about 3 percent of all non-
seasonal/nonvacation extended mass layoff separations.  Domestic relocation
of work--both within the company and to other companies--affected 5,785
workers.  (See table 11.)

Recall Expectations

   Fifty-three percent of employers reporting an extended layoff in the first
quarter of 2005 indicated they anticipated some type of recall.  This compares
with 40 percent of the employers anticipating a recall a year earlier and is
the highest such proportion for a first quarter since 1998.  (See table D.)
Most of the employers not expecting a recall were in administrative and sup-
port services, transportation equipment manufacturing, and general merchandise
stores.

   Among establishments expecting a recall, most employers expected to recall
over one-half of the separated employees and to do so within 6 months.  Forty-
three percent of the employers expected to extend the offer to all laid-off
workers, the highest proportion for a first quarter since 1999.  
   
  Excluding layoff events due to seasonal work and vacation period (in which
90 percent of the employers expected a recall), employers expected to recall
laid-off workers in 35 percent of the events.  A year earlier 22 percent of
employers expected a recall in nonseasonal and nonvacation events.  In layoff
events due to internal company restructuring, employers anticipated a recall
in only 4 percent of the events.

                                  - 6 -

Table E.  Distribution of extended layoff events by size of layoff,
January-March 2005p
-------------------------------------------------------------------
                 |      Layoff events     |       Separations
      Size       |------------------------|------------------------
                 |   Number  |   Percent  |  Number  |   Percent
-----------------|-----------|------------|----------|-------------
    Total........|     989   |    100.0   |  156,252 |    100.0
                 |           |            |          |
50-99............|     440   |     44.5   |   31,043 |     19.9
100-149..........|     249   |     25.2   |   29,443 |     18.8
150-199..........|     111   |     11.2   |   18,522 |     11.9
200-299..........|      93   |      9.4   |   21,675 |     13.9
300-499..........|      54   |      5.5   |   20,043 |     12.8
500-999..........|      34   |      3.4   |   22,169 |     14.2
1,000 or more....|       8   |       .8   |   13,357 |      8.5
-------------------------------------------------------------------
  p = preliminary.

Size of Extended Layoff

   Layoff events during the first quarter continued to be concentrated at
the lower end of the extended layoff-size spectrum, with 70 percent involving
fewer than 150 workers.  These events, however, accounted for only 39 percent
of all separations.  (See table E.)  Separations involving 500 or more workers
accounted for 23 percent of all separations, down from 37 percent a year ear-
lier.  The average size of layoffs (as measured by separations per layoff event)
differed widely by industry, ranging from a low of 79 separations in electronic
markets and agents and brokers to a high of 543 in nonstore retailers.
  
Initial Claimant Characteristics

   A total of 127,950 initial claimants for unemployment insurance were
associated with extended mass layoffs in the first quarter of 2005.  Of
these claimants, 14 percent were black, 14 percent were Hispanic, 38 per-
cent were women, and 16 percent were 55 years of age or older.  (See table
3.)  Thirty-seven percent of claimants were 30 to 44 years of age.  Among
persons in the civilian labor force for the same period, 11 percent were
black, 13 percent were Hispanic, 46 percent were women, and 16 percent were
55 years of age or older.  Thirty-six percent of the civilian labor force
was age 30 to 44.

Geographic Distribution

   In the first quarter, the number of separations due to extended mass
layoff events was highest in the Midwest (58,013), followed by the West
(40,228), the South (33,247), and the Northeast (24,764).  (See table 4.)
Extended mass layoffs in the Midwest were mainly in administrative and
support services, specialty trade contractors, and heavy and civil
engineering construction.

   All four regions reported over-the-year decreases in separations, with
the largest decrease occurring in the West (-70,924), followed by the
Northeast (-21,101), the Midwest (-14,728), and the South (-13,498).  Each
of the nine geographic divisions reported over-the-year declines in laid-
off workers, with the largest declines occurring in the Pacific (-67,012),
Middle Atlantic (-17,992), and the East North Central (-12,297) divisions.

                                  - 7 -

Table F.  Mass layoff events and separations, selected metropolitan areas
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           |     Events    |    Separations
            Metropolitan area              |---------------|------------------
                                           |    I  |   I   |    I    |   I
                                           |  2004 | 2005p |  2004   | 2005p
-------------------------------------------|-------|------ |---------|--------
Total, nonmetropolitan areas...............|  154  |  124  |  25,766 |  21,336
                                           |       |       |         |
Total, 367 metropolitan areas..............|  706  |  569  | 110,489 |  82,268
                                           |       |       |         |
   Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, Ill.-Ind.-   |       |       |         |        
     Wis. .................................|   59  |   51  |  11,765 |   9,194
   New York-Northern New Jersey-Long       |       |       |         |        
     Island, N.Y.-N.J.-Pa. ................|   89  |   39  |  15,215 |   6,564
   Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana,       |       |       |         |        
     Calif. ...............................|   41  |   32  |   4,699 |   4,121
   Detroit-Warren-Livonia, Mich. ..........|   19  |   35  |   2,428 |   3,609
   San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, Calif. ..|   10  |   11  |     919 |   2,809
   Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington,         |       |       |         |        
     Pa.-N.J.-Del.-Md. ....................|   18  |   18  |   2,648 |   2,298
   Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario,       |       |       |         |         
     Calif. ...............................|    6  |    7  |     937 |   2,177
   Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas......|    8  |    4  |   1,347 |   2,042 
   San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, Calif. ..|    5  |   12  |     646 |   1,898
   St. Louis, Mo.-Ill. ....................|    4  |    7  |     613 |   1,859
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    p = preliminary.
    NOTE:  The geographic boundaries of the metropolitan areas shown in
this table are defined in Office of Management and Budget Bulletin 04-03,
February 18, 2004.

   Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, the largest number of
worker separations occurred in Illinois (23,230), followed by California
(20,631), Florida (10,876), and Ohio (9,663).  These four states accounted
for 39 percent of total layoff events and 41 percent of the separations
during the first quarter of 2005.  They were followed by Michigan (9,048),
Oregon (8,875), Pennsylvania (7,758), and Washington (6,277).  (See table
5.)  After excluding the substantial impact of seasonal work, California
reported the most laid-off workers (17,099), largely due to layoffs in
administrative and support services.
  
   Over the year, California reported the greatest decrease in workers laid
off during the first quarter (-70,784), followed by New York (-14,304),
Florida (-6,106), and Wisconsin (-5,881).  The largest increases occurred
in Oregon (+2,250) and Washington (+2,140).
   
   Fifty-eight percent of events and 53 percent of separations occurred in
metropolitan areas in the first quarter of 2005, compared to 53 percent of
events and 40 percent of separations during the first quarter of 2004.
Among the 367 metropolitan areas, Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, Ill.-Ind.-
Wis., reported the highest number of separations, 9,194.  Next were New
York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, N.Y.-N.J.-Pa., with 6,564 separations,
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, Calif., with 4,121, and Detroit-Warren-
Livonia, Mich., with 3,609.  (See table F.)  Employers located in nonmetro-
politan areas separated 21,336 workers in mass layoffs, down from 25,766
workers in the first quarter of 2004.  (Beginning with the first quarter
2005 data, the MLS program has implemented the new metropolitan area defini-
tions as defined by the Office of Management and Budget.  The mass layoff
data series for metropolitan areas were revised historically back to the
second quarter of 1995.)

                                  - 8 -

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 establish-
ment filing initial claims for unemployment insurance during a consecutive
5-week period.  Approximately 30 days after a mass layoff is triggered at an
establishment, the employer is contacted for additional information.  Data
for the first 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 quarters should not be used as an indi-
cator of trend.
  
  
   For additional information about the program, see the Technical Note.

                          ______________________________

   The report on Mass Layoffs in April 2005 is scheduled to be released
on Friday, May 27, 2005.

                                  - 9 -

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.  Establish-
ments which have at least 50 initial claims filed against them during a
consecutive 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.  Establishments are identified according to
industry 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
   
   Establishment.  A unit at a single physical location at which predomi-
nantly one type of economic activity is conducted.
   
   Extended layoff event.  Fifty or more initial claims for unemployment
insurance benefits from an establishment 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
eligibility 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 establishment beginning in a given month, regardless of
duration.
   
   Worksite closure.  The complete closure of either multi-unit or single-
unit establishments or the partial closure of a multi-unit establishment
where entire worksites affected by layoffs are closed or planned to be
closed.

                                  - 10 -

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 lo-
cation(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.

                                  - 11 - 
Reliability of the data
   
   The identification of establishments and layoff events in the MLS 
program and associated characteristics of claimants is based on admin-
istrative data on covered establishments an 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 establishments and layoff events
are not subject to sampling error, and all such employers are asked the
employer interview questions, the employer responses are subject to non-
sampling error.  Nonsampling error can occur for many reasons, including
the inability to obtain information for all respondents, inability or
unwillingness of respondents to provide correct information, and errors
made in the collection or processing of the data.  For the first quarter
of 2005, outright refusal to participate in the employer interview accounted 
for 2.8 percent of all private nonfarm events.  Although included in the 
total number of instances involving the movement of work, for the first
quarter, employers in 22 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, 2004 and 2005

                                                                                                           Initial claimants for   
                                                        Layoff events               Separations            unemployment insurance  
                      Industry                    
                                                      I      IV       I         I       IV        I          I       IV        I   
                                                    2004    2004r   2005p     2004r    2004r    2005p      2004r    2004r    2005p 

      Total, private nonfarm (1) .................  1,339   1,427     989    276,503  273,963  156,252    238,392  262,006  127,950
    
    Mining .......................................     14      24      12      1,421    3,915    1,138      1,681    3,507    1,101
    Utilities ....................................      5       6   ( 2 )        620    2,153    ( 2 )        664    1,730    ( 2 )
    Construction .................................    250     418     235     29,055   61,066   24,751     33,141   67,004   22,901
    Manufacturing ................................    422     439     298     65,945   84,532   44,229     67,916   88,530   40,826
         Food ....................................     78     109      58     14,074   26,473    9,689     13,678   23,229    8,739
         Beverage and tobacco products ...........     10       8       5      1,788    2,455      881      1,693    1,113      678
         Textile mills ...........................     14       6       8      2,074      771    1,480      2,155    1,832    1,181
         Textile product mills ...................      7       3      10      1,099      350    1,448      1,070      385    1,235
         Apparel .................................     19      16      11      2,514    3,940    1,610      2,133    2,698    1,248
         Leather and allied products .............      4       3   ( 2 )        689      584    ( 2 )        612      733    ( 2 )
         Wood products ...........................     16      10      17      2,021    1,358    1,872      2,438    2,036    2,046
         Paper ...................................     16      12       6      2,121    1,423      617      2,514    1,212      701
         Printing and related support activities .     14       4       8      1,866      611      794      1,574      784    1,017
         Petroleum and coal products .............      5      16   ( 2 )        392    2,389    ( 2 )        455    2,666    ( 2 )

         Chemicals  ..............................     16      11       8      2,321    1,417    1,475      1,887    1,441      822
         Plastics and rubber products ............     20      20      18      2,690    2,087    2,671      2,364    2,436    2,223
         Nonmetallic mineral products ............     22      34      21      3,022    5,409    2,885      2,521    6,365    1,986
         Primary metals ..........................     15      15       8      3,086    2,395    1,013      2,950    1,915    1,012
         Fabricated metal products ...............     22      23      18      2,550    3,368    2,566      2,674    3,575    2,072
         Machinery ...............................     21      17      16      2,264    2,528    2,068      3,200    3,084    2,972
         Computer and electronic products ........     33      27      13      4,120    4,791    1,533      5,285    4,144    1,756
         Electrical equipment and appliances .....     14      17      11      2,414    5,148    1,130      2,752    7,090    1,563
         Transportation equipment ................     42      54      39      9,955   11,813    6,916     10,726   16,420    7,312
         Furniture and related products ..........     21      23      12      3,273    3,540    1,981      3,820    3,498    1,438
         Miscellaneous manufacturing .............     13      11       6      1,612    1,682    1,140      1,415    1,874      446

    Wholesale trade ..............................     31      17      24      4,281    4,019    2,121      3,846    2,519    2,282
    Retail trade .................................    148      53      99     91,990   21,377   24,419     45,821   14,925   16,892
    Transportation and warehousing ...............     38      33      44      7,034    6,003   10,223      6,896    7,169    5,637
    Information ..................................     50      46      26     10,491    8,416    6,133     11,411    9,144    4,771
    Finance and insurance ........................     51      31      35      8,942    6,045    5,341     10,700    5,341    4,432
    Real estate and rental and leasing ...........  ( 2 )       3   ( 2 )      ( 2 )    1,383    ( 2 )      ( 2 )      970    ( 2 )
    Professional and technical services ..........     34      28      19      4,574    6,189    3,500      5,100    5,850    2,137
    Management of companies and enterprises ......      5       4   ( 2 )        515    1,581    ( 2 )        901      995    ( 2 )
    Administrative and waste services ............    147     153     112     29,139   28,401   20,460     29,391   25,923   16,707
    Educational services .........................  ( 2 )       -       -      ( 2 )        -        -      ( 2 )        -        -
    Health care and social assistance ............     31      31      19      4,522    7,467    2,696      3,861    5,049    1,685
    Arts, entertainment, and recreation ..........     20      46      19      2,547    8,875    3,301      2,426    5,916    1,677
    Accommodation and food services ..............     69      83      36     11,228   19,781    6,180     11,890   15,661    5,194
    Other services, except public administration .     15      10   ( 2 )      2,973    2,357    ( 2 )      1,557    1,641    ( 2 )

    Unclassified .................................      3       2       -        293      403        -        345      132        -
          

    1 For the first quarter of 2005, data on layoffs were reported by employers in all states and the District of Columbia.  Due to
budget constraints in the MLS program, beginning with data for the first quarter of 2004, the scope of quarterly extended mass
layoffs and plant closings has been redefined to cover only the private nonfarm economy. Quarterly information on layoff events in
agriculture and government are no longer being collected.  However, the monthly reporting of the MLS program in the release, Mass
Layoffs, which is based only on administrative data, will be unaffected and will continue to cover the total economy. 
    2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
    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, 2004 and 2005

                                                                                                      Initial claimants for     
                                          Layoff events                     Separations               unemployment insurance    
         Reason for layoff        
                                       I        IV         I           I        IV         I            I        IV         I   
                                     2004      2004r     2005p       2004r     2004r     2005p        2004r     2004r     2005p 

   Total, private nonfarm (1) ....   1,339     1,427       989      276,503   273,963   156,252      238,392   262,006   127,950

Automation .......................   ( 2 )     ( 2 )         -        ( 2 )     ( 2 )         -        ( 2 )     ( 2 )         -
Bankruptcy .......................      29        25        24        9,135     3,965     4,774        6,468     2,697     2,930
Business ownership change ........      35        28        34        5,298     4,743     8,605        5,475     3,811     4,836
Contract cancellation ............      29        23        15        4,762     4,164     3,019        3,569     2,977     2,734
Contract completed ...............     198       187       131       62,203    36,520    21,396       42,379    38,253    19,238
Environment-related ..............       -     ( 2 )         -            -     ( 2 )         -            -     ( 2 )         -
Financial difficulty .............      87        48        34       16,301    10,373     5,790       14,897     7,519     3,767
Import competition ...............      16        13        13        1,509     1,709     2,186        1,892     1,661     1,565
Labor dispute ....................       4        13         4       21,271     5,824       829        3,042     4,814       392
Material shortage ................   ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )        ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )        ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )

Model changeover .................   ( 2 )         -         -        ( 2 )         -         -        ( 2 )         -         -
Natural disaster .................   ( 2 )         -     ( 2 )        ( 2 )         -     ( 2 )        ( 2 )         -     ( 2 )
Non-natural disaster .............       -     ( 2 )     ( 2 )            -     ( 2 )     ( 2 )            -     ( 2 )     ( 2 )
Plant or machine repair ..........   ( 2 )         5     ( 2 )        ( 2 )       600     ( 2 )        ( 2 )       588     ( 2 )
Product line discontinued ........      10         6         5        2,060     1,496       619        1,845     1,384       541
Reorganization within company ....     171       116       126       29,088    23,945    23,599       33,877    22,320    17,151
Seasonal work ....................     356       667       337       63,045   129,859    50,804       56,899   111,611    39,982
Slack work .......................     173       166       164       21,060    22,196    17,696       28,769    38,229    20,816
Vacation period ..................       3         -     ( 2 )          427         -     ( 2 )          526         -     ( 2 )
Weather-related ..................      16        32        29        1,465     4,217     3,380        1,724     3,785     2,435
Other ............................      65        38        20       12,757     8,491     4,242       10,902     7,045     2,889
Not reported .....................     140        55        46       24,413    14,776     7,901       24,364    14,607     7,443

    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, fourth quarter, 2004 and first quarter, 2005

                                                        Total                                        Percent of total                        
                                                       initial                             Hispanic                        Persons age 55
                                  Layoff events       claimants             Black           origin            Women          and over   
             State         
                                   IV       I         IV        I         IV      I        IV      I        IV      I        IV      I  
                                  2004r   2005p      2004r    2005p      2004r  2005p     2004r  2005p     2004r  2005p     2004r  2005p

  Total, private nonfarm (1) ...  1,427     989     262,006  127,950      11.2   14.1      15.9   13.9      33.9   38.5      16.1   15.7

Alabama ........................      4   ( 2 )       1,005    ( 2 )      58.5      -       3.9      -      52.8    5.7      13.9    8.2
Alaska .........................     10   ( 2 )       1,451    ( 2 )       3.4      -      22.2    2.9      28.2   31.7      14.3    8.6
Arizona ........................      8   ( 2 )       1,244    ( 2 )       6.0    8.2      23.0   30.5      49.2   47.6      16.3    8.5
Arkansas .......................      4   ( 2 )         365    ( 2 )      14.5   22.6        .3   16.5      33.4   33.9      18.1     .9
California .....................    131     121      28,709   18,368       6.8    8.1      44.2   39.1      50.3   47.2      16.9   15.0
Colorado .......................     22       8       2,866      905       4.5    3.6      34.1   40.8      23.1   42.1      16.1   12.2
Connecticut ....................      6       6       1,090      592       8.1   12.2       6.1   12.0      14.7   31.1      18.0   19.3
Delaware .......................      -   ( 2 )           -    ( 2 )         -   25.9         -   12.1         -    5.2         -   25.9
District of Columbia ...........      -       -           -        -         -      -         -      -         -      -         -      -
Florida ........................    106      64      16,200    8,982      14.1   14.9      30.6   31.2      49.9   46.1      16.7   18.1
Georgia ........................     13      18       2,160    2,149      60.4   48.9       2.4    2.3      49.6   61.7      17.1   22.1
Hawaii .........................      5   ( 2 )         419    ( 2 )       3.3     .9      26.5   12.1      20.0   22.5      12.4   12.6
Idaho ..........................     10       6       1,946      484        .6     .4      19.8   13.2      39.8   43.2      19.3   14.7

Illinois .......................    155     111      29,159   13,290      16.1   20.5      20.4   11.8      25.3   34.0      13.1   13.6
Indiana ........................     34      29       8,529    4,473       7.8    6.7       2.2    5.3      25.3   26.8      15.4   12.6
Iowa ...........................     35       8       6,533    1,101       1.3    1.0       3.7     .7      22.3   20.9      14.9   13.4
Kansas .........................     11       9       1,816      831      11.4   11.4       7.4    1.6      27.0   49.1      13.3   10.7
Kentucky .......................     24      18       2,676    2,564       8.9   13.0        .2     .2      23.3   36.0      15.8   14.0
Louisiana ......................     19      15       2,207    1,590      57.8   53.5       2.0    3.0      34.7   30.4      13.5   13.3
Maine ..........................      7       7       1,943      751       1.7    3.6        .3     .5      35.8   36.9      14.6   14.5
Maryland .......................  ( 2 )       -       ( 2 )        -      35.8      -       1.5      -      42.7      -      12.6      -
Massachusetts ..................     22      29       3,191    3,375       5.5    9.3       2.7    1.5      39.6   37.5      17.5   15.4
Michigan .......................     92      76      19,310    8,879      11.6   15.3       7.9    3.4      33.3   35.8      12.2   11.5
Minnesota ......................     81      29      12,510    2,507       3.3    4.5      10.4    5.3      17.5   29.0      15.6   16.4
Mississippi ....................      4       -         261        -      53.3      -        .8      -      62.1      -      11.1      -
Missouri .......................     22      20       4,562    2,991       6.9   14.9        .4     .4      46.3   37.9      28.4   19.4

Montana ........................      5   ( 2 )         444    ( 2 )        .2     .9       2.3    7.8      14.4   18.1      18.9   28.4
Nebraska .......................      9   ( 2 )         902    ( 2 )       2.9    3.5      16.4    2.6      12.2    4.3      20.3   21.7
Nevada .........................      4   ( 2 )         326    ( 2 )      20.6   14.7      18.7   11.9      39.9   46.9      14.7   22.0
New Hampshire ..................      7   ( 2 )         804    ( 2 )        .6    1.5       1.7    2.1      23.6   46.9      25.7    9.3
New Jersey .....................     44      36       7,732    4,253      12.6   16.1       9.5    8.8      31.6   42.5      20.8   18.6
New Mexico .....................      3       3         655      191       1.7    1.0      66.6   72.8      39.5   37.7      18.8   11.0
New York .......................    116      46      20,346    6,441       8.7    9.7       7.0    8.8      29.2   30.7      16.0   17.8
North Carolina .................     17      22       2,087    2,415      40.9   46.1       8.5    4.5      51.2   52.3      18.7   19.8
North Dakota ...................      8       -       1,173        -        .3      -       3.1      -       6.1      -      16.4      -
Ohio ...........................     80      87      12,397    8,725      10.2   10.9       2.8    1.5      18.2   23.7      11.8   12.7
Oklahoma .......................      4       5         642      457       8.4   11.2      40.2    9.4      33.0   12.9      12.6   14.7
Oregon .........................     21      14       3,980    2,713       1.0    1.9      33.3   15.9      45.8   47.1      16.8   18.6
Pennsylvania ...................     87      69      21,855    9,873       9.6    9.1       1.9    3.6      40.3   37.5      22.0   22.2

Rhode Island ...................      6   ( 2 )         712    ( 2 )       3.4    2.2       8.8    7.9      35.7    2.2      19.1   15.1
South Carolina .................      6       6       1,129      889      47.3   35.7        .1    2.1      70.3   55.2       1.2    9.3
South Dakota ...................  ( 2 )   ( 2 )       ( 2 )    ( 2 )       2.2    2.3       3.7    2.3      43.3   11.4       8.2   22.0
Tennessee ......................      8      11       1,527    1,396      27.9   38.1         -      -      40.0   59.7      18.1   17.7
Texas ..........................     32      24       7,890    3,544      19.0   16.3      36.6   40.7      34.9   33.7      12.2   12.3
Utah ...........................      3       3         358      241       5.9    4.6      15.9   28.2      29.1   54.8       7.3    5.8
Vermont ........................      3   ( 2 )         369    ( 2 )        .5      -        .5      -      20.9   39.8      18.2   19.5
Virginia .......................     14      19       3,101    4,548      58.4   29.3       2.8     .8      60.9   45.5      17.8   16.5
Washington .....................     32      23       5,246    2,346       4.4    6.0      35.9   14.9      37.3   42.4      14.4   12.1
West Virginia ..................      8       -       1,207        -        .8      -         -      -      37.2      -      14.3      -
Wisconsin ......................     80      25      16,080    3,973       3.1    3.2      12.0   13.1      21.7   36.5      16.9   18.0
Wyoming ........................  ( 2 )   ( 2 )       ( 2 )    ( 2 )        .7      -        .3   14.2      40.7   26.9      41.4   19.4

Puerto Rico ....................      4       6       1,471    1,140     ( 3 )  ( 3 )     ( 3 )  ( 3 )      56.6   58.2       4.1    6.8

    1 See footnote 1, table 1.
    2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
    3 Data are not available. 
    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, 2004 and 2005

                                                                                                   Initial claimants for   
                                       Layoff events                     Separations               unemployment insurance  
   Census region and division  
                                    I        IV         I           I        IV         I            I       IV        I   
                                  2004      2004r     2005p       2004r     2004r     2005p        2004r    2004r    2005p 

        United States (1) .....   1,339     1,427       989      276,503   273,963   156,252      238,392  262,006  127,950

Northeast .....................     309       298       198       45,865    48,461    24,764       54,151   58,042   25,731

    New England ...............      60        51        47        8,479     9,800     5,370        8,474    8,109    5,164
    Middle Atlantic ...........     249       247       151       37,386    38,661    19,394       45,677   49,933   20,567

South .........................     260       265       205       46,745    47,026    33,247       47,901   42,918   28,829

    South Atlantic ............     165       166       130       32,238    30,802    21,294       29,430   26,345   19,041
    East South Central ........      31        40        30        4,430     6,500     4,385        4,343    5,469    4,082
    West South Central ........      64        59        45       10,077     9,724     7,568       14,128   11,104    5,706

Midwest .......................     437       608       398       72,741   110,691    58,013       71,953  113,105   47,017

    East North Central ........     365       441       328       62,030    82,683    49,733       63,403   85,475   39,340
    West North Central ........      72       167        70       10,711    28,008     8,280        8,550   27,630    7,677

West ..........................     333       256       188      111,152    67,785    40,228       64,387   47,941   26,373

    Mountain ..................      42        57        27        7,987    14,495     4,075        7,374    8,136    2,576
    Pacific ...................     291       199       161      103,165    53,290    36,153       57,013   39,805   23,797

    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, 2004 and 2005

                                                                                                       Initial claimants for     
                                          Layoff events                      Separations               unemployment insurance    
           State         
                                        I       IV         I           I        IV         I            I        IV         I   
                                      2004     2004r     2005p       2004r     2004r     2005p        2004r     2004r     2005p 

  Total, private nonfarm (1) ...     1,339     1,427       989      276,503   273,963   156,252      238,392   262,006   127,950

Alabama ........................         4         4     ( 2 )          882     1,005     ( 2 )          882     1,005     ( 2 )
Alaska .........................         5        10     ( 2 )          426     1,451     ( 2 )          426     1,451     ( 2 )
Arizona ........................        11         8     ( 2 )        1,918     2,034     ( 2 )        1,915     1,244     ( 2 )
Arkansas .......................     ( 2 )         4     ( 2 )        ( 2 )       651     ( 2 )        ( 2 )       365     ( 2 )
California .....................       234       131       121       91,415    40,882    20,631       47,892    28,709    18,368
Colorado .......................         9        22         8          904     5,507     1,844        1,053     2,866       905
Connecticut ....................        13         6         6        2,664     1,498     1,098        2,334     1,090       592
Delaware .......................         3         -     ( 2 )        1,127         -     ( 2 )        1,119         -     ( 2 )
District of Columbia ...........         -         -         -            -         -         -            -         -         -
Florida ........................        94       106        64       16,982    19,258    10,876       16,099    16,200     8,982
Georgia ........................        27        13        18        7,354     1,239     2,269        5,896     2,160     2,149
Hawaii .........................         5         5     ( 2 )          562       487     ( 2 )          661       419     ( 2 )
Idaho ..........................         5        10         6          672     1,435       782          474     1,946       484

Illinois .......................       118       155       111       24,348    36,251    23,230       19,714    29,159    13,290
Indiana ........................        28        34        29        5,125     5,021     3,815        5,410     8,529     4,473
Iowa ...........................        11        35         8        1,879     4,708       644        1,777     6,533     1,101
Kansas .........................         9        11         9        1,688     2,160       914          832     1,816       831
Kentucky .......................        13        24        18        1,919     3,091     2,510        1,692     2,676     2,564
Louisiana ......................         9        19        15        1,333     3,665     3,017          823     2,207     1,590
Maine ..........................        11         7         7        1,849     3,558     1,468        1,706     1,943       751
Maryland .......................     ( 2 )     ( 2 )         -        ( 2 )     ( 2 )         -        ( 2 )     ( 2 )         -
Massachusetts ..................        23        22        29        2,552     2,886     2,360        3,026     3,191     3,375
Michigan .......................        78        92        76       10,862    15,756     9,048       17,255    19,310     8,879
Minnesota ......................        23        81        29        3,339    12,553     3,155        2,880    12,510     2,507
Mississippi ....................         3         4         -          369       265         -          254       261         -
Missouri .......................        18        22        20        2,468     5,384     3,179        1,822     4,562     2,991

Montana ........................         4         5     ( 2 )          335       647     ( 2 )          346       444     ( 2 )
Nebraska .......................         6         9     ( 2 )          852     1,030     ( 2 )          708       902     ( 2 )
Nevada .........................         6         4     ( 2 )        2,929       410     ( 2 )        2,718       326     ( 2 )
New Hampshire ..................         3         7     ( 2 )          672       804     ( 2 )          679       804     ( 2 )
New Jersey .....................        48        44        36        7,252     7,255     5,382        7,425     7,732     4,253
New Mexico .....................     ( 2 )         3         3        ( 2 )       655       241        ( 2 )       655       191
New York .......................       124       116        46       20,558    18,846     6,254       21,656    20,346     6,441
North Carolina .................        16        17        22        2,457     3,030     3,523        2,055     2,087     2,415
North Dakota ...................         3         8         -          350     1,173         -          360     1,173         -
Ohio ...........................        78        80        87       11,837    10,740     9,663       10,446    12,397     8,725
Oklahoma .......................         9         4         5        1,072       407       397        1,234       642       457
Oregon .........................        23        21        14        6,625     4,293     8,875        3,837     3,980     2,713
Pennsylvania ...................        77        87        69        9,576    12,560     7,758       16,596    21,855     9,873

Rhode Island ...................         7         6     ( 2 )          552       685     ( 2 )          562       712     ( 2 )
South Carolina .................         8         6         6        1,069     1,094       764        1,109     1,129       889
South Dakota ...................     ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )        ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )        ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )
Tennessee ......................        11         8        11        1,260     2,139     1,815        1,515     1,527     1,396
Texas ..........................        44        32        24        6,842     5,001     3,939       11,707     7,890     3,544
Utah ...........................         5         3         3          900       457       370          622       358       241
Vermont ........................         3         3     ( 2 )          190       369     ( 2 )          167       369     ( 2 )
Virginia .......................        12        14        19        1,731     3,568     3,804        2,137     3,101     4,548
Washington .....................        24        32        23        4,137     6,177     6,277        4,197     5,246     2,346
West Virginia ..................         4         8         -        1,410     1,848         -          877     1,207         -
Wisconsin ......................        63        80        25        9,858    14,915     3,977       10,578    16,080     3,973
Wyoming ........................     ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )        ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )        ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )

Puerto Rico ....................         8         4         6        1,229       284       414        1,474     1,471     1,140

    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, 1998-2005

                                                              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                    

       1998       

First quarter ....    1,115      178,251       29        5,212         8         1,550        7          725        9        1,685
Second quarter ...    1,333      336,536       37        8,455         5           357        7        1,317        5          650
Third quarter ....    1,028      201,186       63       11,066         5         1,175       12        3,031        5        1,051
Fourth quarter ...    1,383      275,272       37       11,336         5           974        7        1,898        6          764

    Total ........    4,859      991,245      166       36,069        23         4,056       33        6,971       25        4,150

       1999     

First quarter ....    1,262      230,711       35        4,363        10         1,796       10        1,600        6        1,002
Second quarter ...    1,194      246,251       28        3,891         7         1,731        8        1,097    ( 6 )        ( 6 )
Third quarter ....      898      184,429       22       11,546         7         1,141        5          840    ( 6 )        ( 6 )
Fourth quarter ...    1,202      240,060       18        2,757         5           526        4          807        6        1,430

    Total ........    4,556      901,451      103       22,557        29         5,194       27        4,344       18        3,930

       2000     

First quarter ....    1,081      202,500       22        5,195        14         2,717        9        1,402        4          771
Second quarter ...    1,055      205,861       18        8,862        22         9,114        7          805        7          977
Third quarter ....      817      174,628       10        1,678        12         1,422        4        1,465        6        1,280
Fourth quarter ...    1,638      332,973       16        3,070        22         3,521        5          946        7        1,020

    Total ........    4,591      915,962       66       18,805        70        16,774       25        4,618       24        4,048

       2001     

First quarter ....    1,546      304,171       91       20,991        44         7,963       22        4,441       24        5,312
Second quarter ...    1,828      430,499      161       38,986        87        12,943       36       12,109       28        6,386
Third quarter ....    1,629      330,391      142       24,813        55         6,820       39        8,200       36        7,134
Fourth quarter ...    2,372      459,771      109       17,797        56         8,290       43       10,124       48       11,252

    Total ........    7,375    1,524,832      503      102,587       242        36,016      140       34,874      136       30,084

       2002     

First quarter ....    1,611      299,266       84       18,574        39         4,442       32        8,192       42        6,664
Second quarter ...    1,624      344,606       69       11,764        49         5,454       27        4,870       53        8,538
Third quarter ....    1,186      255,152       76       15,017        42         5,415       34        6,529       42        7,945
Fourth quarter ...    1,916      373,307       74       14,298        32         7,071       19        3,645       39        8,987

    Total ........    6,337    1,272,331      303       59,653       162        22,382      112       23,236      176       32,134

       2003     

First quarter ....    1,502      286,947       71       11,900        33         5,689       23        4,402       41        6,591
Second quarter ...    1,799      368,273       54        9,221        27         4,124       21        3,098       29        5,891
Third quarter ....    1,190      236,333       46        6,488        26         4,433        9        1,289       15        2,604
Fourth quarter ...    1,690      325,333       25        5,080        14         1,984        9        1,619       28        6,635

    Total ........    6,181    1,216,886      196       32,689       100        16,230       62       10,408      113       21,721

       2004     

First quarter ....    1,339   (r)276,503       27        3,222        16         2,992        8          894       23        4,197
Second quarter ...    1,358   (r)278,568       18        2,959        21         3,576        -            -       22        5,295
Third quarter ....   (r)886   (r)164,477       13        2,288        15         1,617        4          430       13        4,317
Fourth quarter ... (r)1,427   (r)273,963       18     (r)3,055     (r)10      (r)1,547        4          563    (r)23     (r)3,457

    Total ........ (r)5,010   (r)993,511       76    (r)11,524     (r)62      (r)9,732       16        1,887    (r)81    (r)17,266

       2005     

First quarter(p) .      989      156,252       10        1,039         9         2,249        4          345       16        3,494
                    
                    
    1 Information technology-producing industries are defined in Digital Economy 2003, Economics and Statistics Administration,
U.S. Department of Commerce. 
    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.
    NOTE: Dash represents zero.
    r = revised.
    p = preliminary. 

Table 7. Industry distribution: Extended mass layoff events and separations associated with the movement of work,
selected quarters, 2004 and 2005

                                                              Layoff events                             Separations 
                     Industry                                                            

                                                        I           IV            I            I            IV             I         
                                                      2004         2004r        2005p        2004          2004r         2005p       
                    

         Total, private nonfarm (1) .............      113           83           64        19,978        19,599        14,054

  Mining ........................................        -            -            -             -             -             -
  Utilities .....................................    ( 2 )            -            -         ( 2 )             -             -
  Construction ..................................        -            -        ( 2 )             -             -         ( 2 )
  Manufacturing .................................       75           56           40        12,827        12,782         8,632
      Food ......................................        8            5            4         1,478         1,401         1,122
      Beverage and tobacco products .............    ( 2 )            -            -         ( 2 )             -             -
      Textile mills .............................        3        ( 2 )        ( 2 )           810         ( 2 )         ( 2 )
      Textile product mills .....................    ( 2 )            -            3         ( 2 )             -           581
      Apparel ...................................        5            3            3         1,237         1,405           549
      Leather and allied products ...............    ( 2 )        ( 2 )            -         ( 2 )         ( 2 )             -
      Wood products .............................    ( 2 )        ( 2 )        ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )
      Paper .....................................        4            3        ( 2 )           295           380         ( 2 )
      Printing and related support activities ...        3        ( 2 )            -           264         ( 2 )             -
      Petroleum and coal products ...............        -            -            -             -             -             -

      Chemicals .................................        4        ( 2 )        ( 2 )           634         ( 2 )         ( 2 )
      Plastics and rubber products ..............        5        ( 2 )            5         1,134         ( 2 )         1,243
      Nonmetallic mineral products ..............        -            -            -             -             -             -
      Primary metal .............................    ( 2 )        ( 2 )            -         ( 2 )         ( 2 )             -
      Fabricated metal products .................    ( 2 )        ( 2 )            5         ( 2 )         ( 2 )         1,330
      Machinery .................................        6            3            -           870           604             -
      Computer and electronic products ..........        7            7        ( 2 )           785         2,390         ( 2 )
      Electrical equipment and appliance ........        6            4        ( 2 )         1,079           960         ( 2 )
      Transportation equipment ..................        8            8            4         1,977         1,440           639
      Furniture and related products ............        4            8            4           497         1,863           697
      Miscellaneous manufacturing ...............        4            3        ( 2 )           739           692         ( 2 )

  Wholesale trade ...............................        3            3            6           675           307           503
  Retail trade ..................................        4            3            4           540         1,429           672
  Transportation and warehousing ................        5            3            3         1,152           619         1,270
  Information ...................................        8        ( 2 )        ( 2 )         1,780         ( 2 )         ( 2 )
  Finance and insurance .........................        5            7        ( 2 )           684         1,449         ( 2 )
  Real estate and rental and leasing ............        -        ( 2 )        ( 2 )             -         ( 2 )         ( 2 )
  Professional and technical services ...........    ( 2 )        ( 2 )        ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )
  Management of companies and enterprises .......    ( 2 )        ( 2 )            -         ( 2 )         ( 2 )             -
  Administrative and waste services .............        4            5            3           647           813           845
  Educational services ..........................        -            -            -             -             -             -
  Health care and social assistance .............    ( 2 )            -        ( 2 )         ( 2 )             -         ( 2 )
  Arts, entertainment, and recreation ...........        -            -            -             -             -             -
  Accommodation and food services ...............        -        ( 2 )            -             -         ( 2 )             -
  Other services, except public administration ..        3            -            -           311             -             -

  Unclassified...................................        -            -            -             -             -             -
                    
                    
   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 8. Reason for layoff: Extended mass layoff events and separations associated with the movement of work,
selected quarters, 2004 and 2005

  
                                                Layoff events                                Separations    
         Reason for layoff
 
                                        I          IV           I                I               IV                I         
                                      2004        2004r       2005p            2004             2004r            2005p       
 

   Total, private nonfarm (1) ....     113          83          64            19,978           19,599           14,054

Automation .......................   ( 2 )       ( 2 )           -             ( 2 )            ( 2 )                -
Bankruptcy .......................       -           -           -                 -                -                -
Business ownership change ........       6       ( 2 )           4               669            ( 2 )            1,645
Contract cancellation ............   ( 2 )           3           4             ( 2 )              424              580
Contract completed ...............   ( 2 )           -           -             ( 2 )                -                -
Energy-related ...................       -           -           -                 -                -                -
Environment-related ..............       -           -           -                 -                -                -
Financial difficulty .............      13           5       ( 2 )             3,492            2,025            ( 2 )
Import competition ...............   ( 2 )           5           7             ( 2 )              586            1,187
Labor dispute ....................       -           -           -                 -                -                -
Material shortage ................       -           -           -                 -                -                -
Model changeover .................       -           -           -                 -                -                -

Natural disaster .................       -           -           -                 -                -                -
Non-natural disaster .............       -           -           -                 -                -                -
Plant or machine repair ..........       -           -           -                 -                -                -
Product line discontinued ........   ( 2 )           3       ( 2 )             ( 2 )            1,033            ( 2 )
Reorganization within company ....      58          49          40             9,759           10,733            8,676
Seasonal work ....................   ( 3 )       ( 3 )       ( 3 )             ( 3 )            ( 3 )            ( 3 )
Slack work .......................       5           4       ( 2 )               735              594            ( 2 )
Vacation period ..................   ( 3 )       ( 3 )       ( 3 )             ( 3 )            ( 3 )            ( 3 )
Weather-related ..................       -           -           -                 -                -                -
Other ............................      23          11           5             4,191            3,551            1,485
Not reported .....................       -           -           -                 -                -                -
                    
    1 See footnote 1, table 1.
    2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
    3 The questions on movement of work were not asked of employers when the reason for layoff was either seasonal
work or vacation period. 
    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, 2004 and 2005

                                       Layoff events                              Separations    
 Census region and division
                                I           IV           I              I            IV              I         
                              2004         2004r       2005p          2004          2004r          2005p       
                    
        
        United States (1)..    113           83          64         19,978         19,599         14,054

Northeast .................     14           15           7          2,691          3,526          1,950
    
    New England ...........      3            5           4            508          1,211          1,124
    Middle Atlantic .......     11           10           3          2,183          2,315            826

South .....................     30           26          28          5,889          7,901          5,998
    
    South Atlantic ........     18           19          15          3,172          4,647          2,671
    East South Central ....      5        ( 2 )           8            956          ( 2 )          2,052
    West South Central ....      7        ( 2 )           5          1,761          ( 2 )          1,275

Midwest ...................     37           21          14          6,442          4,679          2,537
    
    East North Central ....     31        ( 2 )       ( 2 )          5,165          ( 2 )          ( 2 )
    West North Central ....      6        ( 2 )       ( 2 )          1,277          ( 2 )          ( 2 )

West ......................     32           21          15          4,956          3,493          3,569
    
    Mountain ..............  ( 2 )            5           -          ( 2 )            728              -
    Pacific ...............  ( 2 )           16          15          ( 2 )          2,765          3,569
                    
                    
    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: Iliinois, 
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.
Dash represents zero.

Table 10. Extended mass layoff events and separations, selected measures, selected quarters, 2004 and 2005

        
                                                   Layoff events                                Separations    
         Action                       
                                            I          IV            I               I             IV               I         
                                          2004        2004r        2005p           2005           2004r           2005p       
                    

Total, private nonfarm (1) .........     1,339        1,427          989         276,503         273,963         156,252

  Total, excluding seasonal         
    and vacation events (2) ........       980          760          651         213,031         144,104         105,323
    
    Total, movement of work (3).....       113           83           64          19,978          19,599          14,054

      Movement of work actions .....       127          138           82           ( 4 )           ( 4 )           ( 4 )
        With separations reported ..       117           95           60          16,674          13,351           9,377
        With separations unknown ...        10           43           22           ( 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, 2004 and 2005

                                           Layoff events(1)                       Separations    
         Actions
                                       I          IV         I               I         IV         I         
                                     2004       2004r      2005p           2004      2004r      2005p       
                    
With separations reported (2)..       117         95         60          16,674     13,351      9,377       

        By location

  Out-of-country relocations...        34         32         19           4,906      5,258      3,592       
    Within company.............        21         29         15           2,976      4,825      3,134       
    Different company .........        13          3          4           1,930        433        458

  Domestic relocations ........        80         63         41          10,815      8,093      5,785
    Within company.............        64         55         34           8,671      7,285      4,870       
    Different company .........        16          8          7           2,144        808        915        

  Unable to assign place of ...								 
    relocation ................         3          -          -             953          -          -  
   

        By company

  Within company ..............        87         84         49          11,947     12,110      8,004
    Domestic ..................        64         55         34           8,671      7,285      4,870
    Out of country ............        21         29         15           2,976      4,825      3,134
    Unable to assign ..........         2          -          -             300          -          -          

  Different company ...........        30         11         11           4,727      1,241      1,373       
    Domestic ..................        16          8          7           2,144        808        915        
    Out of country ............        13          3          4           1,930        433        458        
    Unable to assign...........         1          -          -             653          -          -                   
                    
                    
    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.