Technical information:   (202) 691-6392       USDL 04-2392
http://www.bls.gov/mls/

                                              For release: 10:00 A.M. EST
Media contact:                 691-5902       Wednesday, November 24, 2004

                                     
                       MASS LAYOFFS IN OCTOBER 2004
   
   In October 2004, employers took 1,241 mass layoff actions, as measured by
new filings for unemployment insurance benefits during the month, according
to data from the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics.  Each
action involved at least 50 persons from a single establishment, and the
number of workers involved totaled 127,774.  (See table 1.)  Both the number
of events and initial claims were the lowest for any October since October
2000.  Data for October 2004 were reported by all states and the District of
Columbia, except Vermont.  From January through October 2004, the total num-
bers of events, 12,966, and initial claims, 1,315,320, were lower than in
January-October 2003 (15,596 and 1,557,750, respectively).
   
Industry Distribution
   
   The 10 industries reporting the highest number of mass-layoff initial
claims accounted for 37,670 initial claims in October, 29 percent of the
total.  (See table A.)  Temporary help services, with 8,113 initial claims,
and motion picture and video production, with 5,673 initial claims, together
accounted for 11 percent of all initial claims in October.
   
   The manufacturing sector had 30 percent of all mass layoff events and
38 percent of all initial claims filed in October.  A year ago, manufac-
turing comprised 29 percent of events and 34 percent of initial claims.
Within manufacturing, the number of claimants was highest in transportation
equipment (12,733, mainly automotive-related), followed by food processing
(9,049) and machinery (4,224).  (See table 2.)
   
   The administrative and waste services sector accounted for 15 percent
of events and 12 percent of initial claims filed in October, with layoffs
mainly in temporary help services.  Ten percent of all layoff events and
7 percent of initial claims filed during the month were in construction,
primarily among specialty trade contractors.  Accommodation and food
services accounted for 7 percent of events and initial claims during the
month, mainly in hotels and motels, except casino hotels.  Retail trade
accounted for 8 percent of events and 7 percent of initial claims, mostly
in general merchandise stores.  An additional 3 percent of events and
6 percent of initial claims were from the information sector, largely
in motion picture and sound recording.
   
   Government establishments accounted for 5 percent of events and 4 percent
of initial claims filed during the month, mostly in executive, legislative,
and general government agencies.
   
   Compared with October 2003, the largest decreases in initial claims
were reported in food and beverage stores (-12,161), administrative and
support services (-6,147), and agriculture and forestry support activities
(-5,450).  The largest over-the-year increases in initial claims were
reported in accommodation (+3,383) and transportation equipment (+2,463).

                                   - 2 -                                                                              

Table A.  Industries with the largest mass-layoff initial claims in October 2004p
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                            |          |      October peak
                   Industry                 | Initial  |-------------------------
                                            |  claims  |  Year   | Initial claims
--------------------------------------------|----------|---------|---------------                                            |          |        |
Temporary help services.....................|  8,113   |  1998   |     18,760
Motion picture and video production.........|  5,673   |  1997   |      7,692
Hotels and motels, except casino hotels.....|  4,282   |  2001   |      5,795
Light truck and utility vehicle mfg. .......|  3,859   |  2001   |      8,763
Professional employer organizations.........|  3,477   |  2001   |      3,523
Fruit and vegetable canning.................|  2,901   |  2002   |      4,500
Automobile manufacturing....................|  2,837   |  2001   |      7,563
Payroll services............................|  2,388   |  2001   |      4,995
Farm labor contractors and crew leaders.....|  2,117   |  1998   |      9,617
Highway, street, and bridge construction....|  2,023   |2003,2004|      2,023
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   p=preliminary.

Geographic Distribution

   Among the four Census regions, the highest number of initial claims in
October due to mass layoffs was reported in the West, 44,250.  (See table 3.)
Motion picture and sound recording industries, administrative and support
services, and food manufacturing accounted for 32 percent of all mass-layoff
initial claims in that region during the month.  The Midwest region was the
next largest, with 35,859 initial claims, followed by the South, with 30,246,
and the Northeast, with 17,419.
   
   The number of initial claimants in mass layoffs fell over the year in two
of the four regions.  The largest decrease was in the West (-24,126), followed
by the Midwest (-7,573).  The South reported an over-the-year increase of 875
initial claims, followed by the Northeast (+358).  Five of the nine geographic
divisions had over-the-year decreases in the number of initial claims asso-
ciated with mass layoffs, with the largest decreases in the Pacific (-23,698)
and West North Central (-6,697) divisions.  The largest over-the-year increase
was in the South Atlantic division (+1,967).
   
   Among the states reporting data this month (Vermont did not provide
data), California recorded the highest number of initial claims filed in
mass layoff events in October (34,896), mostly in motion picture and sound
recording industries and in administrative and support services.  Florida
reported 9,737 initial claims, followed by Ohio (8,193), Illinois (8,019),
and Pennsylvania (7,661).  These five states accounted for 55 percent of
all layoff events and 54 percent of all initial claims for unemployment
insurance.  (See table 4.)
   
   California reported the largest over-the-year decrease in the number of
initial claims (-22,426), followed by Missouri (-3,442) and Iowa (-2,035).
The largest over-the-year increase occurred in Florida (+5,129).
   
   From January to October 2004, California reported 327,746 mass layoff
initial claims, 25 percent of the national total.  The states with the next
largest number of claims over this period were Michigan (83,251), New York
(82,765), Ohio (77,321), and Pennsylvania (72,275).

                                  - 3 -

Note
   
   The monthly data series in this release cover mass layoffs of 50 or
more workers beginning in a given month, regardless of the duration of the
layoffs.  For private nonfarm establishments, information on the length of
the layoff is obtained later and issued in a quarterly release that reports
on mass layoffs lasting more than 30 days (referred to as "extended mass
layoffs").  The quarterly release provides more information on the industry
classification and location of the establishment and on the demographics of
the laid-off workers.  Because monthly figures include short-term layoffs
of 30 days or less, the sum of the figures for the 3 months in a quarter
will be higher than the quarterly figure for mass layoffs of more than 30
days.  (See table 1.)  See the Technical Note for more detailed
definitions.

                      ______________________________

   The report on Mass Layoffs in November 2004 is scheduled to be released
on Thursday, December 23, 2004.

   
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------
   |                 Addition of Seasonally Adjusted Data                  |
   |                                                                       |
   |    Beginning with the release of data for January 2005 in February    |
   | 2005, the Bureau of Labor Statistics will publish seasonally adjusted |
   | mass layoff data series as well as an analysis of significant over-   |
   | the-month changes in those series.  Seasonal adjustment accounts for  |
   | the effects of events that follow a more or less regular pattern each |
   | year, making it easier to observe the cyclical and other nonseasonal  |
   | movements.  Initially, six mass layoff series will be seasonally ad-  |
   | justed--the number of layoff events and the number of associated in-  |
   | itial claims for unemployment insurance for the U.S. total, the pri-  |
   | vate nonfarm sector, and the manufacturing sector.  Historical data   |
   | for each of these series will be available from April 1995 forward.   |
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------  
     

                                   - 4 -                                           

Technical Note
 
 
 
 The Mass Layoff Statistics (MLS) program is a federal-state program that
uses a standardized, automated approach to identifying, describing, and
tracking the effects of major job cutbacks, using data from each state's
unemployment insurance database.  Each month, states report on establish-
ments which have at least 50 initial claims filed against them during a 
consecutive 5-week period.  These establishments then are contacted by the 
state agency to determine whether these separations lasted 31 days or long-
er, and, if so, other information concerning the layoff is collected.  States 
report on layoffs lasting more than 1 month on a quarterly basis.
 
 A given month contains an aggregation of the weekly unemployment insurance 
claims filings for the Sunday through Saturday weeks in that month.  All 
weeks are included for the particular month, except if the first day of the 
month falls on Saturday.  In this case, the week is included in the prior 
month's tabulations.  This means that some months will contain 4 weeks and 
others 5 weeks, and the number of weeks in a given month may be different 
from year to year.  Therefore, analysis of over-the-month and over-the-year 
change should take this calendar effect into consideration.
 
 The MLS program resumed operations in April 1995 after it had been ter-
minated in November 1992 due to lack of funding.  Prior to April 1995,
monthly layoff statistics were not available.
 
 Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired indi-
viduals upon request.  Voice phone: 202-691-5200;  TDD message referral phone 
number:  1-800-877-8339.
 
Definitions
 
 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.
 
 Mass layoff event.  Fifty or more initial claims for unemployment insurance 
benefits filed against an establishment during a 5-week period, regardless of 
duration.

 
 

Table 1. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance, October 2002 to October 2004

                                                                                   Private nonfarm                               

                                 Total mass layoffs                             Extended mass layoffs    
             Date                                       Mass layoffs          lasting more than 30 days     Realization rates(1)   

                                          Initial               Initial                     Initial                    Initial  
                                Events   claimants    Events   claimants        Events     claimants        Events    claimants 
             2002           

October ....................     1,497     171,100     1,270     149,327
November ...................     2,153     240,171     1,860     216,237
December ...................     2,474     264,158     2,324     252,807

Fourth Quarter .............     6,124     675,429     5,454     618,371         1,916       370,592          35.1         59.9

             2003           

January ....................     2,315     225,430     2,130     210,918
February ...................     1,363     124,965     1,222     116,264
March ......................     1,207     113,026     1,099     104,468

First Quarter ..............     4,885     463,421     4,451     431,650         1,502       297,608          33.7         68.9

April ......................     1,581     161,412     1,470     152,937
May ........................     1,703     174,204     1,538     160,729
June .......................     1,691     157,552     1,336     127,743

Second Quarter .............     4,975     493,168     4,344     441,409         1,799       348,966          41.4         79.1

July .......................     2,087     226,435     1,815     206,901
August .....................     1,258     133,839     1,163     124,131
September ..................       868      82,647       756      73,914

Third Quarter ..............     4,213     442,921     3,734     404,946         1,190    (r)227,909          31.9         56.3

October ....................     1,523     158,240     1,265     137,706
November ...................     1,438     138,543     1,234     123,524
December ...................     1,929     192,633     1,793     182,750

Fourth Quarter .............     4,890     489,416     4,292     443,980         1,690    (r)326,328          39.4         73.5

             2004           

January ....................     2,428     239,454     2,226     220,687
February ...................       941      84,201       832      76,577
March ......................       920      92,554       847      87,782

First Quarter ..............     4,289     416,209     3,905     385,046         1,339    (r)238,056          34.3      (r)61.8

April ......................     1,458     157,314     1,316     142,657
May ........................       988      87,501       878      78,786
June .......................     1,379     134,588     1,077     110,804

Second Quarter .............     3,825     379,403     3,271     332,247      (r)1,359    (r)251,970       (r)41.5      (r)75.8

July .......................     2,094     253,929     1,860     234,877
August .....................       809      69,033       745      63,876
September(p) ...............       708      68,972       637      63,102

Third Quarter(p) ...........     3,611     391,934     3,242     361,855        (2)780    (2)101,456          24.1         28.0

October(p) .................     1,241     127,774     1,100     117,231

    1 The event realization rate is the percentage of all private nonfarm mass layoff events lasting more than 30 days. The initial
claimant realization rate is the percentage of all private nonfarm mass layoff initial claimants associated with layoffs lasting
more than 30 days. 
    2 These quarterly numbers are provisional and will be revised as more data on these layoffs become available. Experience
suggests that the number of extended mass layoff events is generally revised upwards by less than 10 percent and the number of
initial claimants associated with such events increases by 25-40 percent. 
    r = revised.
    p = preliminary. 

Table 2. Industry distribution: Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance
                                                 
                                                                                                    Initial claimants for          
                                                             Mass layoff events                     unemployment insurance         
                     Industry                    

                                                   October   August  September October    October      August   September   October
                                                     2003     2004     2004p    2004p       2003        2004      2004p      2004p 

      Total(1) ..................................    1,523      809      708    1,241      158,240     69,033     68,972    127,774

Total, private ..................................    1,453      769      669    1,176      150,713     65,294     64,917    122,258

  Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting ....      188       24       32       76       13,007      1,418      1,815      5,027

 Total, private nonfarm .........................    1,265      745      637    1,100      137,706     63,876     63,102    117,231
  Mining ........................................        5    ( 2 )    ( 2 )        8          343      ( 2 )      ( 2 )        946
  Utilities .....................................    ( 2 )        -    ( 2 )    ( 2 )        ( 2 )          -      ( 2 )      ( 2 )
  Construction ..................................      143       75       65      126       11,422      5,266      4,160      9,512
  Manufacturing .................................      438      194      189      371       53,741     17,698     25,808     48,121
      Food ......................................       96       28       56       78       10,034      2,797      4,848      9,049
      Beverage and tobacco products .............       16        4        3       16        1,237        216        271      1,316
      Textile mills .............................        9       10        6       10        1,533      1,313        701      1,041
      Textile product mills .....................        8    ( 2 )        4        8          881      ( 2 )        438        732
      Apparel ...................................       25       12        9       18        2,592        898      1,878      1,338
      Leather and allied products ...............    ( 2 )    ( 2 )    ( 2 )    ( 2 )        ( 2 )      ( 2 )      ( 2 )      ( 2 )
      Wood products .............................       15        7        4       15        1,163        566        268      2,600
      Paper .....................................       12        3        4        9        1,049        193        369        580
      Printing and related support activities ...       11        6        -        8          998        447          -        548
      Petroleum and coal products ...............    ( 2 )    ( 2 )        -    ( 2 )        ( 2 )      ( 2 )          -      ( 2 )

      Chemicals .................................        7        3    ( 2 )        6          546        189      ( 2 )        380
      Plastics and rubber products ..............       16        9       12       18        1,390        614        976      1,451
      Nonmetallic mineral products ..............       13        4        8       10        1,193        369        759        779
      Primary metals ............................       29       10    ( 2 )       15        3,444        740      ( 2 )      2,312
      Fabricated metal products .................       23       21       11       18        2,093      2,031        794      1,855
      Machinery .................................       35       15       11       19        7,212      1,946      1,118      4,224
      Computer and electronic products ..........       26       12       11       18        2,361        963        742      1,416
      Electrical equipment and appliances .......       11        4        5       17        2,493        293      3,211      2,573
      Transportation equipment ..................       55       30       21       58       10,229      2,846      7,400     12,733
      Furniture and related products ............       15        4       10       13        1,995        394        912      1,637
      Miscellaneous manufacturing ...............       11        7       10       11          883        534        842      1,027

  Wholesale trade ...............................       22       11       14       11        1,760        749      1,028      1,412
  Retail trade ..................................      115       98       68       98       21,870      8,752      5,974      8,550
  Transportation and warehousing ................       37       52       21       34        3,003      5,130      1,692      2,608
  Information ...................................       52       37       26       36        7,755      4,909      3,455      7,597
  Finance and insurance .........................       35       29       16       33        2,541      2,117      1,211      2,914
  Real estate and rental and leasing ............       12    ( 2 )    ( 2 )       10          718      ( 2 )      ( 2 )        697
  Professional and technical services ...........       30       21       19       24        2,447      1,641      1,709      3,994
  Management of companies and enterprises .......    ( 2 )    ( 2 )    ( 2 )    ( 2 )        ( 2 )      ( 2 )      ( 2 )      ( 2 )
  Administrative and waste services .............      233      124      106      188       21,380     10,220     10,255     15,202
  Educational services ..........................    ( 2 )        5    ( 2 )    ( 2 )        ( 2 )        368      ( 2 )      ( 2 )
  Health care and social assistance .............       37       32       15       34        2,407      2,117        975      2,793
  Arts, entertainment, and recreation ...........       28        7       21       30        2,039        459      1,366      2,424
  Accommodation and food services ...............       62       41       61       82        5,176      2,581      4,173      9,152
  Other services, except public administration ..        7       12        8        6          459      1,486        525        482

  Unclassified ..................................        5        2        1        3          343         72         71        309

Government ......................................       70       40       39       65        7,527      3,739      4,055      5,516
  Federal .......................................       20        8        5       22        1,649        602        364      2,185
  State .........................................       16        8        3       19        1,383        800        233      1,648
  Local .........................................       34       24       31       24        4,495      2,337      3,458      1,683

    1 For October 2004, data were reported by all states and the District of Columbia, except Vermont. 
    2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards. 
    p = preliminary.
    NOTE: Dash represents zero. 

Table 3. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance by census region and division
                           
                                                                                      Initial claimants for            
                                          Mass layoff events                          unemployment insurance           
 Census region and division

                             October      August   September   October      October      August    September    October
                               2003        2004      2004p      2004p        2003         2004       2004p       2004p 

      United States (1) ...    1,523        809        708      1,241       158,240      69,033      68,972     127,774

Northeast .................      184        166        101        188        17,061      17,163       8,801      17,419

  New England .............       16         14          9         16         1,157       1,274         637       1,201
  Middle Atlantic .........      168        152         92        172        15,904      15,889       8,164      16,218

South .....................      278        217        204        323        29,371      16,351      19,467      30,246

  South Atlantic ..........      134        116        123        190        13,270       7,914      10,152      15,237
  East South Central ......       44         41         41         58         5,310       3,759       5,643       5,750
  West South Central ......      100         60         40         75        10,791       4,678       3,672       9,259

Midwest ...................      325        151        125        280        43,432      14,653      16,380      35,859

  East North Central ......      264        125         99        219        27,841      11,886      13,827      26,965
  West North Central ......       61         26         26         61        15,591       2,767       2,553       8,894

West ......................      736        275        278        450        68,376      20,866      24,324      44,250

  Mountain ................       47         17         15         43         4,038       1,099       1,163       3,610
  Pacific .................      689        258        263        407        64,338      19,767      23,161      40,640

    1 See footnote 1, table 2.
    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 4. State distribution: Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance
                         
                                                                                       Initial claimants for            
                                         Mass layoff events                            unemployment insurance           
           State         

                           October      August     September    October      October      August    September    October
                             2003        2004        2004p       2004p        2003         2004       2004p       2004p 

   Total (1) ............    1,523         809         708       1,241       158,240      69,033      68,972     127,774

Alabama .................       13          10          18          12         1,671       1,080       1,793       1,477
Alaska ..................        3       ( 2 )       ( 2 )           5           295       ( 2 )       ( 2 )         423
Arizona .................        8           5           -          11           700         353           -         868
Arkansas ................        6           3       ( 2 )           3         1,140         261       ( 2 )         642
California ..............      616         246         246         346        57,322      18,768      21,752      34,896
Colorado ................        8       ( 2 )           3          10           581       ( 2 )         199         829
Connecticut .............        3           4       ( 2 )       ( 2 )           200         268       ( 2 )       ( 2 )
Delaware ................    ( 2 )           -           -           -         ( 2 )           -           -           -
District of Columbia ....        -           -           -           -             -           -           -           -
Florida .................       66          78          86         143         4,608       4,842       6,349       9,737
Georgia .................       23          21          11          16         2,838       1,827         815       1,977
Hawaii ..................        6       ( 2 )       ( 2 )           4           462       ( 2 )       ( 2 )         260
Idaho ...................       10           5           3           3         1,203         266         331         281

Illinois ................       74          30          26          56         7,890       3,358       2,567       8,019
Indiana .................       22          19          19          24         2,118       1,707       2,767       2,235
Iowa ....................       18           5           6          12         3,680         491         764       1,645
Kansas ..................        6           4           4           5           738         587         380         398
Kentucky ................       23          15          11          27         3,136       1,182       2,892       2,792
Louisiana ...............       12          16           5          11         1,045       1,155         402         714
Maine ...................        3       ( 2 )           -           3           180       ( 2 )           -         207
Maryland ................        4       ( 2 )           5           5           256       ( 2 )         529         544
Massachusetts ...........        9           7           6           6           713         678         439         437
Michigan ................       42          25          23          40         4,263       2,409       5,997       3,768
Minnesota ...............       17           7           6          15         2,845         897         441       1,390
Mississippi .............        4           6           3          10           200         613         314         615
Missouri ................       18           6           3          21         8,165         540         195       4,723

Montana .................        5           -           -           5           360           -           -         545
Nebraska ................    ( 2 )       ( 2 )           6           7         ( 2 )       ( 2 )         646         666
Nevada ..................       10           4           7          10           835         302         471         755
New Hampshire ...........    ( 2 )       ( 2 )           -           4         ( 2 )       ( 2 )           -         292
New Jersey ..............       27          26          11          35         2,906       2,979       1,630       3,294
New Mexico ..............    ( 2 )       ( 2 )       ( 2 )       ( 2 )         ( 2 )       ( 2 )       ( 2 )       ( 2 )
New York ................       44          73          31          52         3,855       8,063       2,950       5,263
North Carolina ..........       19           9          10           5         2,039         577         712         417
North Dakota ............        -       ( 2 )       ( 2 )       ( 2 )             -       ( 2 )       ( 2 )       ( 2 )
Ohio ....................       66          23          16          54         7,316       1,822       1,352       8,193
Oklahoma ................       12       ( 2 )       ( 2 )           6         1,614       ( 2 )       ( 2 )       1,382
Oregon ..................       39       ( 2 )           6          29         3,784       ( 2 )         370       2,536
Pennsylvania ............       97          53          50          85         9,143       4,847       3,584       7,661

Rhode Island ............        -       ( 2 )       ( 2 )       ( 2 )             -       ( 2 )       ( 2 )       ( 2 )
South Carolina ..........        7       ( 2 )           6          10           706       ( 2 )         921         688
South Dakota ............        -           -           -           -             -           -           -           -
Tennessee ...............        4          10           9           9           303         884         644         866
Texas ...................       70          40          32          55         6,992       3,201       2,965       6,521
Utah ....................    ( 2 )           -       ( 2 )           -         ( 2 )           -       ( 2 )           -
Vermont .................        -           -           -       ( 1 )             -           -           -       ( 1 )
Virginia ................       14           4           5           9         1,376         272         826       1,555
Washington ..............       25           8           7          23         2,475         753         819       2,525
West Virginia ...........        -       ( 2 )           -       ( 2 )             -       ( 2 )           -       ( 2 )
Wisconsin ...............       60          28          15          45         6,254       2,590       1,144       4,750
Wyoming .................        3           -           -           3           216           -           -         268

Puerto Rico .............        7           9          30           8           567         803       4,059         693

    1 See footnote 1, table 2.
    2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards. 
    p = preliminary.
    NOTE: Dash represents zero.