Technical information: (202) 691-6392

http://www.bls.gov/mls/

Media contact: 691-5902

USDL 05-873

For release: 10:00 A.M. EDT

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 beverage 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 laidoff 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, financial 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 percent, 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 layoff 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

 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 .................. 1,358 278,568 253,787

July-September .......... 886 164,477 148,180

October-December .... 1,427 273,963 262,006

 2005

January-March ........... 989 156,252 127,950

Table A. Selected measures of extended mass layoff activity

Period Layoff events Separations Initial claimants

r = revised.

p = preliminary.

r

p

r

r

The construction sector had 24 percent of events and 16 percent of separations, 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 nonstore

retailers. Administrative and waste services accounted for 11 percent of private nonfarm layoff events and

13 percent of separations, primarily in temporary help services. Cutbacks in transportation and warehousing

accounted for 4 percent of events and 7 percent of separations, mainly in couriers and messengers and in air

transportation.

Information technology-producing industries (communication equipment, communications 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

grouping for a first quarter since 1997. (See table 6.) A year earlier these industries accounted for

6 percent of layoff events and 11,305 separations. Layoffs 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.

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
3

Table B. Extended mass layoff events and separations, selected measures,

first quarter 2005

Action Layoff events Separations

Total private nonfarm ............................. 989 156,252

 Total, excluding seasonal and ...........

 vacation events............................. 651 105,323

 Total events with movement

 of work ................................... 64 14,054

 Movement of work actions...... 82 (3)

 With separations reported .. 60 9,377

 With separations unknown.. 22 (3)

p

The questions on movement of work were not ask employers when the reason for

layoff was either seasonal work or vacation period.

A layoff event can involve more than one movement of work action.

Data not available.

= preliminary.

1

2

 1

 2

 3

p

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 internal 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.
4

Table C. Movement of work actions by type of separation where the number

of separations is known by employers, first quarter 2005

With separations reported .......... 60 9,377

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

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

Action Layoff events Separations

By location

 1 Only actions for which separations associated with the movement of work

were reported are shown.

 p = preliminary.

By company

p

1

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.

Internal company restructuring (bankruptcy, business ownership change, financial difficulty, and reoraganization) accounted for 70 percent of layoff events associated with work relocation and resulted in 10,461

separations during the first quarter. (See table 8.) Most of these were due to reorganization 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).
5

Table D. Summary of employer expectations of a recall from extended

 layoff, first quarter 2004-first quarter 2005

 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

Nature of the recall I

2005

III

2004

IV

2004

II

2004

I

2004 r p

Percentage of events

r = revised.

p = preliminary.

r

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 relocation 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 layoff 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 established for separations due to the

movement of work in the first quarter. (See table 10.)

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 nonseasonal/

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 support services, transportation equipment

manufacturing, and general merchandise stores.
6

 Number Percent Number

Size

 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.

 Percent

Table E. Distribution of extended layoff events by size of layoff,

January-March 2005

Layoff events Separations

p

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.

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 earlier. 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 percent 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.
7

Table F. Mass layoff events and separations, selected metropolitan areas

 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.

Metropolitan area I

2005

I

2004

I

2005

I

2004 p

Events Separations

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

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.

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-
8

Livonia, Mich., with 3,609. (See table F.) Employers located in nonmetropolitan 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 definitions 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.)

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 establishment 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 indicator 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.

______________________________
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. Establishments 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

predominantly 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 multiunit establishment where entire worksites affected by layoffs

are closed or planned to be closed.

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 worksite 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. Therefore, 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 location(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 arrangements?”

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.

Reliability of the data

The identification of establishments and layoff events in the

MLS program and associated characteristics of claimants is
based on administrative data on covered establishments and

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 nonsampling 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

Industry

I IV I I IV I I IV I

2004 2004r 2005p 2004r 2004r 2005p 2004r 2004r 2005p 

 Total, private nonfarm1 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 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 administrative data, will be unaffected and will continue to cover the

in all states and the District of Columbia. Due to budget constraints in the MLS total economy.

program, beginning with data for the first quarter of 2004, the scope of quarterly 

2

 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.

extended mass layoffs and plant closings has been redefined to cover only the 

r

 = revised.

private nonfarm economy. Quarterly information on layoff events in agriculture 

p

 = preliminary.

and government are no longer being collected. However, the monthly reporting NOTE: Dash represents zero.

of the MLS program in the release, Mass Layoffs , which is based only on

Separations Initial claimants for

unemployment insurance Layoff events
Table 2. Reason for layoff: Extended mass layoff events, separations, and initial claimants for unemployment insurance, 

private nonfarm sector, selected quarters, 2004 and 2005

Reason for layoff

I IV I I IV I I IV I

2004 2004r 2005p 2004r 2004r 2005p 2004r 2004r 2005p 

 Total, private nonfarm1 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 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. p = preliminary.

 

2

 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards. NOTE: Dash represents zero.

 r = revised.

Initial claimants for

unemployment insurance Layoff events Separations
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

State

Layoff events initial

claimants Black Hispanic

origin Women Persons age 55and over

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 nonfarm1

 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 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. 

r

 = revised.

 2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards. p

 = preliminary.

 3 Data are not available. 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

Census region and division

Layoff events Separations Initial claimants for

unemployment insurance

I IV I I IV I I IV I

2004 2004r 2005p 2004r 2004r 2005p 2004r 2004r 2005p 

 United States1 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 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. West Virginia; East South Central: Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and 

 r = revised. Tennessee; West South Central: Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and

 p = preliminary. Texas: East North Central: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin;

 NOTE: The States (including the District of Columbia) that comprise the West North Central: Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North

census divisions are: New England: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Dakota, and South Dakota; Mountain: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana,

New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont; Middle Atlantic: New Jersey, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming; and Pacific: Alaska, California,

New York, and Pennsylvania; South Atlantic: Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington.

Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and
Table 5. State distribution: Extended mass layoff events, separations, and initial claimants for unemployment insurance,

private nonfarm sector, selected quarters, 2004 and 2005

State

I IV I I IV I I IV I

2004 2004r 2005p 2004r 2004r 2005p 2004r 2004r 2005p 

 Total, private nonfarm1 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 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. p

 = preliminary.

 2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards. NOTE: Dash represents zero.

 r = revised.

Layoff events Separations Initial claimants for

unemployment insurance
Table 6. Information technology-producing industries: Extended mass layoff events and separations, private nonfarm sector, 1998-2005

Layoff Layoff Layoff Layoff Layoff

events events events events events

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 quarterp

 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 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 , services; computer systems design services; computer facilities management

Economics and Statistics Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. services; other computer related services; office equipment rental and leasing;

 

2

 The industries included in this grouping, based on the 2002 North American Industry and computer and office machine repair.

Classification System (NAICS), are: semiconductor machinery manufacturing; office 

4

 The industries included in this grouping, based on the 2002 North American 

machinery manufacturing; electronic computer manufacturing; computer storage Industry Classification System (NAICS), are: telephone apparatus manufacturing;

device manufacturing; computer terminal manufacturing; other computer peripheral audio and video equipment manufacturing; broadcast and wireless communications

equipment mfg.; electron tube manufacturing; bare printed circuit board manufacturing; equip.; fiber optic cable manufacturing; software reproducing; and magnetic and

semiconductors and related device mfg.; electronic capacitor manufacturing; electronic optical recording media mfg.

resistor manufacturing; electronic coils, transformers, and inductors; electronic 

5

 The industries included in this grouping, based on the 2002 North American 

connector manufacturing; printed circuit assembly manufacturing; other electronic Industry Classification System (NAICS), are: wired telecommunications carriers;

component manufacturing; industrial process variable instruments; electricity and signal cellular and other wireless carriers; telecommunications resellers; cable and other

testing instruments; analytical laboratory instrument mfg.; computer and software program distribution; satellite telecommunications; other telecommunications;

merchant wholesalers; and computer and software stores. and communication equipment repair.

 

3

 The industries included in this grouping, based on the 2002 North American Industry 

6

 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards. 

Classification System (NAICS), are: software publishers; internet service providers; NOTE: Dash represents zero.

web search portals; data processing and related services; computer and software 

r

 = revised. 

merchant wholesalers; computer and software stores; custom computer programming 

p

 = preliminary. 

Communications Communications

Information technology-producing industries1

Total extended

mass layoffs Computer Software and

Separations

Year

Separations Separations Separations Separations

hardware2computer services3equipment4services5
Table 7. Industry distribution: Extended mass layoff events and separations associated with the movement of work,

selected quarters, 2004 and 2005

I IV I I IV I

2004 2004r 2005p 2004 2004r 2005p 

 Total, private nonfarm1 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 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 metals ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 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 appliances ..................................................................................................................................................................... 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. p = preliminary.

 2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards. NOTE: Dash represents zero.

 r = revised.

Layoff events Separations

Industry
Table 8. Reason for layoff: Extended mass layoff events and separations associated with the movement of work, 

selected quarters, 2004 and 2005

I IV I I IV I

2004 2004r 2005p 2004 2004r 2005p 

 Total, private nonfarm1 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 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. r = revised.

 2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards. p = preliminary.

 

3

 The questions on movement of work were not asked of employers NOTE: Dash represents zero.

when the reason for layoff was either seasonal work or vacation period.

Layoff events Separations

Reason for layoff
Table 9. Census region and division: Extended mass layoff events and separations associated with the movement of work,

selected quarters, 2004 and 2005

Census region and division

Layoff events Separations

I IV I I IV I

2004 2004r 2005p 2004 2004r 2005p 

 United States1

 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 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. Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia; East South Central: Alabama, 

 2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards. Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee; West South Central: Arkansas,

 r = revised. Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas: East North Central: Illinois, Indiana, 

 p = preliminary. Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin; West North Central: Iowa, Kansas, 

 NOTE: The States (including the District of Columbia) that comprise Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota; Mountain: 

 the census divisions are: New England: Connecticut, Maine, Massa- Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and 

chusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont; Middle Atlantic: Wyoming; and Pacific: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington.

New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania; South Atlantic: Delaware, Dash represents zero.

District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South 
Table 10. Extended mass layoff events and separations, selected measures, selected quarters, 2004 and 2005

I IV I I IV I

2004 2004r

 2005p 2005 2004r 2005p

Total, private nonfarm1 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,339 1,427 989 276,503 273,963 156,252 

 Total, excluding seasonal

 and vacation events2

 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 980 760 651 213,031 144,104 105,323 

 Total, movement of work3 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 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. 4 Data are not available.

 2 The question on movement of work were not asked of employers r = revised.

when the reason for layoff was either seasonal work or vacation period. p = preliminary.

 3 Movement of work can involve more than one action.

Layoff events Separations

Action
Table 11. Movement of work actions by type of separation where number of separations is known by employers,

selected quarters, 2004 and 2005

I IV I I IV I

2004 2004r

 2005p 2004 2004r 2005p

With separations reported2......................................... 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 r = revised.

work were reported are shown. p = preliminary.

 

2

 See footnote 1, table 1. Note: Dash represents zero.

Actions

Layoff events1 Separations