Technical information: (202) 691-6392

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

Media contact: (202) 691-5902

USDL 08-0204

For release: 10:00 A.M. EST

Thursday, February 14, 2008

EXTENDED MASS LAYOFFS IN THE FOURTH QUARTER OF 2007

AND ANNUAL TOTALS FOR 2007

In the fourth quarter of 2007, there were 1,619 mass layoff events that resulted in the separation of

265,454 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. The construction industry experienced a record high in

both layoff events and separations in the fourth quarter of 2007. Other industries registering fourth quarter

highs in terms of separated workers were arts, entertainment, and recreation and finance and insurance, the

latter mostly due to higher layoff activity in credit intermediation and related activities. Both the total number

of layoff events and the number of separations were lower than during the October-December 2006 time

period. (See table A.) Fourth quarter 2007 layoff data are preliminary and are subject to revision. (See

the Technical Note.)

Among the 7 categories of economic reasons for layoff, the completion of seasonal work accounted for

the highest share of events (42 percent) and number of separations (119,325) in October-December 2007.

Layoffs due to business demand reasons had the next highest proportion of events (34 percent). (See table

B and the chart.) The only category of economic reasons for which the number of separations increased

over the year was financial issues.

Sixty-one extended mass layoff events involved the movement of work and were associated with the

separation of 10,076 workers. (See table C.) These events accounted for 7 percent of the nonseasonal

layoff events and nonseasonal separations.

Permanent closure of worksites occurred in 8 percent of all extended mass layoff events, the lowest

proportion reported since collection began in 1996. Events involving permanent closures affected 27,723

workers, down from 43,158 separations reported during the fourth quarter 2006. Fifty-six percent of

employers reporting an extended layoff in the fourth quarter of 2007 indicated they anticipated some type

of recall, about the same as last year.

The national unemployment rate averaged 4.6 percent, not seasonally adjusted, in the fourth quarter of

2007, up from 4.2 percent a year earlier. Private nonfarm payroll employment, not seasonally adjusted,

increased by 0.9 percent, or about 1.1 million, over the year.

For all of 2007, the total number of extended mass layoff events was 5,170, affecting 931,053 workers.

While the total number of layoff events increased in 2007 from a year earlier, the number of separations

News

Bureau of Labor Statistics Washington, D.C. 20212

United States

Department 

of Labor
2

Table A. Selected measures of extended mass layoff activity

Period Layoff events Separations Initial claimants

r

 = revised.

p = preliminary.

 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 ............ 1,339 276,503 238,392

April-June ................... 1,358 278,831 254,063

July-September ........... 886 164,608 148,575

October-December ..... 1,427 273,967 262,049

 2005

January-March ............ 1,142 186,506 185,486

April-June ................... 1,203 246,099 212,673

July-September ........... 1,136 201,878 190,186

October-December ..... 1,400 250,178 246,188

 2006

January-March ............ 963 183,089 193,510

April-June ................... 1,353 295,964 264,927

July-September ........... 929 160,254 161,764

October-December r... 1,640 296,662 330,901

 2007

January-March .......... 1,111 226,074 199,295

April-June r................. 1,421 278,719 258,812

July-September r......... 1,019 160,806 172,508

October-December p... 1,619 265,454 234,612

r

decreased over the period. Additional information on the annual data is available starting on page 8 of this

release.

Industry Distribution of Extended Layoffs

Construction industries experienced a record high number of extended mass layoff events (622) and

separations (78,716) in the fourth quarter of 2007. (See table 1.) The largest number of separations was

in heavy and civil engineering construction (44,151, mostly associated with highway, street, and bridge

construction), followed by specialty trade contractors (22,559) and construction of buildings (12,006).

Manufacturing accounted for 24 percent of events and 27 percent of separations in the fourth quarter,

largely in food manufacturing and transportation equipment manufacturing. Layoffs in the administrative and

waste services sector accounted for 8 percent of all extended mass layoff events and 7 percent of separations. The layoffs in this sector were concentrated in landscaping services. Cutbacks in the finance and
3

 Number Percent Number

Category

 p = preliminary.

 Percent

Table B. Distribution of extended layoff events and separations by

economic reason categories, October-December 2007

Layoff events Separations

p

 Total ............................ 1,619 100.0 265,454 100.0

Business demand ............... 548 33.8 73,241 27.6

Organizational changes....... 81 5.0 21,122 8.0

Financial issues .................. 111 6.9 22,238 8.4

Production specific ............ 22 1.4 3,655 1.4

Disaster/safety ................... 5 .3 692 .3

Seasonal............................ 683 42.2 119,325 45.0

Other/miscellaneous ........... 169 10.4 25,181 9.5

insurance sector accounted for 6 percent of events and separations and were primarily in the credit

intermediation and related activities industry.

Information technology-producing industries (communications equipment, communications services, computer hardware, and software and computer services) accounted for 24 extended mass layoff events and

3,351 separations during the fourth quarter of 2007, the lowest figures reported for any quarter since 2000.

(See table 6.)

Reasons for Extended Layoffs

Among the seven categories of economic reasons for extended mass layoffs, 42 percent of the events

were related to seasonal factors (seasonal and vacation period). These events resulted in 119,325 separations during the fourth quarter of 2007. (See table 2.) Seasonal job cuts were most numerous in heavy and

civil engineering construction (highway, street, and bridge construction), amusements, gambling, and recreation

(amusement and theme parks), and in specialty trade contractors (nonresidential site preparation contractors).

Business demand reasons (contract cancellation, contract completion, domestic competition, excess

inventory, import competition, and slack work) accounted for 34 percent of the extended layoff events and

resulted in 73,241 separations, primarily in specialty trade contractors and in heavy and civil engineering

construction.

Job losses related to financial issues (bankruptcy, cost control, and financial difficulty) accounted for 7

percent of events and resulted in 22,238 separations. These layoffs were most common among workers in

credit intermediation and related activities and in hospitals.

Over-the-year decreases in separations were reported in 6 of the 7 categories of economic reasons for

layoffs, with the largest declines in organizational change (-14,995) and seasonal (-10,207). Separations due

to financial issues registered the only over-the-year increase (+8,169).

Movement of Work
4

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

fourth quarter 2007

Action Layoff events Separations

p

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

layoff was either seasonal work or vacation period.

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

 Data are not available. 3

 p = preliminary.

 Total, private nonfarm.............................. 1,619 265,454

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

 and vacation events .................... 936 146,129

 Total events with movement .........

 of work ................................. 61 10,076

 Movement of work actions ......... 80 ( 3 )

 With separations reported ...... 61 6,682

 With separations unknown.. 19 ( 3 )

2

1

Between October and December of 2007, 61 extended mass layoff events involved the movement of

work and were associated with the separation of 10,076 workers. (See table C.) These movements of

work were to other domestic locations or to locations outside of the U.S., and they occurred either within the

same company or to other companies. A year earlier, there were 69 layoff events and 15,782 separations

associated with the movement of work. (See table 10.)

Among the 61 extended mass layoff events with reported relocation of work in the fourth quarter of

2007, 66 percent were permanent closures of worksites, which affected 7,147 workers. In comparison,

8 percent of the total extended mass layoff events reported for the quarter involved the permanent closure

of worksites.

Of the layoffs involving the movement of work, 70 percent of the events and 71 percent of the laid-off

workers were from manufacturing industries during the fourth quarter. (See table 7.) Among all private

nonfarm extended layoffs, manufacturing accounted for 24 percent of the events and 27 percent of the

separations.

While 5 percent of the extended mass layoff events in the total private nonfarm economy were because of

organizational change, such changes accounted for 44 percent of layoff events associated with work relocation

and resulted in 4,605 separations during the fourth quarter. (See table 8.)

Among the regions, the Midwest accounted for the largest proportion of workers affected by extended

mass layoffs associated with the movement of work (57 percent), followed by the South (21 percent), the

Northeast (14 percent), and the West (9 percent). (See table 9.)
5

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

of separations is known by employers, fourth quarter 2007

Activities Actions Separations

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

were reported are shown.

 p = preliminary.

p

1

With separations reported .......... 61 6,682

 By location

Out-of-country relocations.... 24 2,667

Within company................ 23 2,580

Different company ............ 1 87

Domestic relocations ............ 37 4,015

Within company................ 36 3,835

Different company ............ 1 180

 By company

Within company ................... 59 6,415

Domestic .......................... 36 3,835

Out of country .................. 23 2,580

Different company ................ 2 267

Domestic .......................... 1 180

Out of country .................. 1 87

Some extended mass layoff events involve more than one relocation of work action. For example, an

extended mass layoff event at an employer 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. The 61 extended layoff events with movement of work for the fourth quarter of 2007

involved 80 identifiable relocations of work. (See table C.) 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. Of the 80 relocations, employers were able to provide information on the specific

number of separations associated with the movement of work component of the layoff in 61 actions involving

6,682 workers. (See table 10.)

In the 61 actions where employers were able to provide more complete separations information, 97 percent of relocations (59 out of 61) occurred within the same company. (See table D.) Sixty-one percent of

these relocations (37 out of 61) were domestic reassignments, while 39 percent involved out-of-country

moves (24 out of 61). Domestic relocation of work—both within the company and to other companies—

affected 4,015 workers. Out-of-country relocations were associated with the separation of 2,667 workers,

2 percent of all nonseasonal and nonvacation extended mass layoff separations. (See table 11.)
6

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

 layoff, fourth quarter 2006-fourth quarter 2007

Nature of the recall IV

2007

II

2007

III

2007

Anticipate a recall.................... 56.7 40.1 57.1 37.9 56.5

 Timeframe

Within 6 months ...................... 89.8 83.6 87.5 83.9 88.0

Within 3 months ................... 38.9 51.3 59.7 62.7 33.7

 Size

At least half............................. 93.5 87.2 93.3 86.0 91.1

All workers .......................... 53.7 38.6 57.2 45.6 50.3

IV

2006 r p

Percentage of events

r

 = revised.

p

 = preliminary.

I

2007

Recall Expectations

Fifty-six percent of employers reporting an extended layoff in the fourth quarter of 2007 indicated they

anticipated some type of recall, about the same as a year earlier. (See table E.) Of those employers

expecting to recall workers, 50 percent anticipated recalling all of the separated employees, 91 percent

anticipated extending the offer to at least half of all laid-off employees, and 88 percent expected a recall

within 6 months.

Excluding layoff events due to seasonal work and vacation period (in which 98 percent of the employers

expected a recall), employers anticipated recalling laid-off workers in 26 percent of the events, essentially

unchanged from 27 percent a year earlier.

Size of Extended Layoffs

The average size of a layoff (as measured by separations per layoff event) in the fourth quarter 2007 was

164, compared to 181 per layoff in 2006. The average differed widely by industry, ranging from a low of

75 in clothing and clothing accessories stores to a high of 776 in transit and ground passenger transportation.

Layoff events during October-December 2007 continued to be concentrated at the lower end of the

extended layoff-size spectrum, with 69 percent of the events involving fewer than 150 workers. Layoffs

involving less than 150 workers accounted for 36 percent of all separations during the period, compared to

32 percent in the fourth quarter of 2006. Separations involving 500 or more workers, while comprising only

4 percent of the events, accounted for 24 percent of all separations, down from 28 percent a year earlier.

(See table F.)
7

 Number Percent Number

Size

p

 = preliminary.

 Percent

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

fourth quarter 2007

Layoff events Separations

p

 Total ........... 1,619 100.0 265,454 100.0

 50-99 ............... 720 44.5 50,227 18.9

 100-149 ........... 392 24.2 46,512 17.5

 150-199 ........... 163 10.1 26,985 10.2

 200-299 ........... 175 10.8 40,286 15.2

 300-499 ........... 104 6.4 36,636 13.8

 500-999 ........... 43 2.7 28,790 10.8

 1,000 or more .. 22 1.4 36,018 13.6

Initial Claimant Characteristics

A total of 234,612 initial claimants for unemployment insurance were associated with extended mass

layoffs in the fourth quarter of 2007. Of these claimants, 12 percent were black, 18 percent were Hispanic,

29 percent were women, 36 percent were 30 to 44 years of age, and 16 percent were 55 years of age or

older. (See table 3.) Among persons in the civilian labor force for the same period, 11 percent were black,

14 percent were Hispanic, 47 percent were women, 33 percent were age 30 to 44, and 18 percent were 55

years of age or older.

Geographic Distribution

Among the 4 census regions, the highest number of separations due to extended mass layoff events in the

fourth quarter of 2007 was in the Midwest, with 110,899, followed by the West, with 79,404. (See table

4.) Extended mass layoffs in the Midwest were largely in heavy and civil engineering construction and in

specialty trade contractors.

The Midwest region reported the largest over-the-year decrease in separations (-20,206), mainly due to

fewer layoffs in transportation equipment manufacturing, followed by the South (-10,900). The West region

experienced the only over-the-year increase in separations (+9,190), due in part to layoffs in food manufacturing. Six of the 9 geographic divisions reported over-the-year decreases in laid-off workers, with the

largest declines occurring in the East North Central (-18,848) and South Atlantic (-11,507) divisions. The

Pacific division reported the largest increase in separations (+12,536).

California recorded the largest number of worker separations (58,922), followed by Illinois (30,467),

Ohio (19,959), Michigan (16,067), Wisconsin (12,107), and Minnesota (12,047). These six states accounted for 59 percent of total extended mass layoff events and 56 percent of total separations during the

fourth quarter of 2007. (See table 5.) After excluding the substantial impact of seasonal reasons, California

still reported the highest number of job cuts (49,548), largely due to layoffs in credit intermediation and

related activities and in specialty trade contractors.
8

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

 revised.

 

p

 = preliminary.

 NOTE: The geographic boundaries of the metropolitan areas shown in this table are

defined in Office of Management and Budget Bulletin 07-01, December 18, 2006.

Metropolitan area

Total, nonmetropolitan areas ................................. 259 189 36,079

Total, 369 metropolitan areas................................ 858 814 155,348

Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, Ill.-Ind.-Wis............. 92 100 14,974

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, Calif. ...... 72 91 10,589

Detroit-Warren-Livonia, Mich. ......................... 45 45 12,224

New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island,

 N.Y.-N.J.-Pa. ............................................... 44 38 5,338

Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, ...................

 Minn.-Wis. .................................................... 41 37 6,565

Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, Calif. .......... 20 39 1,842

Medford, Ore................................................... 3 3 3,680

San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, Calif. ........... 12 30 1,678

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif. ............. 14 15 3,282

San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, Calif. ............ 22 33 2,294

IV

2006

IV

2007

 IV

2006 p

Events Separations

r p r

IV

2007

Over the year, Michigan reported the greatest decrease in separated workers in extended layoffs during

the fourth quarter (-9,307), followed by Florida (-8,514) and New York (-4,182). The largest increases

occurred in California (+18,483), Tennessee (+5,073), and Iowa (+2,288).

Fifty percent of events and 46 percent of separations (121,829) occurred in metropolitan areas in the

fourth quarter of 2007, compared with 52 percent of events and 52 percent of separations (155,348) during

the fourth quarter of 2006. Among the 369 metropolitan areas, Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, Ill.-Ind.-Wis.,

reported the highest number of separations (15,687) in the fourth quarter of 2007. Next were Los AngelesLong Beach-Santa Ana, Calif., with 11,691 separations and Detroit-Warren-Livonia, Mich., with 9,541

separations. (See table G.) Employers located in nonmetropolitan areas separated 36,446 workers in

extended mass layoffs, essentially unchanged from 36,079 workers in the fourth quarter of 2006.

Review of 2007

For all of 2007, employers reported 5,170 extended mass layoff actions, affecting 931,053 workers.

Compared to 2006, the number of events was up from 4,885, but the number of separations was down

slightly from 935,969. (See table H.) The annual average national unemployment rate remained unchanged

at 4.6 percent from 2006, while private nonfarm payroll employment increased by 1.1 percent, or 1,310,000

jobs.

36,446

121,829

15,687

11,691

9,541

6,610

5,874

4,086

3,250

3,171

2,991

2,828

r

=
9

Year Layoff events Initial claimants

Table H. Selected measures of mass layoff activity, 1996-2007

Separations

 1996 .......................... 4,760 948,122 805,810

 1997 .......................... 4,671 947,843 879,831

 1998 .......................... 4,859 991,245 1,056,462

 1999 .......................... 4,556 901,451 796,917

 2000 .......................... 4,591 915,962 846,267

 2001 .......................... 7,375 1,524,832 1,457,512

 2002 .......................... 6,337 1,272,331 1,218,143

 2003 .......................... 6,181 1,216,886 1,200,811

 2004 .......................... 5,010 993,909 903,079

 2005 .......................... 4,881 884,661 834,533

 2006 .......................... 4,885 935,969 951,102

 2007 .......................... 5,170 931,053 865,227

Eleven percent of extended events in 2007 were permanent closures, accounting for 124,937 worker

separations. Permanent closures were most numerous in the manufacturing sector, primarily in transportation

equipment manufacturing, plastics and rubber products, food, and computer and electronic products. When

compared with 2006, layoff activity resulting in permanent closures decreased in 2007.

In 2007, employers expected a recall in 49 percent of the mass layoff events, down from 52 percent of

events in 2006.

Industry Distribution of Extended Layoffs

Manufacturing had the largest share of extended events and separations in 2007—25 percent of both.

Separations were most numerous in transportation equipment manufacturing (59,150, mainly in motor vehicle

manufacturing) and in food manufacturing (42,541, largely fruit and vegetable canning and fresh and frozen

seafood processing). Compared to 2006, 13 of the 21 manufacturing subgroups had decreases in the number of separations, with the largest decreases occurring in transportation equipment manufacturing (-22,128)

and food manufacturing (-7,688). Fabricated metal product manufacturing had the largest increase (+2,650),

followed by machinery manufacturing (+2,404) and wood product manufacturing (+2,209).

The construction, and finance and insurance industries, both had the highest levels of layoff events and

separations since the series began in 1996. Construction layoffs were primarily concentrated in heavy and

civil engineering construction (highway, street, and bridge construction), and layoffs in finance and insurance

were highest in credit intermediation and related activities (real estate credit).

Reasons for Extended Layoffs

In 2007, seasonal factors (seasonal and vacation period) were the most-cited reason for layoff among the

seven categories, accounting for 35 percent of all layoff events and 38 percent of all separations, unchanged

from 2006. Seasonal layoffs in 2007 occurred primarily in transit and ground passenger transportation, heavy

and civil engineering construction, and food services and drinking places.

r

p

 r = revised.

 p preliminary = .
10

Layoff activity due to business demand reasons (contract cancellation, contract completion, domestic

competition, excess inventory, import competition, and slack work) also accounted for 35 percent of the

extended mass layoff events and resulted in 237,301 separations. Business demand layoffs occurred largely

among specialty trade contractors, transportation equipment manufacturing, administrative and support

services, and heavy and civil engineering construction.

Over-the-year decreases in separations were reported in 5 of the 7 categories of economic reasons

for layoffs, with the largest declines in organizational change (-27,228) and in business demand reasons

(-20,577). Separations due to financial issues (+50,042) increased over the year.

Movement of Work

In 2007, there were 259 extended mass layoff events that involved work moving within the same

company or to a different company, domestically or out of the U.S. The events involving movement of work

were associated with the separation of 45,212 workers, about 8 percent of all separations resulting from

nonseasonal/nonvacation mass layoff events. Sixty-nine percent of events with movement of work involved

the permanent closure of a worksite, affecting 32,444 workers. Manufacturing industries accounted for more

than two-thirds of the events and separations involving movement of work, mostly in transportation equipment

manufacturing and in computer and electric product manufacturing. Among the regions, the South accounted

for the largest proportion of laid-off workers associated with the movement of work (34 percent), followed

by the Midwest (31 percent).

As part of the 259 layoff events, 342 identifiable movement-of-work actions were taken by employers.

Employers were able to provide information on specific separations associated with the movement of work

component of the layoff in 248 actions (out of the 342), which totaled 29,709 laid-off workers. Thus for

2007, the number of separations due to the movement of work ranged between 29,709 (separations in

movement-of-work actions where the employer was able to provide specific detail) to 45,212 (total separations in all layoff events that included movement of work).

Of the 248 movement-of-work actions for which complete information is available, 2 out of 3 relocations

were to other locations within the U.S., and 88 percent involved moving work within the company. The

separation of 11,526 workers was associated with out-of-country relocations, which accounts for 39 percent

of the separations related to the movement of work and 2 percent of all separations in nonseasonal/nonvacation extended mass layoff events.

Geographic Distribution

The West reported more workers affected by extended mass layoffs in 2007 than any other region,

333,954. In the West, food and beverage stores had the largest number of separations, with 51,365,

followed by credit intermediation and related activities, and specialty trade contractors. The South region

reported the lowest annual number of separations (152,509). Compared to 2006, 3 of the 4 geographic

regions reported a decrease in laid-off workers, with the largest decline in the South (-47,302). The West

had the only over-the-year increase (+86,650).

Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, California reported the largest number of separated

workers in 2007 (252,805), the highest number of annual separations since 2003 and the highest number of

extended mass layoff events in the program’s history. States with the next highest number of separations due

to extended mass layoffs were Illinois (81,719), Michigan (53,504), New York (51,755), Ohio (43,831),

and New Jersey (41,389). These six states accounted for 55 percent of events and 56 percent of
11

separations in 2007. Florida recorded the largest over-the-year decline in separations (-41,635); California

had the largest over-the-year increase in the number of separations (+91,998).

Among the 369 metropolitan areas, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, Calif., reported the highest

number of separations, 45,824. The next highest numbers of separations were in Chicago-Naperville-Joliet,

Ill.-Ind.-Wis., with 35,424 and New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, N.Y.-N.J.-Pa., with 34,287.

Employers located in nonmetropolitan areas separated 101,238 workers in mass layoffs during 2007,

essentially unchanged from 2006.

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 employer filing initial claims for unemployment insurance during a consecutive 5-week period. Approximately 30 days after a mass layoff is triggered, the employer is contacted for

additional information. Data for the fourth 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 January 2008 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, February 27,

2008.

 Upcoming Changes to Mass Layoff Data

With the release of January 2008 data on February 27, 2008, the Mass Layoff

Statistics program will revise the basis for industry classification from the 2002 North

American Industry Classification System (NAICS) to the 2007 NAICS. The new

classification reflects minor definitional changes within manufacturing, telecommunications,

financial activities, and professional, scientific, and technical services. Several industry

titles and descriptions will also be updated.

For additional information on the 2007 NAICS, see http://www.census.gov/epcd/

www/naics.html.
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. Employers 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. Employers 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

Employer. Employers in the MLS program include those

covered by state unemployment insurance laws. Information

on employers is obtained from the Quarterly Census of

Employment and Wages (QCEW) program, which is

administered by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Extended layoff event. Fifty or more initial claims for

unemployment insurance benefits from an employer 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 employer beginning in a given

month, regardless of duration.

Worksite closure. The complete closure of either multi-unit

or single-unit employers or the partial closure of a multi-unit

employer where entire worksites affected by layoffs are closed

or planned to be closed.

Revisions to preliminary data

The latest quarterly data in this news release are considered

preliminary. After the initial publication of quarterly

information, more data are collected as remaining employer

interviews for the quarter are completed and additional initial

claimant information associated with extended layoff events is

received.

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 employers 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 employers and layoff events are not

subject to sampling error, and all such employers are asked the

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 fourth quarter of 2007, outright

refusal to participate in the employer interview accounted for 3.3

percent of all private nonfarm events. Although included in the

total number of instances involving the movement of work, for

the fourth quarter, employers in 19 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, 2006 and 2007

Industry

IV III IV IV III IV IV III IV

 2006r 2007r 2007p 2006r 2007r 2007p 2006r 2007r 2007p 

 Total, private nonfarm1 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,640 1,019 1,619 296,662 160,806 265,454 330,901 172,508 234,612 

 Mining ..................................................................................................................................................................... 29 4 21 4,632 677 2,890 4,798 530 1,973 

 Utilities ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 – ( 2

 ) 454 – ( 2 ) 517 – ( 2 ) 

 Construction ..................................................................................................................................................................... 567 187 622 72,481 17,315 78,716 87,619 28,053 72,476 

 Manufacturing ..................................................................................................................................................................... 479 269 385 93,795 43,329 71,611 130,869 53,469 79,252 

 Food ..................................................................................................................................................................... 78 30 65 18,402 5,833 15,624 20,263 6,608 13,700 

 Beverage and tobacco products ..................................................................................................................................................................... 11 ( 2

 ) 5 971 ( 2 ) 572 1,065 ( 2 ) 545 

 Textile mills ..................................................................................................................................................................... 13 9 11 2,504 2,730 1,808 3,135 4,552 2,925 

 Textile product mills ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 3 ( 2

 ) 743 908 ( 2 ) 1,370 918 ( 2 ) 

 Apparel ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9 16 9 836 1,706 1,344 893 1,788 1,161 

 Leather and allied products ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 – ( 2

 ) 408 – ( 2 ) 227 – ( 2 ) 

 Wood products ..................................................................................................................................................................... 44 21 39 5,134 2,756 5,545 7,963 3,496 5,463 

 Paper ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 5 5 633 893 759 691 882 729 

 Printing and related support activities ..................................................................................................................................................................... 8 ( 2

 ) 14 1,004 ( 2 ) 2,142 1,192 ( 2 ) 1,318 

 Petroleum and coal products ..................................................................................................................................................................... 20 – 15 2,931 – 2,100 3,146 – 2,021 

 Chemicals ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4 6 7 521 463 1,836 439 583 1,489 

 Plastics and rubber products ..................................................................................................................................................................... 24 11 14 3,838 1,213 2,577 4,563 1,617 1,864 

 Nonmetallic mineral products ..................................................................................................................................................................... 39 8 52 6,319 919 7,114 7,585 1,074 6,710 

 Primary metals ..................................................................................................................................................................... 16 9 13 1,678 1,486 2,378 2,189 2,331 2,294 

 Fabricated metal products ..................................................................................................................................................................... 28 21 20 3,512 3,093 2,712 4,419 3,574 2,578 

 Machinery ..................................................................................................................................................................... 20 18 21 2,563 3,608 4,056 3,946 3,546 5,463 

 Computer and electronic products ..................................................................................................................................................................... 20 27 10 5,913 5,957 1,595 3,135 4,911 1,017 

 Electrical equipment and appliances ..................................................................................................................................................................... 14 5 11 4,493 328 2,873 7,304 441 6,568 

 Transportation equipment ..................................................................................................................................................................... 84 54 49 25,957 8,694 12,100 52,231 14,582 19,794 

 Furniture and related products ..................................................................................................................................................................... 23 14 14 3,333 1,411 1,876 3,553 1,124 1,976 

 Miscellaneous manufacturing ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9 7 6 2,102 791 1,574 1,560 995 851 

 Wholesale trade ..................................................................................................................................................................... 26 19 35 3,140 2,336 3,990 3,145 1,838 3,319 

 Retail trade ..................................................................................................................................................................... 70 59 63 27,329 10,094 15,372 22,430 11,481 9,632 

 Transportation and warehousing ..................................................................................................................................................................... 33 84 39 4,964 15,251 8,976 4,841 14,498 6,421 

 Information ..................................................................................................................................................................... 23 18 26 2,724 2,415 3,825 4,141 2,713 5,016 

 Finance and insurance ..................................................................................................................................................................... 52 134 93 11,269 25,563 15,429 8,112 24,368 13,000 

 Real estate and rental and leasing ..................................................................................................................................................................... 5 8 6 401 1,194 859 412 1,354 742 

 Professional and technical services ..................................................................................................................................................................... 33 35 43 5,479 5,144 7,724 7,159 5,728 6,959 

 Management of companies and enterprises ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 8 8 1,182 782 1,392 1,129 1,043 876 

 Administrative and waste services ..................................................................................................................................................................... 165 60 127 30,030 8,225 18,697 31,253 9,349 16,431 

 Educational services ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 9 ( 2

 ) 266 1,323 ( 2 ) 458 1,726 ( 2 ) 

 Health care and social assistance ..................................................................................................................................................................... 20 49 22 3,352 9,708 4,661 2,516 5,001 3,217 

 Arts, entertainment, and recreation ..................................................................................................................................................................... 41 22 45 13,589 6,118 17,219 5,283 2,734 4,664 

 Accommodation and food services ..................................................................................................................................................................... 73 40 65 20,100 8,622 11,520 14,813 6,978 8,472 

 Other services, except public administration ..................................................................................................................................................................... 12 13 13 1,475 2,560 1,843 1,406 1,572 1,464 

 Unclassified ..................................................................................................................................................................... – 1 – – 150 – – 73 –

 

 1 For the fourth quarter of 2007, data on layoffs were reported by employers r = revised.

in all states and the District of Columbia. p = preliminary.

 

2

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

Layoff events Separations Initial claimants for

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

private nonfarm sector, selected quarters, 2006 and 2007

Reason for layoff

IV III IV IV III IV IV III IV

 2006r 2007r 2007p 2006r 2007r 2007p 2006r 2007r 2007p 

 Total, private nonfarm1 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,640 1,019 1,619 296,662 160,806 265,454 330,901 172,508 234,612 

Business demand ..................................................................................................................................................................... 565 421 548 81,305 49,268 73,241 135,626 72,956 84,227 

 Contract cancellation ..................................................................................................................................................................... 19 15 16 2,159 2,320 3,028 2,311 1,723 2,368 

 Contract completion ..................................................................................................................................................................... 312 201 260 41,797 20,331 29,753 58,169 31,535 31,133 

 Domestic competition ..................................................................................................................................................................... – 3 ( 2

 ) – 254 ( 2 ) – 208 ( 2 ) 

 Excess inventory/saturated market ..................................................................................................................................................................... – 6 ( 2

 ) – 1,551 ( 2 ) – 1,641 ( 2 ) 

 Import competition ..................................................................................................................................................................... 22 16 15 3,245 3,273 2,786 3,318 3,601 2,740 

 Slack work/insufficient demand/non-seasonal

 business slowdown ........................................... 212 180 245 34,104 21,539 36,180 71,828 34,248 46,652 

Organizational changes ..................................................................................................................................................................... 143 99 81 36,117 17,717 21,122 30,333 17,208 15,369 

 Business-ownership change ..................................................................................................................................................................... 25 27 20 11,279 4,990 9,279 4,580 3,472 4,710 

 Reorganization or restructuring of company ..................................................................................................................................................................... 118 72 61 24,838 12,727 11,843 25,753 13,736 10,659 

Financial issues ..................................................................................................................................................................... 64 123 111 14,069 29,267 22,238 11,609 24,108 18,698 

 Bankruptcy ..................................................................................................................................................................... 15 21 14 2,229 6,819 4,480 1,814 2,904 2,265 

 Cost control/cost cutting/increase profitability ..................................................................................................................................................................... – 36 35 – 6,130 6,915 – 8,023 9,195 

 Financial difficulty ..................................................................................................................................................................... 49 66 62 11,840 16,318 10,843 9,795 13,181 7,238 

Production specific ..................................................................................................................................................................... 28 ( 2

 ) 22 9,168 ( 2 ) 3,655 5,159 ( 2 ) 4,066 

 Automation/technological advances ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 4 ( 2

 ) 271 1,468 ( 2 ) 353 1,293 ( 2 ) 

 Energy related ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) – – ( 2 ) – – ( 2 ) – –

 Governmental regulations/intervention ..................................................................................................................................................................... – 4 ( 2

 ) – 997 ( 2 ) – 604 ( 2 ) 

 Labor dispute/contract negotiations/strike ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) 7 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 1,177 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 1,774 

 Material or supply shortage ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) – ( 2 ) ( 2 ) – ( 2 ) ( 2 ) – ( 2 ) 

 Model changeover ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) – ( 2 ) ( 2 ) – ( 2 ) ( 2 ) – ( 2 ) 

 Plant or machine repair/maintenance ..................................................................................................................................................................... 7 ( 2

 ) 8 1,714 ( 2 ) 1,360 1,094 ( 2 ) 815 

 Product line discontinued ..................................................................................................................................................................... 11 – ( 2

 ) 4,329 – ( 2 ) 1,781 – ( 2 ) 

Disaster/safety ..................................................................................................................................................................... 8 ( 2

 ) 5 733 ( 2 ) 692 1,249 ( 2 ) 632 

 Hazardous work environment ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) – ( 2 ) ( 2 ) – ( 2 ) ( 2 ) –

 Natural disaster (not weather related) ..................................................................................................................................................................... – ( 2

 ) – – ( 2 ) – – ( 2 ) –

 Non-natural disaster ..................................................................................................................................................................... – ( 2

 ) – – ( 2 ) – – ( 2 ) –

 Extreme weather-related event ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) – 5 ( 2 ) – 692 ( 2 ) – 632 

Seasonal ..................................................................................................................................................................... 697 218 683 129,532 40,361 119,325 119,430 34,465 86,355 

 Seasonal ..................................................................................................................................................................... 691 123 679 128,648 23,314 119,043 118,713 20,066 85,959 

 Vacation period–school related or otherwise ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 95 4 884 17,047 282 717 14,399 396 

Other/miscellaneous ..................................................................................................................................................................... 135 140 169 25,738 19,623 25,181 27,495 20,406 25,265 

 Other ..................................................................................................................................................................... 18 9 10 3,726 1,363 1,642 5,540 2,050 2,069 

 Data not provided: refusal ..................................................................................................................................................................... 49 43 53 9,990 6,003 7,871 9,990 6,000 7,872 

 Data not provided: does not know ..................................................................................................................................................................... 68 88 106 12,022 12,257 15,668 11,965 12,356 15,324 

 

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 3. State and selected claimant characteristics: Extended mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance, 

private nonfarm sector, third and fourth quarters, 2007

Total Percent of total

State

Layoff events initial

claimants Black Hispanic

origin Women Persons age 55and over

III IV III IV III IV III IV III IV III IV

 2007r 2007p 2007r 2007p 2007r 2007p 2007r 2007p 2007r 2007p 2007r 2007p 

 Total, private nonfarm1 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,019 1,619 172,508 234,612 15.5 12.2 18.4 17.6 42.5 29.2 18.2 16.3 

Alabama ..................................................................................................................................................................... 8 8 1,411 1,128 69.5 58.2 4.5 3.0 45.2 46.7 18.0 16.9 

Alaska ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) 7 ( 2 ) 904 4.1 3.2 26.3 13.7 27.8 25.0 21.8 16.5 

Arizona ..................................................................................................................................................................... 8 5 1,578 733 7.9 16.4 24.9 32.9 55.7 50.3 12.2 7.1 

Arkansas ..................................................................................................................................................................... 7 8 1,107 2,718 46.7 20.5 4.5 1.2 31.3 35.1 9.8 22.7 

California ..................................................................................................................................................................... 317 422 50,397 57,132 8.3 6.9 36.6 38.3 39.5 35.2 13.6 13.9 

Colorado ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) 15 ( 2 ) 1,804 2.9 2.5 12.7 41.0 59.5 13.7 24.3 18.8 

Connecticut ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) 8 ( 2 ) 976 13.2 13.7 7.8 6.7 58.9 34.0 16.3 22.0 

Delaware ..................................................................................................................................................................... – ( 2

 ) – ( 2 ) – 7.8 – 7.8 – 30.1 – 63.1 

District of Columbia ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 98.6 54.7 1.4 17.2 83.8 62.5 4.9 7.8 

Florida ..................................................................................................................................................................... 50 59 5,986 5,660 15.4 13.0 28.9 25.4 46.2 40.2 18.4 20.4 

Georgia ..................................................................................................................................................................... 21 15 4,594 3,479 44.0 33.6 5.3 9.3 58.5 41.2 17.7 16.6 

Hawaii ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 3 344 317 11.6 11.4 9.9 10.1 32.6 21.1 23.3 11.7 

Idaho ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 7 1,137 1,051 1.8 .4 11.6 24.5 34.7 30.5 17.5 15.4 

Illinois ..................................................................................................................................................................... 70 178 12,863 21,260 25.5 13.2 11.1 22.8 44.1 19.0 15.6 12.6 

Indiana ..................................................................................................................................................................... 14 45 3,363 10,380 9.8 12.5 3.4 4.3 43.9 25.4 22.8 14.7 

Iowa ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4 19 614 4,853 2.9 1.8 5.2 4.6 36.8 24.3 9.4 17.1 

Kansas ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 8 476 1,105 8.4 12.0 .6 6.2 43.9 25.2 29.4 17.6 

Kentucky ..................................................................................................................................................................... 13 15 1,433 1,721 8.2 2.5 .1 .1 26.6 12.0 22.1 17.3 

Louisiana ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4 8 738 728 26.4 66.1 .4 1.6 20.7 17.7 30.6 16.3 

Maine ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4 8 310 902 1.0 1.3 – .2 48.7 27.6 15.2 19.0 

Maryland ..................................................................................................................................................................... 12 19 1,394 2,359 34.7 32.3 .9 .1 57.3 35.2 16.3 20.0 

Massachusetts ..................................................................................................................................................................... 22 25 4,696 2,452 14.3 8.4 2.5 .8 48.2 27.6 23.1 19.6 

Michigan ..................................................................................................................................................................... 29 94 8,027 21,569 24.2 21.9 2.8 7.2 41.3 25.2 12.4 17.4 

Minnesota ..................................................................................................................................................................... 8 75 1,159 8,892 .8 2.7 2.7 9.4 24.5 14.5 18.8 16.8 

Mississippi ..................................................................................................................................................................... 5 4 588 613 78.1 64.4 1.7 .2 74.7 26.8 12.8 20.9 

Missouri ..................................................................................................................................................................... 21 33 2,523 3,093 26.7 7.5 .3 .4 52.0 27.5 20.5 25.1 

Montana ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – – – – – – – – – – –

Nebraska ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) 6 ( 2 ) 520 2.1 2.1 1.4 9.8 41.8 7.9 21.3 30.8 

Nevada ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) 9 ( 2 ) 1,262 15.5 7.4 25.7 20.8 54.3 24.6 32.9 18.5 

New Hampshire ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) 3 ( 2 ) 337 – 1.2 1.9 1.8 38.9 5.6 59.3 29.4 

New Jersey ..................................................................................................................................................................... 30 37 4,234 4,309 22.2 15.3 8.5 11.5 49.9 41.0 22.2 24.1 

New Mexico ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 3 1,156 377 4.4 1.6 40.5 79.0 34.3 51.7 17.2 29.4 

New York ..................................................................................................................................................................... 135 50 23,233 8,327 17.9 9.8 16.8 9.2 49.3 29.0 28.0 18.0 

North Carolina ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 5 943 656 23.5 44.4 9.0 2.0 61.5 35.1 20.6 26.1 

North Dakota ..................................................................................................................................................................... – 8 – 962 – .5 – 3.2 – 12.3 – 17.4 

Ohio ..................................................................................................................................................................... 28 116 5,577 16,512 13.1 13.2 1.6 3.1 28.5 24.0 16.7 14.2 

Oklahoma ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4 ( 2

 ) 363 ( 2 ) 17.4 3.6 7.2 5.4 62.0 30.4 19.8 3.6 

Oregon ..................................................................................................................................................................... 12 22 1,695 5,392 .8 1.5 21.6 27.4 46.6 38.6 14.5 17.9 

Pennsylvania ..................................................................................................................................................................... 72 62 14,114 12,841 6.6 6.2 3.6 4.3 34.5 36.8 22.3 20.6 

Rhode Island ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4 6 411 700 3.2 2.7 27.3 12.9 80.5 32.3 20.0 15.7 

South Carolina ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 12 1,134 1,457 60.9 72.5 .6 .1 60.9 56.7 8.7 9.4 

South Dakota ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) – – 1.6 14.7 65.6 34.7 40.6 37.3 

Tennessee ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9 27 1,031 4,497 22.4 40.3 – .1 59.8 40.0 19.1 25.3 

Texas ..................................................................................................................................................................... 24 29 5,217 4,048 20.3 19.6 30.1 41.3 42.6 37.0 11.7 11.2 

Utah ..................................................................................................................................................................... 5 11 570 1,631 1.9 .9 14.4 14.4 17.7 10.4 4.4 11.6 

Vermont ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) 4 ( 2 ) 399 – – – .5 35.7 26.6 17.2 22.8 

Virginia ..................................................................................................................................................................... 10 18 887 1,527 19.7 43.9 2.6 5.2 44.8 52.5 23.1 19.4 

Washington ..................................................................................................................................................................... 15 15 1,979 2,323 4.3 4.0 14.0 33.9 31.9 33.0 15.9 18.1 

West Virginia ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) 6 ( 2 ) 500 – .4 – – 17.6 8.8 16.0 15.8 

Wisconsin ..................................................................................................................................................................... 11 76 2,787 9,832 1.2 4.2 15.2 8.0 27.7 14.3 24.9 13.4 

Wyoming ..................................................................................................................................................................... – ( 2

 ) – ( 2 ) – 1.3 – – – 40.8 – 34.2 

Puerto Rico ..................................................................................................................................................................... 11 8 2,647 1,213 .1 .1 97.1 98.5 63.2 55.0 11.1 13.8 

 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.
Table 4. Census region and division: Extended mass layoff events, separations, and initial claimants for unemployment insurance, 

private nonfarm sector, selected quarters, 2006 and 2007

Census region and division

Layoff events Separations Initial claimants for

unemployment insurance

IV III IV IV III IV IV III IV

 2006r 2007r 2007p 2006r 2007r 2007p 2006r 2007r 2007p 

 United States1 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,640 1,019 1,619 296,662 160,806 265,454 330,901 172,508 234,612 

Northeast ..................................................................................................................................................................... 293 271 203 45,223 46,902 35,931 58,821 47,392 31,243 

 New England ..................................................................................................................................................................... 52 34 54 9,957 8,696 11,055 7,959 5,811 5,766 

 Middle Atlantic ..................................................................................................................................................................... 241 237 149 35,266 38,206 24,876 50,862 41,581 25,477 

South ..................................................................................................................................................................... 279 182 237 50,120 26,981 39,220 49,384 27,093 31,314 

 South Atlantic ..................................................................................................................................................................... 171 108 137 32,139 15,450 20,632 31,115 15,205 15,805 

 East South Central ..................................................................................................................................................................... 55 35 54 8,559 5,471 11,325 7,569 4,463 7,959 

 West South Central ..................................................................................................................................................................... 53 39 46 9,422 6,060 7,263 10,700 7,425 7,550 

Midwest ..................................................................................................................................................................... 657 191 659 131,105 32,557 110,899 149,932 37,594 99,053 

 East North Central ..................................................................................................................................................................... 504 152 509 105,530 26,161 86,682 122,480 32,617 79,553 

 West North Central ..................................................................................................................................................................... 153 39 150 25,575 6,396 24,217 27,452 4,977 19,500 

West ..................................................................................................................................................................... 411 375 520 70,214 54,366 79,404 72,764 60,429 73,002 

 Mountain ..................................................................................................................................................................... 68 26 51 14,289 6,237 10,943 10,703 5,201 6,934 

 Pacific ..................................................................................................................................................................... 343 349 469 55,925 48,129 68,461 62,061 55,228 66,068 

 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, 2006 and 2007

State

IV III IV IV III IV IV III IV

 2006r 2007r 2007p 2006r 2007r 2007p 2006r 2007r 2007p 

 Total, private nonfarm1 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,640 1,019 1,619 296,662 160,806 265,454 330,901 172,508 234,612 

Alabama ..................................................................................................................................................................... 15 8 8 3,228 1,714 1,489 2,768 1,411 1,128 

Alaska ..................................................................................................................................................................... 12 ( 2

 ) 7 4,548 ( 2 ) 1,486 2,088 ( 2 ) 904 

Arizona ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4 8 5 554 2,014 782 524 1,578 733 

Arkansas ..................................................................................................................................................................... 5 7 8 2,411 1,083 1,140 1,367 1,107 2,718 

California ..................................................................................................................................................................... 288 317 422 40,439 42,041 58,922 50,141 50,397 57,132 

Colorado ..................................................................................................................................................................... 17 ( 2

 ) 15 3,067 ( 2 ) 3,193 2,316 ( 2 ) 1,804 

Connecticut ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9 ( 2

 ) 8 2,135 ( 2 ) 1,543 1,754 ( 2 ) 976 

Delaware ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – ( 2

 ) – – ( 2 ) – – ( 2 ) 

District of Columbia ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

Florida ..................................................................................................................................................................... 82 50 59 16,355 8,199 7,841 14,812 5,986 5,660 

Georgia ..................................................................................................................................................................... 22 21 15 2,811 2,285 2,813 4,233 4,594 3,479 

Hawaii ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 3 3 836 503 447 794 344 317 

Idaho ..................................................................................................................................................................... 13 3 7 1,800 1,280 1,523 1,818 1,137 1,051 

Illinois ..................................................................................................................................................................... 181 70 178 33,328 13,488 30,467 30,604 12,863 21,260 

Indiana ..................................................................................................................................................................... 48 14 45 8,264 2,211 8,082 10,058 3,363 10,380 

Iowa ..................................................................................................................................................................... 17 4 19 1,448 491 3,736 5,238 614 4,853 

Kansas ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9 3 8 1,096 333 1,027 1,372 476 1,105 

Kentucky ..................................................................................................................................................................... 23 13 15 2,959 1,975 2,385 2,649 1,433 1,721 

Louisiana ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9 4 8 2,143 813 1,624 1,151 738 728 

Maine ..................................................................................................................................................................... 8 4 8 1,459 341 1,827 1,293 310 902 

Maryland ..................................................................................................................................................................... 20 12 19 2,280 1,377 2,460 3,088 1,394 2,359 

Massachusetts ..................................................................................................................................................................... 24 22 25 5,215 7,348 5,969 3,718 4,696 2,452 

Michigan ..................................................................................................................................................................... 105 29 94 25,374 5,166 16,067 47,956 8,027 21,569 

Minnesota ..................................................................................................................................................................... 83 8 75 12,921 1,163 12,047 13,355 1,159 8,892 

Mississippi ..................................................................................................................................................................... 5 5 4 702 796 708 594 588 613 

Missouri ..................................................................................................................................................................... 36 21 33 8,607 4,174 5,370 6,250 2,523 3,093 

Montana ..................................................................................................................................................................... 12 – – 1,676 – – 1,727 – –

Nebraska ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) 6 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 859 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 520 

Nevada ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 ( 2

 ) 9 1,139 ( 2 ) 854 1,328 ( 2 ) 1,262 

New Hampshire ..................................................................................................................................................................... 5 ( 2

 ) 3 490 ( 2 ) 415 540 ( 2 ) 337 

New Jersey ..................................................................................................................................................................... 45 30 37 9,737 6,927 6,805 7,150 4,234 4,309 

New Mexico ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9 6 3 1,501 1,156 387 1,501 1,156 377 

New York ..................................................................................................................................................................... 105 135 50 13,690 24,583 9,508 19,966 23,233 8,327 

North Carolina ..................................................................................................................................................................... 12 6 5 1,086 761 503 1,508 943 656 

North Dakota ..................................................................................................................................................................... 5 – 8 1,128 – 962 982 – 962 

Ohio ..................................................................................................................................................................... 96 28 116 22,570 3,882 19,959 18,485 5,577 16,512 

Oklahoma ..................................................................................................................................................................... 5 4 ( 2

 ) 603 413 ( 2 ) 1,360 363 ( 2 ) 

Oregon ..................................................................................................................................................................... 19 12 22 7,514 1,813 6,217 6,215 1,695 5,392 

Pennsylvania ..................................................................................................................................................................... 91 72 62 11,839 6,696 8,563 23,746 14,114 12,841 

Rhode Island ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) 4 6 ( 2 ) 464 779 ( 2 ) 411 700 

South Carolina ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9 6 12 1,713 1,493 1,510 1,571 1,134 1,457 

South Dakota ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

Tennessee ..................................................................................................................................................................... 12 9 27 1,670 986 6,743 1,558 1,031 4,497 

Texas ..................................................................................................................................................................... 34 24 29 4,265 3,751 4,398 6,822 5,217 4,048 

Utah ..................................................................................................................................................................... 8 5 11 1,507 604 2,004 1,243 570 1,631 

Vermont ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4 ( 2

 ) 4 472 ( 2 ) 522 472 ( 2 ) 399 

Virginia ..................................................................................................................................................................... 17 10 18 6,676 963 4,653 4,065 887 1,527 

Washington ..................................................................................................................................................................... 18 15 15 2,588 1,387 1,389 2,823 1,979 2,323 

West Virginia ..................................................................................................................................................................... 7 ( 2

 ) 6 1,016 ( 2 ) 673 1,636 ( 2 ) 500 

Wisconsin ..................................................................................................................................................................... 74 11 76 15,994 1,414 12,107 15,377 2,787 9,832 

Wyoming ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) – ( 2 ) ( 2 ) – ( 2 ) ( 2 ) – ( 2 ) 

Puerto Rico ..................................................................................................................................................................... 14 11 8 2,038 938 557 2,916 2,647 1,213 

 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, 2000-2007

2000

First quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,081 202,500 22 5,195 8 1,931 9 1,402 4 771 

Second quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,055 205,861 18 8,862 11 1,580 7 805 7 977 

Third quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 817 174,628 10 1,678 9 1,132 4 1,465 6 1,280 

Fourth quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,638 332,973 16 3,070 20 3,297 5 946 7 1,020 

 Total ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4,591 915,962 66 18,805 48 7,940 25 4,618 24 4,048 

2001

First quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,546 304,171 91 20,991 34 5,710 22 4,441 24 5,312 

Second quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,828 430,499 161 38,986 75 10,219 36 12,109 28 6,386 

Third quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,629 330,391 142 24,813 45 5,724 39 8,200 36 7,134 

Fourth quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 2,372 459,771 109 17,797 51 7,767 43 10,124 48 11,252 

 Total ..................................................................................................................................................................... 7,375 1,524,832 503 102,587 205 29,420 140 34,874 136 30,084 

2002

First quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,611 299,266 84 18,574 35 3,824 32 8,192 42 6,664 

Second quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,624 344,606 69 11,764 39 4,326 27 4,870 53 8,538 

Third quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,186 255,152 76 15,017 36 4,359 34 6,529 42 7,945 

Fourth quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,916 373,307 74 14,298 27 6,180 19 3,645 39 8,987 

 Total ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6,337 1,272,331 303 59,653 137 18,689 112 23,236 176 32,134 

2003

First quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,502 286,947 71 11,900 28 5,214 23 4,402 41 6,591 

Second quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,799 368,273 54 9,221 20 2,856 21 3,098 29 5,891 

Third quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,190 236,333 46 6,488 24 4,189 9 1,289 15 2,604 

Fourth quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,690 325,333 25 5,080 8 1,167 9 1,619 28 6,635 

 Total ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6,181 1,216,886 196 32,689 80 13,426 62 10,408 113 21,721 

2004

First quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,339 276,503 27 3,222 13 2,786 8 894 23 4,197 

Second quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,358 278,831 18 2,959 15 2,775 – – 22 5,295 

Third quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 886 164,608 13 2,288 14 1,467 4 430 13 4,317 

Fourth quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,427 273,967 18 3,055 10 1,547 4 563 23 3,457 

 Total ..................................................................................................................................................................... 5,010 993,909 76 11,524 52 8,575 16 1,887 81 17,266 

2005

First quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,142 186,506 13 1,526 9 2,355 4 439 17 3,569 

Second quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,203 246,099 20 2,973 13 1,558 4 842 11 1,904 

Third quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,136 201,878 23 3,307 7 1,034 2 1,075 11 1,127 

Fourth quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,400 250,178 19 4,122 3 720 3 644 8 1,125 

 Total ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4,881 884,661 75 11,928 32 5,667 13 3,000 47 7,725 

2006

First quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 963 183,089 12 1,159 6 744 ( 6

 ) ( 6 ) 7 833 

Second quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,353 295,964 10 3,294 7 1,564 8 988 7 1,252 

Third quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 929 160,254 14 3,544 6 487 ( 6

 ) ( 6 ) 11 1,831 

Fourth quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,640 296,662 12 4,039 4 708 5 1,482 9 1,017 

 Total ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4,885 935,969 48 12,036 23 3,503 19 3,753 34 4,933 

2007

First quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,111 r 226,074 19 3,007 5 875 3 415 5 885 

Second quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,421 r 278,719 22 3,634 4 413 5 433 6 592 

Third quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... r

 1019

 r 160,806 22 5,279 7 1,117 4 403 4 342 

Fourth quarterp ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,619 265,454 7 1,173 5 960 3 352 9 866 

 Totalp ..................................................................................................................................................................... 5,170 931,053 70 13,093 21 3,365 15 1,603 24 2,685 

 

1

 Information technology-producing industries are defined in Digital Economy 2003 , services; computer systems design services; computer facilities management

(U.S. Department of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration, 2003). services; other computer related services; office equipment rental and leasing;

In the MLS program, however, computer and software merchant wholesalers and and computer and office machine repair.

computer and software stores are only included in the computer hardware industry. 

4

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

 

2

 The industries included in this grouping, based on the 2002 North American Industry Industry Classification System (NAICS), are: telephone apparatus manufacturing;

Classification System (NAICS), are: semiconductor machinery manufacturing; office audio and video equipment manufacturing; broadcast and wireless communications

machinery manufacturing; electronic computer manufacturing; computer storage equip.; fiber optic cable manufacturing; software reproducing; and magnetic and

device manufacturing; computer terminal manufacturing; other computer peripheral optical recording media mfg.

equipment mfg.; electron tube manufacturing; bare printed circuit board manufacturing; 

5

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

semiconductors and related device mfg.; electronic capacitor manufacturing; electronic Industry Classification System (NAICS), are: wired telecommunications carriers;

resistor manufacturing; electronic coils, transformers, and inductors; electronic cellular and other wireless carriers; telecommunications resellers; cable and other

connector manufacturing; printed circuit assembly manufacturing; other electronic program distribution; satellite telecommunications; other telecommunications;

component manufacturing; industrial process variable instruments; electricity and signal and communication equipment repair.

testing instruments; analytical laboratory instrument mfg.; computer and software 

6

 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards. 

merchant wholesalers; and computer and software stores. NOTE: Dash represents zero.

 

3

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

r

 = revised. 

Classification System (NAICS), are: software publishers; internet service providers; 

p

 = preliminary. 

web search portals; data processing and related services; custom computer programming

Separations

services5

Layoff

events Separations Layoff

events

equipment4

Layoff

events

Layoff

events Separations Separations

computer services3

Year

Total extended

mass layoffs

Information technology-producing industries1

Computer Software and Communications Communications

hardware2

Layoff

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

selected quarters, 2006 and 2007

IV III IV IV III IV

2006 2007r 2007p 2006 2007r 2007p 

 Total, private nonfarm1 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 69 63 61 15,782 12,361 10,076 

 Mining ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – – – – –

 Utilities ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – – – – –

 Construction ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – – – – –

 Manufacturing ..................................................................................................................................................................... 50 45 43 12,775 8,949 7,189 

 Food ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 ( 2

 ) 3 559 ( 2 ) 683 

 Beverage and tobacco products ..................................................................................................................................................................... – ( 2

 ) – – ( 2 ) –

 Textile mills ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4 5 ( 2

 ) 1,120 1,505 ( 2 ) 

 Textile product mills ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

 Apparel ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) 5 – ( 2 ) 660 –

 Leather and allied products ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) – – ( 2 ) – –

 Wood products ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – – – – –

 Paper ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – ( 2

 ) – – ( 2 ) 

 Printing and related support activities ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) 3 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 411 

 Petroleum and coal products ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – – – – –

 Chemicals ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – ( 2

 ) – – ( 2 ) 

 Plastics and rubber products ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 5 ( 2

 ) 468 595 ( 2 ) 

 Nonmetallic mineral products ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

 Primary metals ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) 3 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 388 

 Fabricated metal products ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 3 5 525 462 879 

 Machinery ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4 3 ( 2

 ) 515 565 ( 2 ) 

 Computer and electronic products ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) 3 3 ( 2 ) 1,924 620 

 Electrical equipment and appliances ..................................................................................................................................................................... 7 ( 2

 ) 5 3,198 ( 2 ) 1,310 

 Transportation equipment ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9 6 10 1,664 1,059 1,438 

 Furniture and related products ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

 Miscellaneous manufacturing ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 3 – 842 188 –

 Wholesale trade ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) 5 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 678 ( 2 ) 

 Retail trade ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

 Transportation and warehousing ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) 754 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

 Information ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) – 3 ( 2 ) – 252 

 Finance and insurance ..................................................................................................................................................................... 7 7 5 1,028 1,612 860 

 Real estate and rental and leasing ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) – – ( 2 ) – –

 Professional and technical services ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) 3 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 577 

 Management of companies and enterprises ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – ( 2

 ) – – ( 2 ) 

 Administrative and waste services ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 – ( 2

 ) 427 – ( 2 ) 

 Educational services ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – – – – –

 Health care and social assistance ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – – – – –

 Arts, entertainment, and recreation ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – – – – –

 Accommodation and food services ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – – – – –

 Other services, except public administration ..................................................................................................................................................................... – ( 2

 ) – – ( 2 ) –

 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.

Industry

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

selected quarters, 2006 and 2007

Reason for layoff

IV III IV IV III IV

 2006r 2007r 2007p 2006r 2007r 2007p 

 Total, private nonfarm1 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 69 63 61 15,782 12,361 10,076 

Business demand ..................................................................................................................................................................... 12 17 ( 2

 ) 2,129 3,303 ( 2 ) 

 Contract cancellation ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

 Contract completion ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) – ( 2 ) ( 2 ) –

 Domestic competition ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – – – – –

 Excess inventory/saturated market ..................................................................................................................................................................... – ( 2

 ) – – ( 2 ) –

 Import competition ..................................................................................................................................................................... 7 10 7 1,463 2,269 1,165 

 Slack work/insufficient demand/non-seasonal

 business slowdown ........................................... ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

Organizational changes ..................................................................................................................................................................... 43 23 27 8,340 4,723 4,605 

 Business-ownership change ..................................................................................................................................................................... 5 4 5 1,160 903 1,325 

 Reorganization or restructuring of company ..................................................................................................................................................................... 38 19 22 7,180 3,820 3,280 

Financial issues ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) 18 18 ( 2 ) 3,763 2,981 

 Bankruptcy ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – – – – –

 Cost control/cost cutting/increase profitability ..................................................................................................................................................................... – ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) – ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

 Financial difficulty ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

Production specific ..................................................................................................................................................................... 8 ( 2

 ) – 4,016 ( 2 ) –

 Automation/technological advances ..................................................................................................................................................................... – ( 2

 ) – – ( 2 ) –

 Energy related ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – – – – –

 Governmental regulations/intervention ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – – – – –

 Labor dispute/contract negotiations/strike ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – – – – –

 Material or supply shortage ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – – – – –

 Model changeover ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – – – – –

 Plant or machine repair/maintenance ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – – – – –

 Product line discontinued ..................................................................................................................................................................... 8 – – 4,016 – –

Disaster/safety ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – – – – –

 Hazardous work environment ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – – – – –

 Natural disaster (not weather related) ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – – – – –

 Non-natural disaster ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – – – – –

 Extreme weather-related event ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – – – – –

Other/miscellaneous ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

 Other ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

 Data not provided: refusal ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – – – – –

 Data not provided: does not know ..................................................................................................................................................................... – ( 2

 ) – – ( 2 ) –

 

1

 See footnote 1, table 1. 

r

 = revised.

 

2

 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards. 

p

 = preliminary.

 NOTE: Dash represents zero.

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

selected quarters, 2006 and 2007

Census region and division Layoff events Separations

IV III IV IV III IV

2006 2007r 2007p 2006 2007r 2007p 

 United States1 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 69 63 61 15,782 12,361 10,076 

Northeast ..................................................................................................................................................................... 10 9 9 2,006 1,400 1,362 

 New England ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) 3 3 ( 2 ) 514 562 

 Middle Atlantic ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) 6 6 ( 2 ) 886 800 

South ..................................................................................................................................................................... 20 29 16 5,292 5,292 2,102 

 South Atlantic ..................................................................................................................................................................... 10 14 8 2,086 2,321 902 

 East South Central ..................................................................................................................................................................... 7 ( 2

 ) 5 1,206 ( 2 ) 512 

 West South Central ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 ( 2

 ) 3 2,000 ( 2 ) 688 

Midwest ..................................................................................................................................................................... 28 15 28 5,933 2,706 5,747 

 East North Central ..................................................................................................................................................................... 20 8 22 4,469 1,355 4,140 

 West North Central ..................................................................................................................................................................... 8 7 6 1,464 1,351 1,607 

West ..................................................................................................................................................................... 11 10 8 2,551 2,963 865 

 Mountain ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

 Pacific ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

 1 See footnote 1, table 1. District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South 

 2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards. Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia; East South Central: Alabama, 

 r = revised. Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee; West South Central: Arkansas,

 p = preliminary. Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas: East North Central: Illinois, Indiana, 

 NOTE: The States (including the District of Columbia) that comprise Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin; West North Central: Iowa, Kansas, 

the census divisions are: New England: Connecticut, Maine, Massa- Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota; Mountain: 

chusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont; Middle Atlantic: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and 

New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania; South Atlantic: Delaware, Wyoming; and Pacific: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington.
Table 10. Extended mass layoff events and separations, selected measures, selected quarters, 2006 and 2007

IV III IV IV III IV

2006 2007r

 2007p

2006 2007r

 2007p

Total, private nonfarm1 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,640 1,019 1,619 296,662 160,806 265,454 

 Total, excluding seasonal

 and vacation events2 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 943 801 936 167,130 120,445 146,129 

 Total, movement of work3 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 69 63 61 15,782 12,361 10,076 

 Movement of work actions ..................................................................................................................................................................... 94 87 80 ( 4 ) ( 4 ) ( 4 )

 With separations reported ..................................................................................................................................................................... 66 60 61 10,462 7,159 6,682 

 With separations unknown ..................................................................................................................................................................... 28 27 19 ( 4 ) ( 4 ) ( 4 )

 1 See footnote 1, table 1. 4 Data are not available.

 2 The questions 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.

Action

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

selected quarters, 2006 and 2007

IV III IV IV III IV

2006 2007r

 2007p

2006 2007r

 2007p

With separations reported2 

.............................................. 66 60 61 10,462 7,159 6,682 

By location

 Out-of-country relocations ..............................................27 21 24 5,581 3,187 2,667 

 Within company ...................................................................................... 24 11 23 5,426 1,504 2,580 

 Different company ........................................................................................... 3 10 1 155 1,683 87 

 Domestic relocations .......................................................................................... 39 38 37 4,881 3,793 4,015 

 Within company ......................................................................................... 35 34 36 4,494 3,396 3,835 

 Different company .......................................................................................... 4 4 1 387 397 180 

 Unable to assign place of 

 relocation ........................................................................................... – 1 – – 179 –

By company

 Within company .......................................................................................... 59 46 59 9,920 5,079 6,415 

 Domestic .......................................................................................... 35 34 36 4,494 3,396 3,835 

 Out of country .......................................................................................... 24 11 23 5,426 1,504 2,580 

 Unable to assign ......................................................................................... – 1 – – 179 –

 Different company ......................................................................................... 7 14 2 542 2,080 267 

 Domestic .......................................................................................... 4 4 1 387 397 180 

 Out of country .......................................................................................... 3 10 1 155 1,683 87 

 Unable to assign .......................................................................................... – – – – – –

 

1

 Only actions for which separations associated with the r = revised.

movement of work were reported are shown. p = preliminary.

 

2

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

Activities

Actions1 Separations
Extended Mass Layoff Events by Reason Ca

Fourth quarters, 2001-07

0

900

800

700

600

500

400

300

200

100

1000

2001:4 2002:4 2003:4 2004:4 2005:4 

Seasonal Business demand Organizational changes Financial issues Prod

1 The chart excludes information on layoffs due to other/miscellaneous reasons.

p = preliminary.