Technical information: (202) 691-6392

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

Media contact: 691-5902

For release: 10:00 A.M. EDT

Thursday, June 26, 2003

 USDL 03-331

MASS LAYOFFS IN MAY 2003

Employers initiated 1,699 mass layoff actions in May 2003, as measured by new filings for unemployment

insurance benefits during the month, according to data from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor

Statistics. Each action involved at least 50 persons from a single establishment, and the number of workers

involved totaled 173,784. (See table 1.) Compared with a year ago, both the number of layoff events and

the number of workers involved declined slightly. From January through May 2003, the total number of

events, at 8,159, and initial claims, at 798,185, were lower than in January-May 2002—8,222 and 910,009,

respectively.

The monthly data series in this release cover mass layoffs of 50 or more workers beginning in a given

month, regardless of the duration of the layoffs. Information on the length of the layoff is obtained later and

issued in a quarterly release that reports on mass layoffs lasting more than 30 days (referred to as “extended

mass layoffs”) and provides more information on the industry classification and location of the establishment

and on the demographics of the laid-off workers. Because monthly figures include short-term layoffs of 30

days or less, the sum of the figures for the 3 months in a quarter will be higher than the quarterly figure for

mass layoffs of more than 30 days. (See table 1.) See the Technical Note for more detailed definitions.

Industry Distribution

Temporary help services, with 11,087 claims, accounted for over 6 percent of all initial claims in May.

(See table A.) Despite declining mass layoff activity in 2003, 5 of the 10 industries with the highest number

of mass-layoff initial claims recorded their peak May level this year.

The manufacturing sector accounted for 29 percent of all mass layoff events and 35 percent of all initial

claims filed in May. A year ago, manufacturing accounted for 28 percent of events and 29 percent of initial

claims. The total number of initial claims in the sector this May, at 61,174, has only been exceeded in May

2001. The number of claimants was highest in transportation equipment (13,288, mainly in automobile manufacturing), followed by food production (7,592) and machinery manufacturing (6,179). (See table 2.)

The administrative and waste services sector accounted for 12 percent of events and 11 percent of initial

claims filed in May, with layoffs mostly in temporary help services. Construction accounted for 9 percent of

events and 8 percent of initial claims during the month, primarily among specialty trade contractors. Seven

percent of the events and initial claims were from retail trade, mostly from general merchandise stores, largely

in discount department stores. Six percent of all layoff events and initial claims filed during this May were in

accommodations and food services, mostly in food services and drinking places.
2

Government establishments accounted for 7 percent of events and 6 percent of initial claims filed during

the month; layoffs were largely in educational services. The 10,158 initial claims in this sector were the most

for any May since the series began in 1995.

Compared with May 2002, the largest decreases in initial claims were reported in administrative and

support services (-6,651), motion picture and sound recording (-2,347), and general merchandise stores

(-2,249). The largest over-the-year increase in initial claims was reported in transportation equipment

manufacturing (+6,474).

Geographic Distribution

Among the four regions, the highest number of initial claims in May due to mass layoffs was reported

in the West, 51,991. (See table 3.) Administrative and support services and motion picture and sound

recording accounted for 28 percent of all initial claims in that region during the month. The South followed,

with 48,321 initial claims, then the Midwest, with 46,401, and the Northeast, with 27,071.

The number of initial claimants in mass layoffs declined over the year in two of the four regions, with

the largest decrease in the West (-9,724). The Northeast had the largest over-the-year increase (+2,073).

Five of the nine geographic divisions had over-the-year decreases in the number of initial claims associated

with mass layoffs, with the largest decline in the Pacific (-10,804). The East North Central division had the

largest increase (+3,088).

California recorded the largest number of initial claims filed in mass layoff events this May, 41,857,

mostly in administrative and support services and in motion picture and sound recording. Texas reported

12,535, followed by New York (11,375) and Pennsylvania (10,893). These four states accounted for

49 percent of all layoff events and 44 percent of initial claims for unemployment insurance. (See table 4.)

California reported the largest over-the-year decrease in the number of initial claims (-8,206), followed

by Texas (-4,335). The largest over-the-year increases occurred in New York (+4,590) and Oklahoma

(+3,893).

Table A. Industries with largest mass layoff initial claims in May 2003

Industry Initial claims

May peak

Year Initial claims

Temporary help services.................................. 11,087 2002 16,992

Automobile manufacturing................................ 7,851 2003 7,851

Food service contractors................................. 5,711 1998 7,267

Motion picture and video production............... 5,577 1999 8,985

School and employee bus transportation.......... 3,747 2003 3,747

Child day care services ................................... 3,720 2002 3,894

Industrial building construction ......................... 3,463 2003 3,463

Professional employer organizations ................. 3,446 2003 3,446

Iron and steel mills .......................................... 2,487 2003 2,487

Other social advocacy organizations ................ 2,363 2002 2,500

p

p=preliminary.
3

From January to May 2003, California registered 204,939 mass layoff initial claims, 26 percent of the

national total. The states with the next largest number of claims during this period were Pennsylvania

(55,102), New York (48,168), Ohio (43,576), and Texas (42,733).

______________________________

The report on Mass Layoffs in June 2003 will be issued on Thursday, July 24, 2003.
Technical Note

The Mass Layoff Statistics (MLS) program is a federal-state

program that uses a standardized, automated approach to identifying,

describing, and tracking the effects of major job cutbacks, using data

from each state’s unemployment insurance database. Each month,

states report on establishments which have at least 50 initial claims

filed against them during a consecutive 5-week period. These

establishments then are contacted by the state agency to determine

whether these separations lasted 31 days or longer, and, if so, other

information concerning the layoff is collected. States report on layoffs

lasting more than 1 month on a quarterly basis.

A given month contains an aggregation of the weekly unemployment

insurance claims filings for the Sunday through Saturday weeks in that

month. All weeks are included for the particular month, except if the

first day of the month falls on Saturday. In this case, the week is

included in the prior month's tabulations. This means that some

months will contain 4 weeks and others 5 weeks, and the number of

weeks in a given month may be different from year to year. Therefore,

analysis of over-the-month and over-the-year change should take this

calendar effect into consideration.

The MLS program resumed operations in April 1995 after it

had been terminated in November 1992 due to lack of funding. Prior

to April 1995, monthly layoff statistics were not available.

Information in this release will be made available to sensory

impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-691-5200;

TDD message referral phone number: 1-800-877-8339.

Definitions

Initial claimant. A person who files any notice of unemployment to initiate a request either for a determination of entitlement to and eligibility for compensation, or for a subsequent

period of unemployment within a benefit year or period of

eligibility.

Mass layoff event. Fifty or more initial claims for unemployment

insurance benefits filed against an establishment during a 5-week

period, regardless of duration.
Table 1. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance, April 2001 to May 2003

Date

Total mass layoffs Extended mass layoffs 

lasting more than 30 days Realization rates1

Events Initial

claimants Events Initial

claimants Events Initial

claimants

2001

April ............................................................................ 1,450 176,265 

May ............................................................................. 1,434 159,365 

June ............................................................................ 2,107 253,826 

Second Quarter .......................................................... 4,991 589,456 2,072 401,270 41.5 68.1 

July ............................................................................. 2,117 273,807 

August ........................................................................ 1,490 166,148 

September .................................................................. 1,327 160,402 

Third Quarter .............................................................. 4,934 600,357 1,815 370,942 36.8 61.8 

October ....................................................................... 1,831 215,483 

November ................................................................... 2,721 295,956 

December ................................................................... 2,440 268,893 

Fourth Quarter ............................................................ 6,992 780,332 2,698 r502,724 38.6 64.4 

2002

January ....................................................................... 2,146 263,821 

February ..................................................................... 1,383 138,984 

March ......................................................................... 1,460 161,336 

First Quarter ............................................................... 4,989 564,141 r1,747 r315,781 35.0 56.0 

April ............................................................................ 1,507 165,861 

May ............................................................................. 1,726 180,007 

June ............................................................................ 1,580 161,928 

Second Quarter .......................................................... 4,813 507,796 1,905 r352,807 39.6 r69.5

July ............................................................................. 2,041 245,211 

August ........................................................................ 1,247 128,080 

September .................................................................. 1,062 124,512 

Third Quarter .............................................................. 4,350 497,803 r1,382 r278,483 31.8 r55.9

October ....................................................................... 1,497 171,088 

November ................................................................... 2,150 240,028 

December ................................................................... 2,470 263,775 

Fourth Quarter ............................................................ 6,117 674,891 2,259 421,669 36.9 62.5 

2003

January ....................................................................... 2,315 225,415 

February ..................................................................... 1,363 124,977 

March ......................................................................... 1,206 112,914 

First Quarter ............................................................... 4,884 463,306 2, p1,508 2, p210,674 p30.9 p45.5

April 3, p ...................................................................... 1,576 161,095 

May 3, p ....................................................................... 1,699 173,784 

 1 The event realization rate is the percentage of total mass layoff upwards by less than 10 percent and the number of initial claimants

events lasting more than 30 days. The initial claimant realization rate associated with such events increases by 25-40 percent.

is the percentage of total mass-layoff initial claimants associated with 3

 Data were reported by all states and the District of Columbia,

layoffs lasting more than 30 days. except Wyoming.

 2

 These quarterly numbers are provisional and will increase as more p = preliminary.

data on these layoffs become avaliable. Recent experience suggests r = revised.

that the number of extended mass layoff events is generally revised
Table 2. Industry distribution: Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance

Industry

Mass layoff events Initial claimants for

unemployment insurance

May March April May May March April May

2002 2003 2003p2003p2002 2003 2003p2003p

 Total1 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,726 1,206 1,576 1,699 180,007 112,914 161,095 173,784 

Total, private ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,635 1,162 1,529 1,587 170,712 109,305 157,244 163,626 

 Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting ..................................................................................................................................................................... 62 64 64 53 3,802 4,949 4,624 3,299 

 Mining ..................................................................................................................................................................... 15 7 ( 2

 ) 9 1,553 708 ( 2 ) 1,749 

 Utilities ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 ( 2

 ) 5 7 597 ( 2 ) 326 529 

 Construction ..................................................................................................................................................................... 165 125 150 159 13,521 7,640 10,042 13,279 

 Manufacturing..................................................................................................................................................................... 488 390 500 497 52,720 41,063 62,429 61,174 

 Food ..................................................................................................................................................................... 79 72 85 69 9,335 7,607 8,468 7,592 

 Beverage and tobacco products ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 ( 2

 ) 7 5 224 ( 2 ) 450 548 

 Textile mills ..................................................................................................................................................................... 19 9 17 21 2,072 764 2,725 2,204 

 Textile product mills ..................................................................................................................................................................... 8 5 9 10 617 432 697 948 

 Apparel ..................................................................................................................................................................... 33 11 19 31 2,578 950 2,385 3,705 

 Leather and allied products ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – 5 7 – – 398 544 

 Wood products ..................................................................................................................................................................... 23 35 30 24 2,348 3,104 2,858 2,361 

 Paper ..................................................................................................................................................................... 10 9 14 15 1,141 937 1,083 1,072 

 Printing and related support activities ..................................................................................................................................................................... 21 7 8 16 1,892 658 848 1,249 

 Petroleum and coal products ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 – – 3 184 – – 190 

 Chemicals ..................................................................................................................................................................... 11 ( 2

 ) 6 8 815 ( 2 ) 1,752 930 

 Plastics and rubber products ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9 6 24 21 798 552 3,789 1,439 

 Nonmetallic mineral products ..................................................................................................................................................................... 10 19 14 13 1,190 1,882 1,190 1,080 

 Primary metals ..................................................................................................................................................................... 27 21 27 27 2,787 1,766 3,195 3,920 

 Fabricated metal products ..................................................................................................................................................................... 25 24 35 34 2,252 1,734 2,478 2,957 

 Machinery ..................................................................................................................................................................... 35 35 35 39 3,902 3,761 4,368 6,179 

 Computer and electronic products ..................................................................................................................................................................... 69 41 53 46 5,813 5,077 4,985 4,029 

 Electrical equipment and appliances ..................................................................................................................................................................... 28 26 17 20 4,490 3,787 1,836 3,665 

 Transportation equipment ..................................................................................................................................................................... 53 44 67 52 6,869 5,061 15,454 13,288 

 Furniture and related products ..................................................................................................................................................................... 12 14 22 21 2,513 1,727 2,829 1,985 

 Miscellaneous manufacturing ..................................................................................................................................................................... 10 8 6 15 900 830 641 1,289 

 Wholesale trade ..................................................................................................................................................................... 35 21 31 31 2,937 1,811 2,425 2,431 

 Retail trade ..................................................................................................................................................................... 131 102 121 118 16,192 10,480 11,656 12,190 

 Transportation and warehousing ..................................................................................................................................................................... 52 37 132 80 5,680 4,382 14,386 7,755 

 Information ..................................................................................................................................................................... 86 50 51 63 13,036 6,971 11,131 8,819 

 Finance and insurance ..................................................................................................................................................................... 44 33 34 31 3,327 2,130 2,061 2,414 

 Real estate and rental and leasing ..................................................................................................................................................................... 7 8 10 5 452 483 569 478 

 Professional and technical services ..................................................................................................................................................................... 80 40 60 65 6,199 3,187 5,852 5,542 

 Management of companies and enterprises ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4 ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) 5 395 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 369 

 Administrative and waste services ..................................................................................................................................................................... 222 163 186 203 26,191 15,062 16,593 19,518 

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

 ) 6 8 190 ( 2 ) 463 536 

 Health care and social assistance ..................................................................................................................................................................... 76 24 24 83 7,006 1,569 1,695 6,948 

 Arts, entertainment, and recreation ..................................................................................................................................................................... 33 12 33 32 2,267 663 2,551 2,293 

 Accommodation and food services ..................................................................................................................................................................... 88 71 95 98 10,807 7,111 8,014 10,068 

 Other services, except public administration..................................................................................................................................................................... 34 4 17 38 3,228 280 1,504 4,090 

 Unclassified ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4 3 5 2 612 284 389 145 

Government ..................................................................................................................................................................... 91 44 47 112 9,295 3,609 3,851 10,158 

 Federal ..................................................................................................................................................................... 21 6 4 14 2,739 570 318 1,736 

 State ..................................................................................................................................................................... 14 9 13 17 1,510 614 1,470 1,454 

 Local ..................................................................................................................................................................... 56 29 30 81 5,046 2,425 2,063 6,968 

 

1

 For April and May 2003, data were reported by all states and the District of p = preliminary.

 Columbia, except Wyoming. NOTE: Industry data reflect the North American Industry

 

2

 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards. Classification System (NAICS), 2002. Dash represents zero.
Table 3. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance by census region and division

Census region and division

Mass layoff events Initial claimants for

unemployment insurance

May March April May May March April May

2002 2003 2003p 2003p 2002 2003 2003p 2003p

 United States1 ..................................................... 1,726 1,206 1,576 1,699 180,007 112,914 161,095 173,784 

Northeast .................................................................... 266 157 326 274 24,998 15,230 30,892 27,071 

 New England .......................................................... 41 29 59 32 3,765 2,987 6,214 2,888 

 Middle Atlantic ........................................................ 225 128 267 242 21,233 12,243 24,678 24,183 

South .......................................................................... 467 263 323 446 48,506 24,630 34,922 48,321 

 South Atlantic ......................................................... 211 109 151 214 18,633 9,362 14,851 21,217 

 East South Central ................................................. 88 55 74 74 9,448 4,752 9,550 7,645 

 West South Central ................................................ 168 99 98 158 20,425 10,516 10,521 19,459 

Midwest ...................................................................... 377 237 334 373 44,788 26,239 43,466 46,401 

 East North Central .................................................. 266 174 271 271 31,152 18,946 36,974 34,240 

 West North Central ................................................. 111 63 63 102 13,636 7,293 6,492 12,161 

West1

 .......................................................................... 616 549 593 606 61,715 46,815 51,815 51,991 

 Mountain1

 ............................................................... 48 47 68 58 4,604 4,251 6,109 5,684 

 Pacific ..................................................................... 568 502 525 548 57,111 42,564 45,706 46,307 

 1

 See footnote 1, table 2. Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia; East South Central: p

 = preliminary. Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee; West South Central: Arkansas, NOTE: The States (including the District of Columbia) that comprise Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas; East North Central: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, 

the census divisions are: New England: Connecticut, Maine, Ohio, and Wisconsin; West North Central: Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, 

Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont; Middle Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota; Mountain: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, 

Atlantic: New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania; South Atlantic: Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming; and Pacific: Alaska, 

Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington.

 
Table 4. State distribution: Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance

State

Mass layoff events Initial claimants for

unemployment insurance

May March April May May March April May

2002 2003 2003p2003p2002 2003 2003p2003p

 Total1 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,726 1,206 1,576 1,699 180,007 112,914 161,095 173,784 

Alabama ..................................................................................................................................................................... 38 11 24 21 4,352 1,108 4,048 1,996 

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

 ) – 6 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) – 489 ( 2 ) 

Arizona ..................................................................................................................................................................... 11 13 22 19 1,256 1,148 2,193 1,846 

Arkansas ..................................................................................................................................................................... 8 5 3 4 629 381 326 266 

California ..................................................................................................................................................................... 517 438 455 502 50,063 36,360 39,040 41,857 

Colorado ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9 9 14 7 858 1,126 1,318 721 

Connecticut ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9 5 3 5 665 412 206 403 

Delaware ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – 3 ( 2

 ) – – 180 ( 2 ) 

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

 ) – – ( 2 ) ( 2 ) – – ( 2 ) 

Florida ..................................................................................................................................................................... 102 60 64 100 7,045 4,188 4,451 8,078 

Georgia ..................................................................................................................................................................... 30 15 31 38 3,083 1,224 4,299 3,807 

Hawaii ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 ( 2

 ) 8 6 462 ( 2 ) 621 554 

Idaho ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9 13 8 11 1,014 1,187 778 1,444 

Illinois ..................................................................................................................................................................... 67 35 64 70 10,079 3,161 7,210 9,525 

Indiana ..................................................................................................................................................................... 26 37 37 34 3,267 4,826 6,826 4,685 

Iowa ..................................................................................................................................................................... 19 14 13 27 2,203 1,572 1,249 4,582 

Kansas ..................................................................................................................................................................... 14 9 5 7 1,620 1,449 406 811 

Kentucky ..................................................................................................................................................................... 21 21 29 25 2,258 2,124 4,186 3,100 

Louisiana ..................................................................................................................................................................... 22 8 20 22 2,166 402 2,777 2,005 

Maine ..................................................................................................................................................................... 5 ( 2

 ) 6 4 353 ( 2 ) 575 265 

Maryland ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 ( 2

 ) 9 8 534 ( 2 ) 859 969 

Massachusetts ..................................................................................................................................................................... 21 16 29 16 2,065 1,263 3,307 1,734 

Michigan ..................................................................................................................................................................... 44 10 32 36 4,408 848 4,704 6,599 

Minnesota ..................................................................................................................................................................... 23 13 21 22 2,768 1,041 2,848 2,119 

Mississippi ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9 8 9 10 821 509 547 717 

Missouri ..................................................................................................................................................................... 43 23 18 28 5,656 2,930 1,441 3,044 

Montana ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 ( 2

 ) 4 3 212 ( 2 ) 443 236 

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

 ) ( 2 ) 4 9 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 348 702 

Nevada ..................................................................................................................................................................... 8 7 13 14 714 475 961 1,099 

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

 ) ( 2 ) 3 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 205 ( 2 ) 

New Jersey ..................................................................................................................................................................... 42 17 47 22 4,384 1,253 4,523 1,915 

New Mexico ..................................................................................................................................................................... 5 ( 2

 ) 3 ( 2 ) 355 ( 2 ) 178 ( 2 ) 

New York ..................................................................................................................................................................... 80 40 91 110 6,785 3,571 9,151 11,375 

North Carolina ..................................................................................................................................................................... 21 12 21 27 1,637 1,273 1,990 2,790 

North Dakota ..................................................................................................................................................................... 5 ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) 5 653 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 349 

Ohio ..................................................................................................................................................................... 70 40 62 68 7,231 4,988 10,704 7,098 

Oklahoma ..................................................................................................................................................................... 7 10 6 23 760 1,606 1,070 4,653 

Oregon ..................................................................................................................................................................... 25 41 22 22 3,291 4,336 2,238 2,151 

Pennsylvania ..................................................................................................................................................................... 103 71 129 110 10,064 7,419 11,004 10,893 

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

 ) ( 2 ) 9 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 1,137 ( 2 ) 

South Carolina ..................................................................................................................................................................... 24 6 8 11 2,492 986 1,228 1,436 

South Dakota ..................................................................................................................................................................... 5 ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) 4 562 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 554 

Tennessee ..................................................................................................................................................................... 20 15 12 18 2,017 1,011 769 1,832 

Texas ..................................................................................................................................................................... 131 76 69 109 16,870 8,127 6,348 12,535 

Utah ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 ( 2

 ) 4 ( 2 ) 195 ( 2 ) 238 ( 2 ) 

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

 ) 3 9 4 ( 2 ) 833 784 315 

Virginia ..................................................................................................................................................................... 23 14 13 26 3,355 1,392 1,719 2,967 

Washington ..................................................................................................................................................................... 18 21 34 17 3,154 1,745 3,318 1,684 

West Virginia ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4 ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 347 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

Wisconsin ..................................................................................................................................................................... 59 52 76 63 6,167 5,123 7,530 6,333 

Wyoming ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – ( 1

 ) ( 1 ) – – ( 1 ) ( 1 ) 

Puerto Rico ..................................................................................................................................................................... 12 5 13 7 1,390 378 1,833 1,098 

 1 See footnote 1, table 2. p

 = preliminary.

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