Technical information: (202) 691-6392

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

Media contact: 691-5902

USDL 06-1974

For release: 10:00 A.M. EST

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

EXTENDED MASS LAYOFFS IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF 2006

In the third quarter of 2006, employers took 836 mass layoff actions in the private nonfarm sector that

resulted in the separation of 134,816 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. (See table A.) Layoff

activity in the third quarter of 2006 was sharply lower than in the same period a year ago, when the effects

of Hurricane Katrina were related to 358 of the 1,136 layoff events and to 57,551 of the 201,878 separated

workers. In the third quarter of 2006, extended mass layoffs that involve the movement of work within the

same company or to a different company, either domestically or outside the U.S., occurred in 8 percent of

the nonseasonal layoff events and 11 percent of worker separations. (See table B.)

The completion of contracts accounted for 29 percent of all layoff events and resulted in 28,005 separations during the period. Layoffs due to internal company restructuring (bankruptcy, business ownership

change, financial difficulty, and reorganization) accounted for 21 percent of layoff events and 30 percent of

separations, higher proportions than those of 2005 (which included the impact of Hurricane Katrina). However, the current quarter’s numbers of events and separations were about the same as those reported in the

third quarter of 2005. Permanent closure of worksites occurred in 16 percent of all events and affected

36,329 workers, both figures were higher than a year ago.

In the third quarter of 2006, the national unemployment rate was 4.7 percent, not seasonally adjusted; a

year earlier it was 5.0 percent. Private nonfarm payroll employment, not seasonally adjusted, increased by

1.6 million, or 1.5 percent, from July-September 2005 to July-September 2006.

Industry Distribution of Extended Layoffs

Extended mass layoff separations occurred in 327 of the 1,105 detailed industries for which data are

available for the third quarter of 2006. Manufacturing industries accounted for 32 percent of private nonfarm

layoff events and 34 percent of separations during July-September 2006. (See table 1.) The proportion of

manufacturing events and separations were higher when compared with third quarter 2005, which reflected

the significant impact of Hurricane Katrina. In the third quarter of 2006, separations in this sector were

highest in transportation equipment manufacturing (12,402), followed by food manufacturing (6,343).

Administrative and waste services accounted for 12 percent of private nonfarm layoff events and 11 percent of separations, primarily in temporary help services and professional employer organizations. Layoffs in

the construction sector make-up 17 percent of events and 11 percent of separations, mostly in specialty trade

contracting. Retail trade comprised 6 percent of events and 9 percent of separations, mostly in food and
2

Period Layoff events Separations Initial claimants

beverage stores. Cutbacks in transportation and warehousing accounted for 8 percent of events and

7 percent of separations and were concentrated in transit and ground passenger transportation.

Information technology-producing industries (communications equipment, communications services,

computer hardware, and software and computer services) accounted for 4 percent of layoff events and

worker separations in the third quarter of 2006, the same proportion as in the third quarter of 2005.

Layoffs in the information technology-producing industries in the third quarter of 2006 were most numerous in computer hardware, with 3,035 separations, followed by communications services. (See table 6.)

Reasons for Extended Layoff

Layoffs due to the completion of a contract accounted for 29 percent of the extended layoff events and

resulted in 28,005 separations in the third quarter 2006. (See table 2.) Contract completion layoffs were

most numerous among workers in administrative and support services (professional employer organizations

and temporary help services) and in specialty trade contractors (residential framing contractors).

Internal company restructuring (due to bankruptcy, business ownership change, financial difficulty, and

reorganization) accounted for 21 percent of layoff events and resulted in 40,295 separations. These layoffs

 2002

January-March .......... 1,611 299,266 292,998

April-June ................. 1,624 344,606 299,598

July-September ......... 1,186 255,152 254,955

October-December ... 1,916 373,307 370,592

 2003

January-March .......... 1,502 286,947 297,608

April-June ................. 1,799 368,273 348,966

July-September ......... 1,190 236,333 227,909

October-December ... 1,690 325,333 326,328

 2004

January-March .......... 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 ... 1,400 250,178 246,181

 2006 ..........

January-March .......... 963 183,073 192,793

April-June ................. 1,353 295,428 263,787

July-September ......... 836 134,816 104,458

Table A. Selected measures of extended mass layoff activity

r

r

r

r

p

r

 = revised.

p

 = preliminary.
3

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

third quarter 2006

Action Layoff events Separations

p

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

was either seasonal work or vacation period.

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

Data not available.

 1

 2

 3

were mostly among workers in food and beverage stores, transportation equipment manufacturing, and credit

intermediation and related activities. Over half of both the layoff events and separations associated with

internal company restructuring were due to reorganization within the company, which accounted for 11 percent of events and resulted in 21,159 separations during the third quarter.

Movement of Work

Between July and September of 2006, 52 extended mass layoff events involved the movement of work;

this was about 8 percent of total extended mass layoff events, excluding those for seasonal and vacation

reasons. (See table B.) These movements of work were to other U.S. locations or to locations outside

of the U.S., and they occurred either within the same company or to other companies. The extended mass

layoff events involving movement of work were associated with the separation of 11,873 workers, about

11 percent of all separations resulting from nonseasonal/nonvacation mass layoff events. A year earlier, 68

layoff events and 15,578 separations were associated with the movement of work. (See table 10.)

Among the 52 extended mass layoff events with reported relocation of work, 62 percent were permanent

closures of worksites, which affected 8,517 workers. In comparison, 16 percent of the total extended mass

layoff events for the third quarter involved the permanent closure of worksites.

Of the layoffs involving the movement of work, 63 percent of the events and 56 percent of the laid-off

workers were from manufacturing industries during the third quarter of 2006. (See table 7.) Among all

private nonfarm extended mass layoffs, manufacturing accounted for 32 percent of the events and 34 percent

of separations.

Internal company restructuring (bankruptcy, business ownership change, financial difficulty, and reorganization) accounted for 65 percent of layoff events associated with work relocation and resulted in 8,520

Total private nonfarm ............................... 836 134,816

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

 and vacation events 1 ....................... 673 109,356

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

of work 2....................................... 52 11,873

Movement of work actions ............ 66 (3)

With separations reported .......... 44 6,026

With separations unknown ......... 22 (3)

p

 = preliminary.
4

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

 number of separations is known by employers, third quarter 2006

Activities Actions Separations

p

1

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

company. Twenty-one percent of the extended mass layoff events in the total private nonfarm economy

were because of internal company restructuring.

Among the regions, the South accounted for the largest proportion of workers (42 percent) affected by

extended mass layoffs associated with the movement of work, followed by the Midwest (25 percent), the

Northeast (19 percent), and the West (14 percent). (See table 9.)

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

extended mass layoff event at an establishment may involve job loss due to movement of work to both

another domestic location of the company and a location out of the country. This would be counted as two

movement of work actions. The 52 extended layoff events with movement of work for the third quarter of

2006 involved 66 identifiable relocations of work. (See table B.) 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 66 relocations, employers were able to provide information on the specific

number of separations associated with the movement of work component of the layoff in 44 actions involving

6,026 workers. Thus, a range of 6,026 (separations in movement of work actions where the employer was

able to provide specific detail) to 11,873 (total separations in all layoff events that included movement of

work) is established for separations due to the movement of work in the third quarter. (See table 10.)

With separations reported .......... 44 6,026

 By location

Out-of-country relocations ..... 10 1,842

Within company ............... 7 801

Different company............ 3 1,041

Domestic relocations .............. 34 4,184

Within company ............... 28 3,455

Different company............ 6 729

 By company

Within company ..................... 35 4,256

Domestic ......................... 28 3,455

Out of country ................. 7 801

Different company.................. 9 1,770

Domestic ......................... 6 729

Out of country ................. 3 1,041

 

1

 Only actions for which separations associated with the movement of

work were reported are shown.

 

p

 = preliminary.
5

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

 layoff, third quarter 2005–third quarter 2006

Nature of the recall III

2006

I

2006

II

2006

IV

2005

III

2005 r p

Percentage of events

r

 = revised.

p

 = preliminary.

In the 44 actions where employers were able to provide more complete separations information, 80 percent of relocations (35 out of 44) occurred among establishments within the same company. (See table C.)

In 80 percent of these relocations, the work activities were reassigned to places elsewhere in the U.S.

Twenty-three percent of the movement-of-work relocations involved out-of-country moves (10 out of

44). The separation of 1,842 workers was associated with out-of-country relocations, 2 percent of all

nonseasonal/nonvacation extended mass layoff separations. Domestic relocation of work—both within the

company and to other companies—affected 4,184 workers. (See table 11.)

Recall Expectations

Forty-two percent of employers reporting an extended layoff in the third quarter of 2006 indicated they

anticipated some type of recall. This is the highest percentage of employers anticipating a recall in a third

quarter since 2000. (See table D.)

Among establishments expecting a recall, most employers expected to recall over one-half of the separated employees and to do so within 6 months. Forty-five percent of the employers expected to extend the

offer to all laid-off workers.

Excluding layoff events due to seasonal work and vacation period (in which 91 percent of the employers

expected a recall), employers expected to recall laid-off workers in 30 percent of the events, the same

proportion as a year earlier. In layoff events due to internal company restructuring, employers anticipated a

recall in only 5 percent of the events.

Size of Extended Layoff

Layoff events during the third quarter continued to be concentrated at the lower end of the extended

layoff-size spectrum, with 70 percent involving fewer than 150 workers. These events, however, accounted

Anticipate a recall................... 39.5 68.9 43.1 59.6 42.0

 Timeframe

Within 6 months ..................... 78.8 90.0 83.9 90.1 88.3

 Within 3 months................... 57.9 37.1 55.2 62.0 69.2

 Size

At least half............................ 80.2 92.6 88.0 93.7 90.0

 All workers.......................... 43.2 50.5 38.1 52.2 44.7
6

 Number Percent Number

Size

p

 = preliminary.

 Percent

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

July-September 2006

Layoff events Separations

p

for only 37 percent of all separations. (See table E.) Separations involving 500 or more workers, while

comprising 4 percent of the events, accounted for 25 percent of all separations. This proportion is down

from 29 percent in July-September 2005. The average size of layoffs (as measured by separations per layoff

event) differed widely by industry, ranging from a low of 79 separations in nonstore retailers to a high of

514 in amusement, gambling, and recreation.

Initial Claimant Characteristics

A total of 104,458 initial claimants for unemployment insurance were associated with extended mass

layoffs in the third quarter of 2006. Of these claimants, 19 percent were black, 17 percent were Hispanic,

43 percent were women, 34 percent were 30 to 44 years of age, and 18 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, 46 percent were women, 34 percent were age 30 to 44, and 17 percent were

55 years of age or older.

Geographic Distribution

In the third quarter, the number of separations due to extended mass layoff events was highest in the

South (45,206), followed by the West (34,897), the Midwest (32,154), and the Northeast (22,559). (See

table 4.) Separations in the South were mainly in administrative and support services and in transportation

equipment manufacturing.

Three of the four regions reported over-the-year decreases in separations, with the largest decrease

occurring in the South (-48,695), followed by the Midwest (-14,722) and the Northeast (-8,854). In the

third quarter of 2005, the South experienced a substantial increase in the number of separated workers in

Louisiana and Mississippi as a result of Hurricane Katrina. The West reported the only over-the-year

increase (+5,209) in separations.

Six of the nine geographic divisions reported over-the-year decreases in laid-off workers, with the largest

decreases occurring in the West South Central (-40,077) and Middle Atlantic (-9,541) divisions. The Pacific

division reported the largest increase in separations (+12,265), followed by the South Atlantic division

(+843).

 Total ........... 836 100.0 134,816 100.0

50-99 ................ 396 47.4 27,953 20.7

100-149 ............ 193 23.1 22,362 16.6

150-199 ............ 79 9.4 13,383 9.9

200-299 ............ 85 10.2 20,083 14.9

300-499 ............ 46 5.5 16,726 12.4

500-999 ............ 29 3.5 19,874 14.7

1,000 or more ... 8 1.0 14,435 10.7
7

Events Separations

Metropolitan area

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

III

2005

III

2005

III

2006

III

2006 r p r p

Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, the largest number of separations occurred in

California (29,692), followed by Florida (21,002), Illinois (13,052), and New York (8,311). These four

states accounted for 53 percent of total layoff events and separations during the third quarter of 2006. They

were followed by Ohio (6,435), Michigan (5,126), New Jersey (4,814), and Pennsylvania (4,300). (See

table 5.) After excluding the substantial impact of seasonal work, California reported the most laid-off

workers (26,859), largely due to layoffs in specialty trade contractors and in computer and electronic product manufacturing.

Over the year, Louisiana reported the greatest decrease in workers laid off for all reasons during the third

quarter (-41,243), followed by Mississippi (-9,314). The largest increases occurred in California (+12,771),

Florida (+2,846), and Alabama (+1,699).

Sixty percent of events and 58 percent of separations (77,569) occurred in metropolitan areas in the

third quarter of 2006, compared with 71 percent of events and 65 percent of separations (132,174) during

the third quarter of 2005. Among the 367 metropolitan areas, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, Calif.,

reported the highest number of separations, 9,826, in the third quarter of 2006. Next was New YorkNorthern New Jersey-Long Island, N.Y.-N.J.-Pa., with 8,896 separations and Chicago-Naperville-Joliet,

Ill.-Ind.-Wis., with 5,284 separations. (See table F.) Employers located in nonmetropolitan areas separated

14,090 workers in mass layoffs, down from 22,491 workers in the third quarter of 2005.

Total, nonmetropolitan areas............................... 114 101 22,491 14,090

Total, 367 metropolitan areas............................. 808 498 132,174 77,569

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, Calif. ... 29 66 3,958 9,826

New York-Northern New Jersey-Long

 Island, N.Y.-N.J.-Pa. ................................ 79 54 12,669 8,896

Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, Ill.-Ind.-Wis. ......... 39 27 7,425 5,284

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif. ......... 5 12 500 3,511

Shreveport-Bossier City, La. ......................... (

1

) 8 (

1

) 3,213

Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, Calif. ....... 4 23 2,441 2,917

Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Miami Beach, Fla. .... 6 12 511 2,769

Norwich-New London, Ct. ........................... – (

1

) (

1

)

Detriot-Warren-Livonia, Mich. ....................... 17 15 3,273 1,678

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, Pa.-N.J.-

 De.-Md. .................................................... 6 10 421 1,280

1 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.

r

 = revised.

p

 = preliminary.

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

Office of Management and Budget Bulletin 06-01, December 5, 2005. Dash represents zero.

–
8

Note

The quarterly series on extended mass layoffs cover layoffs of at least 31-days duration that involve

50 or more individuals from a single establishment filing initial claims for unemployment insurance during a

consecutive 5-week period. Approximately 30 days after a mass layoff is triggered at an establishment, the

employer is contacted for additional information. Data for the third 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 October 2006 is scheduled to be released on Friday, November 24,

2006.
Technical Note

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

program which identifies, describes, and tracks the effects of

major job cutbacks, using data from each state’s unemployment

insurance database. Establishments which have at least 50

initial claims filed against them during a consecutive 5-week

period are contacted by the state agency to determine whether

these separations are of at least 31 days duration, and, if so,

information is obtained on the total number of persons

separated and the reasons for these separations.

Establishments are identified according to industry

classification and location, and unemployment insurance

claimants are identified by such demographic factors as age,

race, gender, ethnic group, and place of residence. The program

yields information on an individual’s entire spell of

unemployment, to the point when regular unemployment

insurance benefits are exhausted.

Definitions

Establishment. A unit at a single physical location at which

predominantly one type of economic activity is conducted.

Extended layoff event. Fifty or more initial claims for

unemployment insurance benefits from an establishment during

a 5-week period, with at least 50 workers separated for more than

30 days.

Initial claimant. A person who files any notice of

unemployment to initiate a request either for a determination of

entitlement to and eligibility for compensation, or for a

subsequent period of unemployment within a benefit year or

period of eligibility.

Layoff. The separation of persons from an employer as part

of a mass layoff event. (See below.) Such layoffs involve both

persons subject to recall and those who are terminated by the

establishment.

Mass layoff. Fifty or more initial claims for unemployment

insurance benefits from an establishment beginning in a given

month, regardless of duration.

Worksite closure. The complete closure of either multi-unit

or single-unit establishments or the partial closure of a multiunit establishment where entire worksites affected by layoffs

are closed or planned to be closed.

Movement of work concepts and questions

Because of the employer interview component, the BLS

decided to use the MLS program as a vehicle for collecting

additional information on offshoring and outsourcing

associated with job loss, by adding questions that address

movement of work. The term “moving work” means that the

company experiencing the layoff has reassigned work activities

that were performed at a worksite by the company’s employees

(1) to another worksite within the company; (2) to another

company under formal arrangements at the same worksite; or (3)

to another company under formal arrangements at another

worksite. The type of work activities subject to movement can

include accounting, customer service, cleaning, warehousing, etc.

 “Overseas relocation” is the movement of work from within

the U.S. to locations outside of the U.S. “Overseas relocation”

can occur within the same company and involve movement of

work to a different location of that company outside of the U.S.,

or to a different company altogether.

“Domestic relocation” is the movement of work to other

locations inside the U.S., either within the same company or to

a different company.

 “Overseas relocation” and “domestic relocation” are no

longer used in the same way as they were in earlier extended

mass layoff news releases. Therefore, the data presented in this

news release are not comparable to those that were presented

in earlier news releases.

 Questions on movement of work and location are asked for

all identified layoff events when the reason for separation is

other than “seasonal work” or “vacation period.” Seasonal and

vacation layoff events were excluded because movement of

work appears unlikely.

Questions on movement of work are asked after the analyst

verifies that a layoff in fact occurred and lasted more than 30

days, and obtained the total number of workers separated from

jobs, the date the layoff began, and the economic reason for the

layoff. If the reason for layoff is other than seasonal or vacation,

the employer was asked the following:

(1) “Did this layoff include your company moving work from

this location(s) to a different geographic location(s) within your

company?”

(2) “Did this layoff include your company moving work that

was performed in-house by your employees to a different

company, through contractual arrangements?”

A “yes” response to either question is followed by:

“Is the location inside or outside of the U.S.?” and “How

many of the layoffs were a result of this relocation?”

Layoff actions are classified as “overseas relocation” if the

employer responds “yes” to questions 1 and/or 2, and indicates

that the location(s) was outside of the U.S. Domestic relocation

is determined if the employer responds “yes” to questions 1

and/or 2 and indicates that the location(s) was within the U.S.

After asking the movement of work questions, the employer

interview continues and responses are obtained for questions

on recall expectations and open/closed status of the worksite.

Reliability of the data

The identification of establishments and layoff events in the

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

unemployment insurance claims, and, therefore, is not subject

to issues associated with sampling error. Nonsampling errors

such as typographical errors may occur but are not likely to be

significant. While the MLS establishments and layoff events

are not subject to sampling error, and all such employers are

asked the employer interview questions, the employer

responses are subject to nonsampling error. Nonsampling error

can occur for many reasons, including the inability to obtain

information for all respondents, inability or unwillingness of

respondents to provide correct information, and errors made in

the collection or processing of the data. For the third quarter

of 2006, outright refusal to participate in the employer interview

accounted for 3.9 percent of all private nonfarm events.

Although included in the total number of instances involving

the movement of work, for the third quarter, employers in 22

relocations were unable to provide the number of separations

specifically associated with the movement of work, 10 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, 2005 and 2006

Industry

III II III III II III III II III

 2005r 2006r 2006p 2005r 2006r 2006p 2005r 2006r 2006p 

 Total, private nonfarm1 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,136 1,353 836 201,878 295,428 134,816 190,186 263,787 104,458 

 Mining ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4 4 4 1,312 604 1,290 1,001 441 595 

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

 ) 3 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 537 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 476 ( 2 ) 

 Construction ..................................................................................................................................................................... 90 148 144 10,507 15,952 14,350 14,767 21,086 13,945 

 Manufacturing ..................................................................................................................................................................... 292 286 268 56,293 59,687 45,837 56,551 60,602 37,030 

 Food ..................................................................................................................................................................... 50 67 37 10,320 13,650 6,343 8,854 10,044 3,535 

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

 ) ( 2 ) 3 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 720 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 429 

 Textile mills ..................................................................................................................................................................... 12 17 16 1,897 3,159 2,218 2,595 4,405 2,753 

 Textile product mills ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 4 5 619 670 460 851 1,040 482 

 Apparel ..................................................................................................................................................................... 13 11 15 1,524 1,658 2,591 1,703 1,401 1,572 

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

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

 Wood products ..................................................................................................................................................................... 11 10 14 2,828 1,483 1,572 2,822 1,534 1,389 

 Paper ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9 16 8 1,174 2,292 935 984 1,610 655 

 Printing and related support activities ..................................................................................................................................................................... 7 12 6 662 1,591 1,057 589 1,249 546 

 Petroleum and coal products ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – ( 2

 ) – – ( 2 ) – – ( 2 ) 

 Chemicals ..................................................................................................................................................................... 10 8 6 1,901 1,051 1,095 1,822 847 574 

 Plastics and rubber products ..................................................................................................................................................................... 7 11 10 770 2,217 1,334 721 2,150 1,234 

 Nonmetallic mineral products ..................................................................................................................................................................... 12 7 6 1,433 2,073 917 1,631 1,042 937 

 Primary metals ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 8 9 1,562 1,080 1,486 898 928 1,163 

 Fabricated metal products ..................................................................................................................................................................... 25 9 9 2,627 816 857 2,988 1,001 845 

 Machinery ..................................................................................................................................................................... 26 14 16 6,109 2,867 2,916 6,146 2,875 2,400 

 Computer and electronic products ..................................................................................................................................................................... 21 21 20 4,286 4,780 3,991 3,148 3,777 2,383 

 Electrical equipment and appliances ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9 9 7 4,604 1,163 1,532 4,607 1,034 1,281 

 Transportation equipment ..................................................................................................................................................................... 46 45 60 9,750 16,985 12,402 11,818 23,348 12,379 

 Furniture and related products ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9 8 13 2,321 1,205 2,370 2,333 1,266 1,809 

 Miscellaneous manufacturing ..................................................................................................................................................................... 10 5 5 1,437 659 846 1,609 578 467 

 Wholesale trade ..................................................................................................................................................................... 36 20 19 4,563 4,400 3,842 4,032 3,178 1,944 

 Retail trade ..................................................................................................................................................................... 112 76 46 20,934 24,220 12,150 19,702 22,623 9,100 

 Transportation and warehousing ..................................................................................................................................................................... 87 165 68 17,902 42,395 10,095 15,916 38,109 8,122 

 Information ..................................................................................................................................................................... 26 33 25 3,425 5,818 5,819 3,265 9,435 2,402 

 Finance and insurance ..................................................................................................................................................................... 25 46 28 5,047 8,096 5,111 5,197 7,914 4,117 

 Real estate and rental and leasing ..................................................................................................................................................................... 7 8 ( 2

 ) 562 781 ( 2 ) 978 717 ( 2 ) 

 Professional and technical services ..................................................................................................................................................................... 34 57 30 5,029 29,541 4,380 5,519 17,268 3,786 

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

 ) 4 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 342 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 320 ( 2 ) 

 Administrative and waste services ..................................................................................................................................................................... 121 106 99 22,670 21,006 15,306 22,413 20,675 13,105 

 Educational services ..................................................................................................................................................................... 13 12 5 2,390 1,342 453 2,117 1,365 497 

 Health care and social assistance ..................................................................................................................................................................... 94 150 40 11,064 18,934 5,130 9,377 16,749 3,537 

 Arts, entertainment, and recreation ..................................................................................................................................................................... 32 45 17 13,986 21,488 3,930 6,387 5,043 1,294 

 Accommodation and food services ..................................................................................................................................................................... 139 134 30 23,075 32,914 5,509 20,172 30,576 3,893 

 Other services, except public administration ..................................................................................................................................................................... 18 56 6 2,285 7,371 817 2,099 7,210 455 

 Unclassified ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1 – – 200 – – 180 – –

 

1

 For the third quarter of 2006, data on layoffs were reported by employers administrative data, will be unaffected and will continue to cover the

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

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

2

 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.

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

r

 = revised.

private nonfarm economy. Quarterly information on layoff events in agriculture 

p

 = preliminary.

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

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

Separations Initial claimants for

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

private nonfarm sector, selected quarters, 2005 and 2006

Reason for layoff

III II III III II III III II III

 2005r 2006r 2006p 2005r 2006r 2006p 2005r 2006r 2006p 

 Total, private nonfarm1 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,136 1,353 836 201,878 295,428 134,816 190,186 263,787 104,458 

Automation ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

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

Bankruptcy ..................................................................................................................................................................... 16 8 14 5,896 4,306 4,816 4,403 875 1,546 

Business ownership change ..................................................................................................................................................................... 29 39 27 5,316 12,348 8,683 4,654 8,394 4,130 

Contract cancellation ..................................................................................................................................................................... 19 17 17 3,309 2,807 3,423 2,803 2,393 2,207 

Contract completed ..................................................................................................................................................................... 165 275 242 25,931 39,272 28,005 31,310 46,621 26,691 

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

 ) – – ( 2 ) – – ( 2 ) – –

Environment-related ..................................................................................................................................................................... – ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) – ( 2 ) ( 2 ) – ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

Financial difficulty ..................................................................................................................................................................... 32 32 40 6,237 6,079 5,637 5,684 5,069 3,720 

Import competition ..................................................................................................................................................................... 14 16 17 3,757 2,269 3,509 3,495 3,070 3,389 

Labor dispute ..................................................................................................................................................................... 11 9 4 6,365 2,378 1,230 5,263 1,369 816 

Material shortage ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

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

Model changeover ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 – 4 1,655 – 2,568 2,250 – 2,022 

Natural disaster ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

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

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

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

Plant or machine repair ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) 280 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 310 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

Product line discontinued ..................................................................................................................................................................... 10 7 7 1,601 2,137 1,466 1,649 870 929 

Reorganization within company ..................................................................................................................................................................... 104 133 96 20,718 27,542 21,159 20,232 33,442 17,203 

Seasonal work ..................................................................................................................................................................... 174 510 154 36,992 140,764 24,627 26,965 102,303 16,820 

Slack work ..................................................................................................................................................................... 117 108 124 16,426 17,003 14,522 20,626 21,410 15,069 

Vacation period ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9 93 9 662 15,462 833 627 15,363 792 

Weather-related ..................................................................................................................................................................... 344 ( 2

 ) – 49,833 ( 2 ) – 45,475 ( 2 ) –

Other ..................................................................................................................................................................... 26 23 29 4,953 2,966 7,948 2,806 2,716 3,315 

Not reported ..................................................................................................................................................................... 54 64 44 10,786 16,890 5,249 10,715 16,619 5,117 

 

1

 See footnote 1, table 1. p = preliminary.

 

2

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

 

r

 = revised.

Initial claimants for

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

private nonfarm sector, second and third quarters, 2006

Total Percent of total

State

Layoff events initial

claimants Black Hispanic

origin Women Persons age 55and over

II III II III II III II III II III II III

 2006r 2006p 2006r 2006p 2006r 2006p 2006r 2006p 2006r 2006p 2006r 2006p 

 Total, private nonfarm1

 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,353 836 263,787 104,458 17.6 18.7 13.6 16.7 54.2 42.7 22.2 17.6 

Alabama ..................................................................................................................................................................... 16 12 2,394 1,648 63.5 46.5 2.7 3.0 80.2 46.5 19.3 18.8 

Alaska ..................................................................................................................................................................... 10 4 1,548 358 3.3 4.7 16.7 21.8 44.0 31.0 25.1 29.3 

Arizona ..................................................................................................................................................................... 8 – 959 – 2.7 – 61.4 – 68.1 – 19.4 –

Arkansas ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 ( 2

 ) 477 ( 2 ) 17.8 25.1 2.5 9.5 62.7 42.2 19.3 13.0 

California ..................................................................................................................................................................... 254 209 46,369 22,949 9.8 9.3 31.2 35.1 47.0 38.5 17.6 14.1 

Colorado ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9 3 1,255 339 5.5 4.7 25.1 19.8 59.3 59.3 16.3 17.7 

Connecticut ..................................................................................................................................................................... 25 9 4,397 928 11.7 14.9 9.8 18.8 67.8 47.7 23.0 19.9 

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

 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 14.0 13.9 1.5 .5 19.5 18.0 15.9 14.3 

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

 ) – ( 2 ) – 68.3 – 6.7 – 68.3 – 20.2 –

Florida ..................................................................................................................................................................... 107 103 19,674 12,781 18.4 20.9 31.5 30.7 49.6 46.7 21.5 17.8 

Georgia ..................................................................................................................................................................... 30 14 6,365 2,097 52.4 63.4 1.6 1.3 55.6 40.9 16.5 13.1 

Hawaii ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9 ( 2

 ) 858 ( 2 ) 3.5 11.7 21.4 19.5 48.0 23.0 24.4 7.4 

Idaho ..................................................................................................................................................................... 7 ( 2

 ) 1,151 ( 2 ) .5 .4 29.2 38.7 65.0 57.2 32.0 26.3 

Illinois ..................................................................................................................................................................... 91 61 21,050 8,046 24.9 24.8 10.2 12.7 59.9 40.5 20.4 17.2 

Indiana ..................................................................................................................................................................... 12 12 2,539 1,648 4.5 13.5 5.6 5.6 40.9 33.0 11.2 12.6 

Iowa ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 ( 2

 ) 1,133 ( 2 ) 1.2 2.8 .8 1.1 64.8 70.3 28.4 12.7 

Kansas ..................................................................................................................................................................... 13 4 1,601 478 16.3 15.9 1.9 5.0 65.5 49.2 22.7 15.7 

Kentucky ..................................................................................................................................................................... 13 13 1,441 1,349 8.5 7.4 .5 .3 59.9 42.3 18.6 15.4 

Louisiana ..................................................................................................................................................................... 16 10 1,715 2,534 72.5 41.3 1.2 2.9 92.3 29.0 19.9 22.1 

Maine ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 ( 2

 ) 901 ( 2 ) .3 – – .7 37.0 8.1 21.9 16.1 

Maryland ..................................................................................................................................................................... 25 14 2,875 1,544 59.3 58.5 .5 .2 61.5 59.8 24.8 18.1 

Massachusetts ..................................................................................................................................................................... 28 11 4,781 1,164 12.7 12.5 3.1 5.2 55.9 49.2 23.6 22.5 

Michigan ..................................................................................................................................................................... 75 41 22,248 4,737 18.3 18.7 3.0 3.4 45.1 38.3 19.5 13.7 

Minnesota ..................................................................................................................................................................... 24 13 2,834 1,285 8.3 3.9 6.6 1.0 41.8 32.1 21.4 20.9 

Mississippi ..................................................................................................................................................................... 8 ( 2

 ) 853 ( 2 ) 83.8 28.1 .7 2.7 80.1 58.4 12.4 13.0 

Missouri ..................................................................................................................................................................... 35 9 4,944 3,183 25.4 20.5 .2 1.3 75.6 31.1 25.3 13.3 

Montana ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 ( 2

 ) 596 ( 2 ) .2 – 1.5 2.0 45.3 4.0 31.9 10.0 

Nebraska ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 ( 2

 ) 631 ( 2 ) 10.6 41.4 14.3 2.0 59.0 56.6 24.6 5.1 

Nevada ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4 ( 2

 ) 860 ( 2 ) 23.4 5.6 12.8 22.2 71.0 29.0 24.7 34.6 

New Hampshire ..................................................................................................................................................................... 7 ( 2

 ) 965 ( 2 ) 2.3 13.7 1.7 15.3 64.9 57.3 28.4 31.3 

New Jersey ..................................................................................................................................................................... 75 23 17,313 2,687 19.4 26.9 9.1 12.3 72.4 61.5 34.7 25.1 

New Mexico ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4 4 449 247 .7 .8 44.5 41.7 39.9 33.6 16.3 15.0 

New York ..................................................................................................................................................................... 108 73 26,422 8,844 12.7 12.8 8.8 11.5 52.1 51.0 23.7 21.8 

North Carolina ..................................................................................................................................................................... 14 14 1,704 2,227 42.9 33.6 4.3 8.0 51.1 48.3 26.6 25.1 

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

 ) – ( 2 ) – – – – – 13.6 – 14.8 –

Ohio ..................................................................................................................................................................... 56 37 8,563 5,452 19.0 13.1 3.3 2.2 49.7 32.2 16.8 19.4 

Oklahoma ..................................................................................................................................................................... – 4 – 614 – 13.2 – 6.5 – 44.1 – 16.9 

Oregon ..................................................................................................................................................................... 24 6 4,349 715 1.6 2.0 10.7 26.4 69.0 38.9 30.7 17.1 

Pennsylvania ..................................................................................................................................................................... 85 38 18,734 5,034 9.2 12.7 3.6 2.5 54.6 43.0 31.3 23.7 

Rhode Island ..................................................................................................................................................................... 7 ( 2

 ) 1,256 ( 2 ) 4.3 1.9 10.4 5.7 78.7 98.1 30.3 34.0 

South Carolina ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9 15 2,577 1,786 53.1 61.5 .3 .6 53.4 57.8 2.3 2.2 

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

 ) – ( 2 ) – – – – – 79.5 – 47.7 –

Tennessee ..................................................................................................................................................................... 7 12 727 1,217 41.8 17.1 .3 – 47.6 39.9 24.9 31.8 

Texas ..................................................................................................................................................................... 29 15 6,220 2,102 19.4 12.1 44.9 44.1 48.5 48.6 14.5 17.2 

Utah ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9 – 1,078 – 2.1 – 7.8 – 63.3 – 12.9 –

Vermont ..................................................................................................................................................................... 7 ( 2

 ) 1,128 ( 2 ) .7 – .4 – 42.5 54.2 17.3 20.5 

Virginia ..................................................................................................................................................................... 10 11 3,781 979 44.0 34.8 1.9 1.2 56.3 62.8 24.3 24.6 

Washington ..................................................................................................................................................................... 21 6 3,258 481 6.2 4.0 11.0 42.0 44.4 49.9 21.2 17.5 

West Virginia ..................................................................................................................................................................... 5 4 600 281 .5 – – – 24.0 52.7 26.3 10.0 

Wisconsin ..................................................................................................................................................................... 24 14 6,069 1,598 11.4 3.2 4.2 2.8 52.5 45.2 29.2 20.1 

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

 ) – ( 2 ) – – – – – 31.7 – 2.4 –

Puerto Rico ..................................................................................................................................................................... 8 16 3,469 3,381 ( 3

 ) ( 3 ) ( 3 ) ( 3 ) 57.0 64.6 14.3 9.0 

 1 See footnote 1, table 1. r

 = revised.

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

 = preliminary.

 3 Data are not available. NOTE: Dash represents zero.
Table 4. Census region and division: Extended mass layoff events, separations, and initial claimants for unemployment insurance, 

private nonfarm sector, selected quarters, 2005 and 2006

Census region and division

Layoff events Separations Initial claimants for

unemployment insurance

III II III III II III III II III

 2005r 2006r 2006p 2005r 2006r 2006p 2005r 2006r 2006p 

 United States1 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,136 1,353 836 201,878 295,428 134,816 190,186 263,787 104,458 

Northeast ..................................................................................................................................................................... 228 348 159 31,413 68,917 22,559 37,866 75,897 19,073 

 New England ..................................................................................................................................................................... 35 80 25 4,447 16,486 5,134 4,730 13,428 2,508 

 Middle Atlantic ..................................................................................................................................................................... 193 268 134 26,966 52,431 17,425 33,136 62,469 16,565 

South ..................................................................................................................................................................... 567 295 245 93,901 57,765 45,206 86,573 53,216 32,464 

 South Atlantic ..................................................................................................................................................................... 137 203 176 30,134 42,813 30,977 27,641 39,389 22,445 

 East South Central ..................................................................................................................................................................... 75 44 38 16,091 7,120 6,630 13,561 5,415 4,399 

 West South Central ..................................................................................................................................................................... 355 48 31 47,676 7,832 7,599 45,371 8,412 5,620 

Midwest ..................................................................................................................................................................... 213 344 193 46,876 77,138 32,154 45,824 71,862 27,095 

 East North Central ..................................................................................................................................................................... 172 258 165 36,626 61,283 27,912 37,319 60,469 21,481 

 West North Central ..................................................................................................................................................................... 41 86 28 10,250 15,855 4,242 8,505 11,393 5,614 

West ..................................................................................................................................................................... 128 366 239 29,688 91,608 34,897 19,923 62,812 25,826 

 Mountain ..................................................................................................................................................................... 20 48 12 8,191 21,633 1,135 3,546 6,430 1,041 

 Pacific ..................................................................................................................................................................... 108 318 227 21,497 69,975 33,762 16,377 56,382 24,785 

 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, 2005 and 2006

State

III II III III II III III II III

 2005r 2006r 2006p 2005r 2006r 2006p 2005r 2006r 2006p 

 Total, private nonfarm1 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,136 1,353 836 201,878 295,428 134,816 190,186 263,787 104,458 

Alabama ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 16 12 444 2,780 2,143 384 2,394 1,648 

Alaska ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 10 4 670 4,130 2,015 756 1,548 358 

Arizona ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 8 – 1,406 1,764 – 787 959 –

Arkansas ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) 3 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 472 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 477 ( 2 ) 

California ..................................................................................................................................................................... 87 254 209 16,921 56,377 29,692 13,199 46,369 22,949 

Colorado ..................................................................................................................................................................... 5 9 3 4,691 12,591 451 705 1,255 339 

Connecticut ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9 25 9 1,386 6,984 3,078 1,181 4,397 928 

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

 ) ( 2 ) – ( 2 ) ( 2 ) – ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

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

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

Florida ..................................................................................................................................................................... 78 107 103 18,156 25,770 21,002 14,659 19,674 12,781 

Georgia ..................................................................................................................................................................... 13 30 14 1,002 4,305 2,201 2,224 6,365 2,097 

Hawaii ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 9 ( 2

 ) 336 1,080 ( 2 ) 359 858 ( 2 ) 

Idaho ..................................................................................................................................................................... 7 7 ( 2

 ) 1,185 1,120 ( 2 ) 1,143 1,151 ( 2 ) 

Illinois ..................................................................................................................................................................... 75 91 61 16,862 23,798 13,052 15,347 21,050 8,046 

Indiana ..................................................................................................................................................................... 10 12 12 2,614 3,000 1,908 3,669 2,539 1,648 

Iowa ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 6 ( 2

 ) 1,510 1,440 ( 2 ) 1,713 1,133 ( 2 ) 

Kansas ..................................................................................................................................................................... 5 13 4 548 2,213 571 500 1,601 478 

Kentucky ..................................................................................................................................................................... 15 13 13 2,613 1,537 1,107 1,616 1,441 1,349 

Louisiana ..................................................................................................................................................................... 331 16 10 44,614 2,563 3,371 41,600 1,715 2,534 

Maine ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 6 ( 2

 ) 207 1,645 ( 2 ) 315 901 ( 2 ) 

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

 ) 25 14 ( 2 ) 2,973 1,655 ( 2 ) 2,875 1,544 

Massachusetts ..................................................................................................................................................................... 19 28 11 2,461 4,505 1,633 2,893 4,781 1,164 

Michigan ..................................................................................................................................................................... 38 75 41 7,530 15,976 5,126 8,416 22,248 4,737 

Minnesota ..................................................................................................................................................................... 19 24 13 5,571 2,825 1,553 4,752 2,834 1,285 

Mississippi ..................................................................................................................................................................... 45 8 ( 2

 ) 9,692 1,680 ( 2 ) 8,943 853 ( 2 ) 

Missouri ..................................................................................................................................................................... 12 35 9 2,301 7,597 1,078 1,419 4,944 3,183 

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

 ) 6 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 596 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 596 ( 2 ) 

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

 ) 6 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 1,530 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 631 ( 2 ) 

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

 ) 4 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 924 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 860 ( 2 ) 

New Hampshire ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 7 ( 2

 ) 333 958 ( 2 ) 281 965 ( 2 ) 

New Jersey ..................................................................................................................................................................... 34 75 23 6,195 20,549 4,814 5,174 17,313 2,687 

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

 ) 4 4 ( 2 ) 439 247 ( 2 ) 449 247 

New York ..................................................................................................................................................................... 94 108 73 14,146 18,799 8,311 15,771 26,422 8,844 

North Carolina ..................................................................................................................................................................... 20 14 14 6,460 1,350 1,812 6,907 1,704 2,227 

North Dakota ..................................................................................................................................................................... – ( 2

 ) – – ( 2 ) – – ( 2 ) –

Ohio ..................................................................................................................................................................... 38 56 37 7,018 12,354 6,435 7,238 8,563 5,452 

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

 ) – 4 ( 2 ) – 723 ( 2 ) – 614 

Oregon ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 24 6 1,653 5,042 1,276 994 4,349 715 

Pennsylvania ..................................................................................................................................................................... 65 85 38 6,625 13,083 4,300 12,191 18,734 5,034 

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

 ) 7 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 1,266 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 1,256 ( 2 ) 

South Carolina ..................................................................................................................................................................... 10 9 15 1,408 2,444 1,815 1,779 2,577 1,786 

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

 ) – – ( 2 ) – – ( 2 ) –

Tennessee ..................................................................................................................................................................... 12 7 12 3,342 1,123 3,002 2,618 727 1,217 

Texas ..................................................................................................................................................................... 21 29 15 2,581 4,797 3,135 3,321 6,220 2,102 

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

 ) 9 – ( 2 ) 3,249 – ( 2 ) 1,078 –

Vermont ..................................................................................................................................................................... – 7 ( 2

 ) – 1,128 ( 2 ) – 1,128 ( 2 ) 

Virginia ..................................................................................................................................................................... 10 10 11 1,300 3,417 1,738 1,308 3,781 979 

Washington ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9 21 6 1,917 3,346 497 1,069 3,258 481 

West Virginia ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 5 4 1,067 741 682 435 600 281 

Wisconsin ..................................................................................................................................................................... 11 24 14 2,602 6,155 1,391 2,649 6,069 1,598 

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

 ) – – ( 2 ) – – ( 2 ) –

Puerto Rico ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 8 16 480 1,914 2,368 2,105 3,469 3,381 

 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, 1999-2006

1999

First quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,262 230,711 35 4,363 10 1,796 10 1,600 6 1,002 

Second quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,194 246,251 28 3,891 7 1,731 8 1,097 ( 6

 ) ( 6 ) 

Third quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 898 184,429 22 11,546 7 1,141 5 840 ( 6

 ) ( 6 ) 

Fourth quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,202 240,060 18 2,757 5 526 4 807 6 1,430 

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

2000

First quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,081 202,500 22 5,195 14 2,717 9 1,402 4 771 

Second quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,055 205,861 18 8,862 22 9,114 7 805 7 977 

Third quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 817 174,628 10 1,678 12 1,422 4 1,465 6 1,280 

Fourth quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,638 332,973 16 3,070 22 3,521 5 946 7 1,020 

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

2001

First quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,546 304,171 91 20,991 44 7,963 22 4,441 24 5,312 

Second quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,828 430,499 161 38,986 87 12,943 36 12,109 28 6,386 

Third quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,629 330,391 142 24,813 55 6,820 39 8,200 36 7,134 

Fourth quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 2,372 459,771 109 17,797 56 8,290 43 10,124 48 11,252 

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

2002

First quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,611 299,266 84 18,574 39 4,442 32 8,192 42 6,664 

Second quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,624 344,606 69 11,764 49 5,454 27 4,870 53 8,538 

Third quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,186 255,152 76 15,017 42 5,415 34 6,529 42 7,945 

Fourth quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,916 373,307 74 14,298 32 7,071 19 3,645 39 8,987 

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

2003

First quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,502 286,947 71 11,900 33 5,689 23 4,402 41 6,591 

Second quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,799 368,273 54 9,221 27 4,124 21 3,098 29 5,891 

Third quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,190 236,333 46 6,488 26 4,433 9 1,289 15 2,604 

Fourth quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,690 325,333 25 5,080 14 1,984 9 1,619 28 6,635 

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

2004

First quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,339 276,503 27 3,222 16 2,992 8 894 23 4,197 

Second quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,358 278,831 18 2,959 21 3,576 – – 22 5,295 

Third quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 886 164,608 13 2,288 15 1,617 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 62 9,732 16 1,887 81 17,266 

2005

First quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,142 186,506 13 1,526 13 2,679 4 439 17 3,569 

Second quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,203 246,099 20 2,973 17 2,106 4 842 11 1,904 

Third quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,136 201,878 23 3,307 12 1,742 ( 6

 ) ( 6 ) 11 1,127 

Fourth quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,400 250,178 19 4,122 7 1,331 ( 6

 ) ( 6 ) 8 1,125 

 Total ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4,881 884,661 75 11,928 49 7,858 13 3,000 47 7,725 

2006

First quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 963 r183,073 12 1,159 6 744 4 911 7 833 

Second quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... r1,353 r295,428 r10 r3,294 r9

 r1,723 8 988 7 r1,252

Third quarterp ..................................................................................................................................................................... 836 134,816 13 3,035 6 452 ( 6 ) ( 6 ) 10 1,703 

 

1

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

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

 

2

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

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

4

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

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

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

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

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

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

5

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

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

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

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

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

 

3

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

6

 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards. 

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

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

r

 = revised. 

merchant wholesalers; computer and software stores; custom computer programming 

p

 = preliminary. 

Year

Separations Separations Separations

hardware2computer services3

Layoff

events

Total extended

mass layoffs

Information technology-producing industries1

Computer Software and Communications Communications

Separations Layoff

events Separations Layoffevents

equipment4services5

Layoff

events

Layoff

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

selected quarters, 2005 and 2006

III II III III II III

2005 2006r 2006p 2005 2006r 2006p 

 Total, private nonfarm1 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 68 72 52 15,578 16,610 11,873 

 Mining ..................................................................................................................................................................... – ( 2

 ) – – ( 2 ) –

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

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

 Manufacturing ..................................................................................................................................................................... 43 47 33 7,627 10,976 6,686 

 Food ..................................................................................................................................................................... 5 7 3 929 1,905 421 

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

 ) – – ( 2 ) 

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

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

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

 ) ( 2 ) – ( 2 ) ( 2 ) –

 Apparel ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 ( 2

 ) 5 370 ( 2 ) 1,205 

 Leather and allied products ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – – – – –

 Wood products ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – ( 2

 ) – – ( 2 ) 

 Paper ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4 8 – 695 1,057 –

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

 ) – – ( 2 ) 

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

 Chemicals ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) 563 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

 Plastics and rubber products ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) 3 – ( 2 ) 901 –

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

 ) – – ( 2 ) –

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

 ) – – ( 2 ) –

 Fabricated metal products ..................................................................................................................................................................... 7 ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) 749 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

 Machinery ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 5 3 624 1,184 662 

 Computer and electronic products ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 3 ( 2

 ) 1,169 502 ( 2 ) 

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

 ) 3 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 356 ( 2 ) 

 Transportation equipment ..................................................................................................................................................................... 7 8 6 1,665 3,453 1,365 

 Furniture and related products ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – 3 – – 828 

 Miscellaneous manufacturing ..................................................................................................................................................................... – ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) – ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

 Wholesale trade ..................................................................................................................................................................... 5 3 6 744 470 1,984 

 Retail trade ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4 4 ( 2

 ) 1,078 1,326 ( 2 ) 

 Transportation and warehousing ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4 – 3 4,489 – 1,616 

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

 ) 5 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 710 ( 2 ) 

 Finance and insurance ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 6 ( 2

 ) 695 2,130 ( 2 ) 

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

 ) – – ( 2 ) –

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

 ) 3 – ( 2 ) 286 –

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

 ) – – ( 2 ) 

 Administrative and waste services ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) 3 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 789 

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

 Health care and social assistance ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) – – ( 2 ) – –

 Arts, entertainment, and recreation ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – ( 2

 ) – – ( 2 ) 

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

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

 ) – ( 2 ) ( 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.

Layoff events Separations

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

selected quarters, 2005 and 2006

III II III III II III

2005 2006r 2006p 2005 2006r 2006p 

 Total, private nonfarm1 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 68 72 52 15,578 16,610 11,873 

Automation ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – ( 2

 ) – – ( 2 ) 

Bankruptcy ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

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

Business ownership change ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) 8 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 1,281 ( 2 ) 

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

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

Contract completed ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) – ( 2 ) ( 2 ) –

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

Environment-related ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – – – – –

Financial difficulty ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 6 5 791 834 913 

Import competition ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 3 5 1,264 885 998 

Labor dispute ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) – ( 2 ) ( 2 ) –

Material shortage ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) – – ( 2 ) – –

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

Natural disaster ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – – – – –

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

 ) – – ( 2 ) –

Plant or machine repair ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – – – – –

Product line discontinued ..................................................................................................................................................................... 5 ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) 481 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

Reorganization within company ..................................................................................................................................................................... 39 44 25 7,714 10,687 6,645 

Seasonal work ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 3 ) ( 3 ) ( 3 ) ( 3 ) ( 3 ) ( 3 )

Slack work ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) – ( 2 ) ( 2 ) – ( 2 ) 

Vacation period ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 3 ) ( 3 ) ( 3 ) ( 3 ) ( 3 ) ( 3 )

Weather-related ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – – – – –

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

 ) 3 5 ( 2 ) 380 426 

Not reported ..................................................................................................................................................................... – – – – – –

 1 See footnote 1, table 1. r = revised.

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

 

3

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

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

Layoff events Separations

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

selected quarters, 2005 and 2006

Census region and division

Layoff events Separations

III II III III II III

2005 2006r 2006p 2005 2006r 2006p 

 United States1 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 68 72 52 15,578 16,610 11,873 

Northeast ..................................................................................................................................................................... 10 10 11 1,651 1,527 2,313 

 New England ..................................................................................................................................................................... 5 ( 2

 ) 4 653 ( 2 ) 1,156 

 Middle Atlantic ..................................................................................................................................................................... 5 ( 2

 ) 7 998 ( 2 ) 1,157 

South ..................................................................................................................................................................... 22 19 23 4,042 4,585 4,953 

 South Atlantic ..................................................................................................................................................................... ( 2

 ) 11 15 ( 2 ) 3,457 2,920 

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

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

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

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

Midwest ..................................................................................................................................................................... 17 24 12 7,347 5,823 2,910 

 East North Central ..................................................................................................................................................................... 14 16 9 3,551 2,358 2,593 

 West North Central ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 8 3 3,796 3,465 317 

West ..................................................................................................................................................................... 19 19 6 2,538 4,675 1,697 

 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, 2005 and 2006

III II III III II III

2005 2006r

 2006p 2005 2006r 2006p

Total, private nonfarm1

 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,136 1,353 836 201,878 295,428 134,816 

 Total, excluding seasonal

 and vacation events2 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 953 750 673 164,224 139,202 109,356 

 Total, movement of work3 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 68 72 52 15,578 16,610 11,873 

 Movement of work actions ..................................................................................................................................................................... 83 103 66 ( 4 ) ( 4 ) ( 4 )

 With separations reported ..................................................................................................................................................................... 62 66 44 8,035 9,674 6,026 

 With separations unknown ..................................................................................................................................................................... 21 37 22 ( 4 ) ( 4 ) ( 4 )

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

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

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

 3 Movement of work can involve more than one action.

Layoff events Separations

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

selected quarters, 2005 and 2006

III II III III II III

2005 2006r

 2006p 2005 2006r 2006p

With separations reported2 .............................................. 62 66 44 8,035 9,674 6,026 

By location

 Out-of-country relocations .............................................. 20 23 10 2,702 3,033 1,842 

 Within company ...................................................................................... 15 21 7 2,137 2,912 801 

 Different company ........................................................................................... 5 2 3 565 121 1,041 

 Domestic relocations .......................................................................................... 42 43 34 5,333 6,641 4,184 

 Within company ......................................................................................... 32 35 28 3,075 5,823 3,455 

 Different company .......................................................................................... 10 8 6 2,258 818 729 

 Unable to assign place of 

 relocation ........................................................................................... – – – – – –

By company

 Within company .......................................................................................... 47 56 35 5,212 8,735 4,256 

 Domestic .......................................................................................... 32 35 28 3,075 5,823 3,455 

 Out of country .......................................................................................... 15 21 7 2,137 2,912 801 

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

 Different company ......................................................................................... 15 10 9 2,823 939 1,770 

 Domestic .......................................................................................... 10 8 6 2,258 818 729 

 Out of country .......................................................................................... 5 2 3 565 121 1,041 

 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