Bureau of Labor Statistics Washington, D.C. 20212 

Technical information: (202) 691-6392 USDL 08-1717 

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

 For release: 10:00 A.M. (EST) 

Media contact: (202) 691-5902 Friday, November 21, 2008 

MASS LAYOFFS IN OCTOBER 2008 

In October, employers took 2,140 mass layoff actions, seasonally adjusted, as measured by new 

filings for unemployment insurance benefits during the month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. 

Department of Labor reported today. Each action involved at least 50 persons from a single employer; 

the number of workers involved totaled 232,468, on a seasonally adjusted basis. The number of mass 

layoff events this October decreased by 129 from the prior month, and the number of associated initial 

claims fell by 3,213. Both layoff events and initial claims reached their highest October levels since 

2001, a month that experienced continued layoff activity from the September 11 attacks. In October, 

635 mass layoff events were reported in the manufacturing sector, seasonally adjusted, resulting in 

87,403 initial claims. Over the month, mass layoff events in manufacturing increased by 32 and initial 

claims increased by 5,989; the third consecutive over-the-month increase for both. (See table 1.) 

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

Events

Chart 1. Mass layoff events, seasonally adjusted,

November 2003-October 2008

2004 2005 2006 

Total

Private nonfarm

2007

 Manufacturing

2008

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

Claims

Chart 2. Mass layoff initial claims, seasonally adjusted,

November 2003-October 2008

2004 2005 2006 

Total

Private nonfarm

2007

 Manufacturing

2008

From January through October 2008, the total number of events (seasonally adjusted), at 16,951, 

and initial claims (seasonally adjusted), at 1,742,914, were the highest for the January-October period 

since 2002. 

News United States 

Department 

of Labor 
2

Table A. Industries with the largest number of mass layoff initial claims in October 2008

Year Initial claims

Temporary help services ...................................... 16,381 1998 18,760 

Automobile manufacturing .................................. 10,508 2008 10,508 

Professional employer organizations ................... 7,242 2008 7,242 

Motion picture and video production .................. 6,052 1997 7,692 

Light truck and utility vehicle manufacturing ..... 6,047 2001 8,763 

Farm labor contractors and crew leaders ............. 4,123 1998 9,617 

Heavy duty truck manufacturing ......................... 3,983 2006 7,017 

Discount department stores ................................. 3,135 2002 4,959 

Fruit and vegetable canning ................................. 2,836 2002 4,500 

Travel trailer and camper manufacturing ............ 2,826 2008 2,826 

Industry Initial claims October peak

The national unemployment rate was 6.5 percent in October, seasonally adjusted, up significantly 

from 6.1 percent the prior month and up from 4.8 percent a year earlier. In October, total nonfarm payroll employment decreased by 240,000 over the month and by 1,078,000 from a year earlier. 

Industry Distribution (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

The number of mass layoff events in October was 2,125 on a not seasonally adjusted basis; the 

number of associated initial claims was 221,784. (See table 2.) Average weekly layoff events rose 

from 271 in October 2007 to 425 in October 2008, while average weekly initial claimants increased 

from 27,114 to 44,357. In 2008, both average weekly events and initial claimants reached their highest 

October levels since 2001. In 2008, two major sectors reported program highs in terms of average 

weekly initial claimants for the month of October—the construction sector and the arts, entertainment, 

and recreation sector (with data available back to 1995). 

The manufacturing sector accounted for 32 percent of all mass layoff events and 45 percent of 

initial claims filed in October 2008; a year earlier, manufacturing made up 31 percent of events and 47 

percent of initial claims. This October, the number of manufacturing claimants was greatest in transportation equipment manufacturing (36,110), followed by food manufacturing (11,144). (See table 3.) 

Administrative and waste services accounted for 16 percent of mass layoff events and 14 percent of 

associated initial claims during the month. 

The six-digit NAICS industry with the largest number of initial claims was temporary help services 

(16,381), followed by automobile manufacturing (10,508). Among the 10 industries with the highest 

levels of initial claims, 3 of the 10—automobile manufacturing, travel trailer and camper manufacturing, 

and professional employer organizations—reached program highs in 2008 for the month of October 

(with data available back to 1995). (See table A.) 

Geographic Distribution (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

Of the 4 census regions, the Midwest had the highest number of initial claims in October due to 

mass layoffs (75,210), followed by the West (69,542) and the South (53,087). (See table 5.) Average 
3

weekly initial claimants in mass layoffs increased over the year in all 4 regions with the West (+5,341) 

and the Midwest (+5,329) experiencing the largest increases. 

Of the 9 divisions, the Pacific (60,351) and the East North Central (60,196) had the highest numbers of initial claims in October due to mass layoffs. (See table 5.) All 9 of the divisions experienced 

over-the-year increases in average weekly initial claims, led by the Pacific (+4,229) and the East North 

Central (+3,829). In 2008, the East South Central and Mountain divisions reached program highs in 

average weekly initial claims for the month of October. 

California recorded the highest number of initial claims filed due to mass layoff events in October 

with 51,286. The next highest states reporting mass layoff initial claims were Ohio (17,764) and 

Michigan (16,851). (See table 6.) Twelve states reached program highs in average weekly initial claims 

in 2008 for the month of October—Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Michigan, 

Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, Utah, and Wyoming. Forty-four states registered over-the-year increases in 

average weekly initial claims associated with mass layoffs, led by California (+3,256), Michigan 

(+2,073), and Florida (+1,319). 

______________________________ 

The report on Mass Layoffs in November 2008 is scheduled to be released on Friday, December 19. 
Technical Note 

The Mass Layoff Statistics (MLS) program is a federalstate program that uses a standardized automated approach to 

identifying, describing, and tracking the effects of major job 

cutbacks, using data from each state's unemployment 

insurance database. Each month, states report on employers 

which have at least 50 initial claims filed against them during 

a consecutive 5-week period. These employers then are 

contacted by the state agency to determine whether these 

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

information concerning the layoff is collected. States report 

on layoffs lasting more than 1 month on a quarterly basis. 

A given month contains an aggregation of the weekly 

unemployment insurance claims filings for the Sunday 

through Saturday weeks in that month. All weeks are 

included for the particular month, except if the first day of the 

month falls on Saturday. In this case, the week is included in 

the prior month's tabulations. This means that some months 

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

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

and the number of weeks in a year may vary. Therefore, 

analysis of over-the-month and over-the-year change in not 

seasonally adjusted series should take this calendar effect into 

consideration. 

The MLS program resumed operations in April 1995 after 

it had been terminated in November 1992 due to lack of 

funding. Prior to April 1995, monthly layoff statistics were 

not available. 

Information in this release will be made available to 

sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: 

202-691-5200; TDD message referral phone number: 1-800-

877-8339. 

Definitions 

Employer. Employers in the MLS program include those 

covered by state unemployment insurance laws. Information 

on employers is obtained from the Quarterly Census of 

Employment and Wages (QCEW) program, which is 

administered by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). 

Initial claimant. A person who files any notice of unemployment to initiate a request either for a determination of 

entitlement to and eligibility for compensation, or for a 

subsequent period of unemployment within a benefit year or 

period of eligibility. 

Mass layoff event. Fifty or more initial claims for 

unemployment insurance benefits filed against an employer 

during a 5-week period, regardless of duration. 

 

Seasonal adjustment 

Effective with the release of data for January 2005, BLS 

began publishing six seasonally adjusted monthly MLS 

series. The six series are the numbers of mass layoff events 

and mass layoff initial claims for the total, private nonfarm, 

and manufacturing sectors. 

Seasonal adjustment is the process of estimating and 

removing the effect on time series data of regularly recurring 

seasonal events such as changes in the weather, holidays, and 

the beginning and ending of the school year. The use of 

seasonal adjustment makes it easier to observe fundamental 

changes in time series, particularly those associated with 

general economic expansions and contractions. 

The MLS data are seasonally adjusted using the X-12-

ARIMA seasonal adjustment method on a concurrent basis. 

Concurrent seasonal adjustment uses all available monthly 

estimates, including those for the current month, in 

developing seasonal adjustment factors. Revisions to the 

most recent 5 years of seasonally adjusted data will be made 

once a year with the issuance of December data. Before the 

data are seasonally adjusted, prior adjustments are made to 

the original data to adjust them for differences in the number 

of weeks used to calculate the monthly data. Because weekly 

unemployment insurance claims are aggregated to form 

monthly data, a particular month's value could be calculated 

with 5 weeks of data in one year and 4 weeks in another. The 

effects of these differences could seriously distort the 

seasonal factors if they were ignored in the seasonal 

adjustment process. These effects are modeled in the X-12-

ARIMA program and are permanently removed from the 

final seasonally adjusted series. 
Table 1. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance, November 2004 to October 2008,

seasonally adjusted

2004

November .................................................... 1,320 130,873 1,174 119,029 380 45,416 

December .................................................... 1,148 111,060 991 99,784 287 31,935 

2005

January ........................................................ 1,475 160,725 1,346 151,028 382 61,324 

February ....................................................... 1,146 121,455 1,020 110,480 353 43,568 

March ........................................................... 1,207 131,271 1,066 120,945 372 53,673 

April .............................................................. 1,252 136,752 1,125 126,550 401 60,681 

May .............................................................. 1,248 136,420 1,104 123,495 398 54,999 

June ............................................................. 1,196 127,084 1,078 118,012 368 58,300 

July ............................................................... 1,250 132,445 1,103 119,566 357 46,602 

August .......................................................... 1,144 125,686 1,000 113,762 341 47,598 

September ................................................... 2,248 297,544 2,028 251,185 417 55,304 

October ........................................................ 1,101 110,035 982 100,934 321 43,230 

November .................................................... 1,176 114,965 1,042 103,535 332 42,071 

December .................................................... 1,261 134,461 1,132 123,418 360 46,863 

2006

January ........................................................ 1,107 110,800 988 101,494 283 34,037 

February ....................................................... 1,031 109,798 940 101,828 322 43,147 

March ........................................................... 1,084 119,049 983 110,668 323 48,119 

April .............................................................. 1,171 121,580 1,043 112,175 368 49,568 

May .............................................................. 1,124 117,115 1,005 107,181 314 43,087 

June ............................................................. 1,146 123,827 1,030 114,080 352 44,869 

July ............................................................... 1,179 121,017 1,051 111,336 372 48,534 

August .......................................................... 1,270 135,400 1,107 124,427 377 60,906 

September ................................................... 1,173 123,767 1,056 114,677 385 45,767 

October ........................................................ 1,191 121,827 1,076 113,123 399 53,601 

November .................................................... 1,232 133,803 1,121 124,559 414 58,385 

December .................................................... 1,194 131,062 1,092 121,796 374 51,408 

2007

January ........................................................ 1,254 128,223 1,118 117,824 391 52,858 

February ....................................................... 1,352 143,837 1,238 135,066 416 61,749 

March ........................................................... 1,277 130,981 1,169 122,488 412 52,606 

April .............................................................. 1,243 126,977 1,116 116,926 382 43,930 

May .............................................................. 1,199 120,587 1,096 113,069 370 48,910 

June ............................................................. 1,238 129,858 1,116 120,165 351 40,670 

July ............................................................... 1,247 127,687 1,140 119,614 392 51,333 

August .......................................................... 1,228 121,886 1,128 114,628 335 36,518 

September ................................................... 1,307 128,487 1,204 121,294 430 53,432 

October ........................................................ 1,347 136,124 1,224 127,163 430 57,695 

November .................................................... 1,329 139,671 1,215 131,390 414 56,965 

December .................................................... 1,433 141,750 1,315 133,024 462 58,108 

2008

January ........................................................ 1,438 144,111 1,317 134,347 427 55,488 

February ....................................................... 1,672 177,374 1,539 166,782 529 66,913 

March ........................................................... 1,571 157,156 1,460 147,537 482 64,088 

April .............................................................. 1,308 133,914 1,186 124,053 483 60,552 

May .............................................................. 1,626 171,387 1,496 161,912 528 72,058 

June ............................................................. 1,643 165,697 1,491 153,568 541 76,514 

July ............................................................... 1,512 151,171 1,368 140,116 443 57,470 

August .......................................................... 1,772 173,955 1,622 163,800 599 72,244 

September ................................................... 2,269 235,681 2,092 221,538 603 81,414 

October ........................................................ 2,140 232,468 1,976 218,131 635 87,403 

Total Private nonfarm Manufacturing

Date

Events Events Events Initial

claimants

Initial

claimants

Initial

claimants
Table 2. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance, November 2004 to October 2008,

not seasonally adjusted

2004

November .................................................... 1,399 130,423 1,201 115,549 412 44,243 

December .................................................... 1,614 161,271 1,487 152,092 436 50,726 

2005

January ........................................................ 2,564 263,952 2,421 253,409 823 108,985 

February ....................................................... 810 74,644 722 68,372 230 24,931 

March ........................................................... 806 88,937 733 83,793 246 33,030 

April .............................................................. 1,373 158,582 1,263 148,133 395 59,129 

May .............................................................. 986 101,358 891 93,332 249 30,424 

June ............................................................. 1,157 120,463 941 103,307 216 32,783 

July ............................................................... 1,981 244,216 1,745 222,377 856 136,210 

August .......................................................... 645 67,582 598 63,484 188 22,531 

September ................................................... 1,662 213,281 1,505 179,042 318 47,497 

October ........................................................ 905 91,941 757 80,694 249 37,276 

November .................................................... 1,254 116,127 1,079 102,182 363 41,442 

December .................................................... 2,323 254,258 2,168 242,753 706 96,382 

2006

January ........................................................ 1,245 117,946 1,123 108,701 331 35,097 

February ....................................................... 719 66,555 658 62,208 210 24,892 

March ........................................................... 921 111,838 856 106,177 285 44,688 

April .............................................................. 1,140 121,589 1,038 112,964 296 39,538 

May .............................................................. 872 84,809 794 78,663 192 23,570 

June ............................................................. 1,489 164,761 1,224 140,687 319 41,095 

July ............................................................... 1,511 166,857 1,335 154,342 648 96,152 

August .......................................................... 708 72,844 656 69,054 203 28,494 

September ................................................... 865 87,699 785 81,274 296 39,076 

October ........................................................ 964 98,804 820 88,133 311 46,737 

November .................................................... 1,315 136,186 1,172 125,009 455 58,473 

December .................................................... 2,249 254,503 2,126 244,783 735 105,462 

2007

January ........................................................ 1,407 134,984 1,263 124,475 456 53,615 

February ....................................................... 935 86,696 861 82,097 273 36,170 

March ........................................................... 1,082 123,974 1,015 118,431 367 49,886 

April .............................................................. 1,219 127,444 1,115 118,040 309 35,229 

May .............................................................. 923 85,816 856 81,153 224 26,527 

June ............................................................. 1,599 172,810 1,318 148,669 313 36,571 

July ............................................................... 1,599 175,419 1,450 164,939 684 101,390 

August .......................................................... 963 93,458 908 88,345 220 23,361 

September ................................................... 717 67,385 667 64,026 246 29,381 

October ........................................................ 1,083 108,455 929 97,716 338 50,918 

November .................................................... 1,799 198,220 1,593 181,184 514 75,413 

December .................................................... 2,167 224,214 2,071 216,898 699 91,754 

2008

January ........................................................ 1,647 154,503 1,520 144,191 488 54,418 

February ....................................................... 1,269 119,508 1,178 113,587 361 42,527 

March ........................................................... 1,089 114,541 1,039 110,147 333 43,740 

April .............................................................. 1,272 130,810 1,172 121,625 394 48,188 

May .............................................................. 1,552 159,471 1,438 150,462 388 51,698 

June ............................................................. 1,622 166,742 1,315 140,916 309 42,097 

July ............................................................... 1,891 200,382 1,687 186,018 760 108,733 

August .......................................................... 1,427 139,999 1,343 133,146 414 51,912 

September ................................................... 1,292 129,586 1,202 122,505 361 46,391 

October ........................................................ 2,125 221,784 1,917 205,553 689 100,457 

Total Private nonfarm Manufacturing

Date

Events Events Events Initial

claimants

Initial

claimants

Initial

claimants
Table 3. Industry distribution: Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance

Mass layoff events Initial claimants for

unemployment insurance

October August September October October August September October

2007 2008 2008 2008 2007 2008 2008 2008

Seasonally adjusted

 Total .............................................................. 1,347 1,772 2,269 2,140 136,124 173,955 235,681 232,468 

 Total, private nonfarm ....................................... 1,224 1,622 2,092 1,976 127,163 163,800 221,538 218,131 

 Manufacturing ................................................. 430 599 603 635 57,695 72,244 81,414 87,403 

Not seasonally adjusted

 Total 1 ............................................................ 1,083 1,427 1,292 2,125 108,455 139,999 129,586 221,784 

Total, private ....................................................... 1,033 1,373 1,227 2,034 103,897 134,871 124,096 213,602 

 Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting ......... 104 30 25 117 6,181 1,725 1,591 8,049 

 Total, private nonfarm ....................................... 929 1,343 1,202 1,917 97,716 133,146 122,505 205,553 

 Mining .............................................................. ( 2 ) 3 6 6 ( 2 ) 207 728 449 

 Utilities ............................................................. – ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) – ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 )

 Construction .................................................... 114 142 144 206 7,126 9,717 10,763 14,864 

 Manufacturing ................................................. 338 414 361 689 50,918 51,912 46,391 100,457 

 Food ............................................................ 50 40 33 75 5,264 3,510 3,068 11,144 

 Beverage and tobacco products ................. 8 8 7 7 603 630 648 488 

 Textile mills ................................................. 8 10 13 20 732 1,013 1,422 2,925 

 Textile product mills 3

 .................................. 4 4 3 10 232 487 347 792 

 Apparel 3 ...................................................... 6 10 7 9 408 981 688 914 

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

 Wood products ............................................ 31 35 32 68 3,582 2,980 2,901 6,932 

 Paper ........................................................... 10 3 8 17 708 516 603 1,392 

 Printing and related support activities ......... 7 10 5 10 434 938 341 1,042 

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

 Chemicals ................................................... 6 5 8 13 907 268 527 1,394 

 Plastics and rubber products 3 ..................... 11 30 16 47 1,133 3,625 1,224 4,903 

 Nonmetallic mineral products ...................... 8 8 12 21 440 1,161 861 1,755 

 Primary metals ............................................ 16 19 13 48 1,579 1,709 1,582 6,038 

 Fabricated metal products .......................... 18 25 35 47 1,367 2,179 2,357 4,632 

 Machinery 3 .................................................. 18 30 28 43 5,459 4,887 4,058 7,897 

 Computer and electronic products .............. 10 26 15 36 674 2,446 1,556 3,705 

 Electrical equipment and appliances .......... 12 11 22 21 1,516 1,485 3,453 3,873 

 Transportation equipment 3 ......................... 88 112 87 149 23,399 19,787 19,278 36,110 

 Furniture and related products 3 .................. 18 20 13 32 1,504 2,566 1,153 2,902 

 Miscellaneous manufacturing 3 ................... 5 5 ( 2

 ) 13 538 520 ( 2 ) 1,210 

 Wholesale trade .............................................. 13 27 20 38 1,571 1,765 1,642 2,573 

 Retail trade ...................................................... 66 142 112 161 5,881 12,674 10,345 15,328 

 Transportation and warehousing .................... 31 100 54 75 3,153 9,077 4,383 6,007 

 Information ...................................................... 33 48 45 49 3,645 6,640 6,021 7,820 

 Finance and insurance 3 .................................. 60 45 38 63 4,640 3,192 3,104 5,025 

 Real estate and rental and leasing 3 ............... 8 13 7 15 616 742 396 1,014 

 Professional and technical services 3 .............. 26 45 35 46 1,968 4,458 5,623 3,022 

 Management of companies and enterprises ... 5 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 4 382 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 337 

 Administrative and waste services 3 ................ 140 214 181 334 10,778 19,682 18,557 30,945 

 Educational services ....................................... ( 2 ) 9 5 5 ( 2 ) 1,462 346 292 

 Health care and social assistance .................. 20 35 54 39 1,708 2,584 4,021 2,823 

 Arts, entertainment, and recreation ................. 21 18 30 42 1,521 1,320 2,043 3,106 

 Accommodation and food services ................. 47 74 99 125 3,346 6,221 7,552 10,278 

 Other services, except public administration .. 3 9 6 16 175 1,185 297 962 

 Unclassified .................................................... 1 – 2 ( 2 ) 74 – 73 ( 2 )

Government ........................................................ 50 54 65 91 4,558 5,128 5,490 8,182 

 Federal ............................................................ 16 8 9 19 1,412 800 764 1,746 

 State ................................................................ 16 13 12 30 1,431 1,464 922 2,985 

 Local ................................................................ 18 33 44 42 1,715 2,864 3,804 3,451 

 1

 Data were reported by all states and the District of Columbia. due to a change in NAICS versions.

 2

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

 3

 Data beginning in 2008 are not strictly comparable to prior years

Industry
Table 4. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance, October 2006 to October 2008,

not seasonally adjusted

Extended mass layoffs 

lasting more than 30 days Realization rates 1

Events Initial

claimants Events Initial

claimants Events Initial

claimants Events Initial

claimants

2006

October ...................................... 964 98,804 820 88,133 

November .................................. 1,315 136,186 1,172 125,009 

December .................................. 2,249 254,503 2,126 244,783 

Fourth Quarter ........................... 4,528 489,493 4,118 457,925 1,640 330,954 39.8 72.3 

2007

January ...................................... 1,407 134,984 1,263 124,475 

February .................................... 935 86,696 861 82,097 

March ......................................... 1,082 123,974 1,015 118,431 

First Quarter ............................... 3,424 345,654 3,139 325,003 1,110 199,250 35.4 61.3 

April ............................................ 1,219 127,444 1,115 118,040 

May ............................................ 923 85,816 856 81,153 

June ........................................... 1,599 172,810 1,318 148,669 

Second Quarter ......................... 3,741 386,070 3,289 347,862 1,421 259,234 43.2 74.5 

July ............................................ 1,599 175,419 1,450 164,939 

August ........................................ 963 93,458 908 88,345 

September ................................. 717 67,385 667 64,026 

Third Quarter ............................. 3,279 336,262 3,025 317,310 1,018 173,077 33.7 54.5 

October ...................................... 1,083 108,455 929 97,716 

November .................................. 1,799 198,220 1,593 181,184 

December .................................. 2,167 224,214 2,071 216,898 

Fourth Quarter ........................... 5,049 530,889 4,593 495,798 1,814 r

 347,149 39.5 70.0 

2008

January ...................................... 1,647 154,503 1,520 144,191 

February .................................... 1,269 119,508 1,178 113,587 

March ......................................... 1,089 114,541 1,039 110,147 

First Quarter ............................... 4,005 388,552 3,737 367,925 1,340 r

 258,767 35.9 r 70.3

April ............................................ 1,272 130,810 1,172 121,625 

May ............................................ 1,552 159,471 1,438 150,462 

June ........................................... 1,622 166,742 1,315 140,916 

Second Quarter ......................... 4,446 457,023 3,925 413,003 r

 1,756 r 335,854 r 44.7 r 81.3

July ............................................ 1,891 200,382 1,687 186,018 

August ........................................ 1,427 139,999 1,343 133,146 

September ................................. 1,292 129,586 1,202 122,505 

Third Quarter ............................. 4,610 469,967 4,232 441,669 2,p 1,330 2,p 181,386 p

 31.4 p 41.1 

October ...................................... 2,125 221,784 1,917 205,553 

 1 The event realization rate is the percentage of all private nonfarm number of extended mass layoff events is generally revised upwards

mass layoff events lasting more than 30 days. The initial claimant realization by less than 10 percent and the number of initial claimants associated

rate is the percentage of all private nonfarm mass layoff initial claimants with such events increases by 25-40 percent.

associated with layoffs lasting more than 30 days. r = revised.

 2

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

data on these layoffs become available. Experience suggests that the

Mass layoffs

Total mass layoffs

Private nonfarm

Date
Table 5. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance by census region and division,

not seasonally adjusted

Mass layoff events Initial claimants for

unemployment insurance

October August September October October August September October

2007 2008 2008 2008 2007 2008 2008 2008

 United States 1

 ......................................... 1,083 1,427 1,292 2,125 108,455 139,999 129,586 221,784 

Northeast .......................................................... 141 226 142 270 12,152 22,736 11,646 23,945 

 New England ................................................ 9 24 15 25 614 2,304 1,180 2,522 

 Middle Atlantic .............................................. 132 202 127 245 11,538 20,432 10,466 21,423 

South ................................................................ 230 362 475 538 23,180 38,188 43,772 53,087 

 South Atlantic ............................................... 131 212 153 295 11,952 20,313 12,291 25,535 

 East South Central ....................................... 51 90 54 111 6,791 11,179 4,788 15,162 

 West South Central ...................................... 48 60 268 132 4,437 6,696 26,693 12,390 

Midwest ............................................................ 261 307 225 511 38,853 33,238 26,646 75,210 

 East North Central ........................................ 215 254 189 406 32,840 26,689 23,087 60,196 

 West North Central ....................................... 46 53 36 105 6,013 6,549 3,559 15,014 

West ................................................................. 451 532 450 806 34,270 45,837 47,522 69,542 

 Mountain ....................................................... 38 50 43 98 2,905 4,688 3,675 9,191 

 Pacific ........................................................... 413 482 407 708 31,365 41,149 43,847 60,351 

 1

 See footnote 1, table 3. Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee; West South Central: Arkansas, 

 NOTE: The States (including the District of Columbia) that Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas; East North Central: Illinois, Indiana,

comprise the census divisions are: New England: Connecticut, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin; West North Central: Iowa, Kansas,

Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota;

and Vermont; Middle Atlantic: New Jersey, New York, and Mountain: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, 

Pennsylvania; South Atlantic: Delaware, District of Columbia, Utah, and Wyoming; and Pacific: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon,

Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Washington.

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

Census region and division
Table 6. State distribution: Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance,

not seasonally adjusted

Mass layoff events Initial claimants for

unemployment insurance

October August September October October August September October

2007 2008 2008 2008 2007 2008 2008 2008

 Total 1

 .............................................. 1,083 1,427 1,292 2,125 108,455 139,999 129,586 221,784 

Alabama ............................................. 10 24 12 26 1,037 3,288 1,090 3,865 

Alaska ................................................. – – 3 13 – – 241 1,631 

Arizona ............................................... 7 7 8 13 610 488 586 979 

Arkansas ............................................. 10 8 3 18 1,486 613 359 1,877 

California ............................................ 380 439 358 621 28,004 36,120 34,584 51,286 

Colorado ............................................. 4 3 3 11 322 258 196 1,143 

Connecticut ......................................... ( 2 ) 4 6 4 ( 2 ) 368 402 540 

Delaware ............................................ ( 2 ) 3 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 694 ( 2 ) ( 2 )

District of Columbia ............................ – ( 2 ) ––– ( 2 ) – –

Florida ................................................. 79 126 96 176 5,082 9,849 5,988 12,946 

Georgia ............................................... 21 32 20 61 2,835 2,938 1,885 6,825 

Hawaii ................................................. ( 2 ) 4 9 9 ( 2 ) 408 919 910 

Idaho ................................................... 3 10 4 22 192 1,120 324 2,682 

Illinois .................................................. 39 55 43 64 7,710 6,164 4,941 7,842 

Indiana ................................................ 29 40 34 63 5,129 4,359 4,314 7,961 

Iowa .................................................... 15 18 10 23 1,662 3,727 1,455 3,818 

Kansas ................................................ 3 4 6 18 347 291 478 2,543 

Kentucky ............................................. 28 34 24 46 3,449 5,487 2,351 8,327 

Louisiana ............................................ 7 10 163 22 453 851 14,929 1,662 

Maine .................................................. – 3 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) – 217 ( 2 ) ( 2 )

Maryland ............................................. 7 8 5 11 702 762 349 885 

Massachusetts .................................... 4 6 4 11 234 495 310 980 

Michigan ............................................. 51 48 40 81 5,187 3,669 4,130 16,851 

Minnesota ........................................... 9 5 4 23 745 334 430 1,880 

Mississippi .......................................... ( 2 ) 15 6 17 ( 2 ) 908 463 1,513 

Missouri .............................................. 18 21 16 35 3,165 1,490 1,196 5,877 

Montana .............................................. 5 ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) 5 430 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 573 

Nebraska ............................................ ( 2 ) 3 – 5 ( 2 ) 271 – 819 

Nevada ............................................... 14 23 18 29 1,027 1,912 1,604 2,421 

New Hampshire .................................. – 3 ( 2 ) 3 – 170 ( 2 ) 310 

New Jersey ......................................... 16 38 17 45 1,327 3,151 1,663 3,670 

New Mexico ........................................ ( 2 ) 5 4 5 ( 2 ) 728 440 396 

New York ............................................ 28 94 36 54 3,202 10,760 2,905 4,725 

North Carolina .................................... 3 25 9 18 212 3,123 793 1,838 

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

Ohio .................................................... 53 62 32 118 10,896 7,994 5,912 17,764 

Oklahoma ........................................... ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 5 6 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 789 1,137 

Oregon ................................................ 17 28 21 36 2,106 3,741 2,942 3,883 

Pennsylvania ...................................... 88 70 74 146 7,009 6,521 5,898 13,028 

Rhode Island ...................................... 3 5 ( 2

 ) 3 249 390 ( 2 ) 325 

South Carolina .................................... 13 12 16 23 2,504 2,232 1,793 2,268 

South Dakota ...................................... ––––––––

Tennessee .......................................... 11 17 12 22 2,122 1,496 884 1,457 

Texas .................................................. 30 40 97 86 2,414 5,124 10,616 7,714 

Utah .................................................... ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 3 9 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 243 721 

Vermont .............................................. ( 2 ) 3 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 664 ( 2 ) ( 2 )

Virginia ................................................ 6 4 4 4 465 361 546 655 

Washington ......................................... 14 11 16 29 1,058 880 5,161 2,641 

West Virginia ...................................... ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) – ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) –

Wisconsin ........................................... 43 49 40 80 3,918 4,503 3,790 9,778 

Wyoming ............................................. ( 2 ) – ( 2 ) 4 ( 2 ) – ( 2 ) 276 

Puerto Rico ......................................... 11 18 18 13 894 1,958 1,715 1,117 

1

 See footnote 1, table 3. NOTE: Dash represents zero. 2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.

State