Bureau of Labor Statistics Washington, D.C. 20212 

Technical information: (202) 691-6392 USDL 08-1829 

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

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

Media contact: (202) 691-5902 Friday, December 19, 2008 

MASS LAYOFFS IN NOVEMBER 2008 

In November, employers took 2,328 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 224,079 on a seasonally adjusted basis. The number of mass 

layoff events in November increased by 188 from the prior month, while the number of associated initial 

claims decreased by 8,389. Over the year, the number of mass layoff events increased by 999, and the 

number of associated initial claims increased by 84,408. In November, 874 mass layoff events reported 

in the manufacturing sector, seasonally adjusted, resulting in 98,408 initial claims. Over the month, 

mass layoff events in manufacturing increased by 239, and initial claims increased by 11,005, the fourth 

consecutive over-the-month increase for both. (See table 1.) 

Chart 1. Mass layoff events, seasonally adjusted,

 December 2003-November 2008

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Events

Total

Private nonfarm Manufacturing

Chart 2. Mass layoff initial claims, seasonally adjusted,

 December 2003-November 2008

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Claims

Total

Private nonfarm Manufacturing

From the start of the recession in December 2007 through November 2008, the total number of 

mass layoff events (seasonally adjusted) was 20,712, and the number of initial claims (seasonally 

adjusted) was 2,108,743. 

The national unemployment rate was 6.7 percent in November, seasonally adjusted, up from 6.5 

percent the prior month and from 4.7 percent a year earlier. In November, total nonfarm payroll 

employment decreased by 533,000 over the month and by 1,870,000 from a year earlier. 

News United States 

Department 

of Labor 
2

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

Year Initial claims

Temporary help services ...................................... 14,430 2000 19,023 

Highway, street, and bridge construction ............ 12,563 2001 14,805 

Professional employer organizations ................... 5,873 2008 5,873 

Food service contractors ...................................... 3,932 2007 6,163 

Travel trailer and camper manufacturing ............ 3,237 2006 3,548 

Motion picture and video production .................. 3,157 2000 8,664 

Farm labor contractors and crew leaders ............. 2,935 1999 11,613 

Motor vehicle metal stamping ............................. 2,901 2008 2,901 

Heavy duty truck manufacturing ......................... 2,858 2001 3,267 

Discount department stores ................................. 2,823 2008 2,823 

Industry Initial claims November peak

Industry Distribution (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

The number of mass layoff events in November was 2,574 on a not seasonally adjusted basis; the 

number of associated initial claims was 241,589. (See table 2.) Average weekly layoff events rose from 

360 in November 2007 to 644 in November 2008, and average weekly initial claimants increased from 

39,644 to 60,397. In 2008, both average weekly events and initial claimants reached their highest 

November levels in program history (with data available back to 1995). Eight major industry sectors 

reported program highs in terms of average weekly initial claimants for the month of November— 

accommodation and food services; construction; finance and insurance; real estate and rental and 

leasing; retail trade; transportation and warehousing; utilities; and wholesale trade. 

The manufacturing sector accounted for 39 percent of all mass layoff events and 45 percent of 

initial claims filed in November 2008; a year earlier, manufacturing made up 29 percent of events and 

38 percent of initial claims. This November, the number of manufacturing claimants was greatest in 

transportation equipment manufacturing (25,042), followed by wood products manufacturing (9,439). 

(See table 3.) The construction industry accounted for 15 percent of mass layoff events and 12 percent 

of associated initial claims during the month. 

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

(14,430), followed by highway, street, and bridge construction (12,563). Among the 10 industries with 

the highest levels of initial claims, 3 of the 10—professional employer organizations, motor vehicle 

metal stamping, and discount department stores—reached program highs in 2008 for the month of 

November (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 November due to 

mass layoffs (85,730), followed by the West (70,460) and the South (56,608). (See table 5.) Average 

weekly initial claims associated with mass layoffs increased over the year in all 4 regions, with the 

Midwest (+9,000) and the West (+5,785) experiencing the largest increases. In 2008, the Midwest and 

the South regions reported their highest November levels of average weekly initial claims in program 

history. 
3

Of the 9 divisions, the East North Central (65,287) and the Pacific (59,410) had the highest numbers 

of initial claims in November due to mass layoffs. (See table 5.) All 9 divisions experienced over-theyear increases in average weekly initial claims, led by the East North Central (+5,931) and the Pacific 

(+4,401). In 2008, the East North Central, East South Central, and West North Central divisions 

reached their highest November levels of average weekly initial claims in program history. 

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

November with 47,690. The states with the next highest number of mass layoff initial claims were 

Michigan (14,657), Wisconsin (13,966), and Indiana (13,420). (See table 6.) In 2008, 15 states reached 

program highs in average weekly initial claims for the month of November—Alabama, Arizona, Florida, 

Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, 

South Dakota, and Tennessee. Thirty-nine states and the District of Columbia registered over-the-year 

increases in average weekly initial claims associated with mass layoffs, led by California (+3,097), 

Indiana (+1,827), and Florida (+1,746). 

______________________________ 

The report on Mass Layoffs in December 2008 and Annual Totals for 2008 is scheduled to be 

released on Wednesday, January 28, 2009. Mass Layoff release dates for the balance of 2009 can be 

found on the BLS Web site at http://www.bls.gov/schedule/news_release/mmls.htm. 
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, December 2004 to

November 2008, seasonally adjusted

2004

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 

November .................................................... 2,328 224,079 2,180 211,658 874 98,408 

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, December 2004 to 

 November 2008, not seasonally adjusted

2004

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 

November .................................................... 2,574 241,589 2,389 226,657 997 107,620 

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

November September October November November September October November

2007 2008 2008 2008 2007 2008 2008 2008

Seasonally adjusted

 Total .............................................................. 1,329 2,269 2,140 2,328 139,671 235,681 232,468 224,079 

 Total, private nonfarm ....................................... 1,215 2,092 1,976 2,180 131,390 221,538 218,131 211,658 

 Manufacturing ................................................. 414 603 635 874 56,965 81,414 87,403 98,408 

Not seasonally adjusted

 Total 1 ............................................................ 1,799 1,292 2,125 2,574 198,220 129,586 221,784 241,589 

Total, private ....................................................... 1,729 1,227 2,034 2,502 191,917 124,096 213,602 235,560 

 Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting ......... 136 25 117 113 10,733 1,591 8,049 8,903 

 Total, private nonfarm ....................................... 1,593 1,202 1,917 2,389 181,184 122,505 205,553 226,657 

 Mining .............................................................. 11 6 6 22 928 728 449 2,004 

 Utilities ............................................................. ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 3 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 332 

 Construction .................................................... 324 144 206 382 28,277 10,763 14,864 29,775 

 Manufacturing ................................................. 514 361 689 997 75,413 46,391 100,457 107,620 

 Food ............................................................ 62 33 75 71 6,642 3,068 11,144 7,123 

 Beverage and tobacco products ................. 9 7 7 9 746 648 488 620 

 Textile mills ................................................. 27 13 20 19 5,381 1,422 2,925 2,558 

 Textile product mills 3

 .................................. 5 3 10 10 608 347 792 669 

 Apparel 3 ..................................................... 10 7 9 16 625 688 914 1,783 

 Leather and allied products ......................... 4 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 3 376 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 270 

 Wood products ............................................ 69 32 68 93 8,094 2,901 6,932 9,439 

 Paper ........................................................... 9 8 17 28 696 603 1,392 2,645 

 Printing and related support activities ......... 11 5 10 14 763 341 1,042 1,527 

 Petroleum and coal products ...................... 8 – ( 2 ) 11 624 – ( 2 ) 929 

 Chemicals ................................................... 6 8 13 20 668 527 1,394 2,042 

 Plastics and rubber products 3

 .................... 27 16 47 74 2,568 1,224 4,903 7,013 

 Nonmetallic mineral products ...................... 24 12 21 55 2,493 861 1,755 4,937 

 Primary metals ............................................ 27 13 48 74 2,955 1,582 6,038 7,813 

 Fabricated metal products .......................... 24 35 47 104 2,341 2,357 4,632 8,905 

 Machinery 3

 ................................................. 40 28 43 62 6,289 4,058 7,897 9,019 

 Computer and electronic products .............. 13 15 36 40 987 1,556 3,705 3,592 

 Electrical equipment and appliances .......... 15 22 21 27 5,418 3,453 3,873 2,891 

 Transportation equipment 3

 ......................... 93 87 149 190 23,323 19,278 36,110 25,042 

 Furniture and related products 3

 .................. 23 13 32 55 3,164 1,153 2,902 6,716 

 Miscellaneous manufacturing 3 ................... 8 ( 2 ) 13 22 652 ( 2

 ) 1,210 2,087 

 Wholesale trade .............................................. 40 20 38 65 3,095 1,642 2,573 4,779 

 Retail trade ...................................................... 93 112 161 155 8,199 10,345 15,328 13,429 

 Transportation and warehousing .................... 82 54 75 99 7,499 4,383 6,007 7,749 

 Information ...................................................... 28 45 49 48 5,386 6,021 7,820 5,390 

 Finance and insurance 3

 ................................. 43 38 63 48 3,898 3,104 5,025 3,591 

 Real estate and rental and leasing 3

 ............... 7 7 15 18 539 396 1,014 1,084 

 Professional and technical services 3

 .............. 51 35 46 66 7,435 5,623 3,022 6,695 

 Management of companies and enterprises ... ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 10 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 656 

 Administrative and waste services 3 ................ 217 181 334 280 22,050 18,557 30,945 26,341 

 Educational services ....................................... – 5 5 5 – 346 292 365 

 Health care and social assistance .................. 24 54 39 33 2,522 4,021 2,823 2,775 

 Arts, entertainment, and recreation ................. 36 30 42 33 3,543 2,043 3,106 2,642 

 Accommodation and food services ................. 107 99 125 115 10,865 7,552 10,278 10,682 

 Other services, except public administration .. 10 6 16 10 1,062 297 962 748 

 Unclassified .................................................... 1 2 2 – 57 73 136 –

Government ........................................................ 70 65 91 72 6,303 5,490 8,182 6,029 

 Federal ............................................................ 19 9 19 11 1,928 764 1,746 860 

 State ................................................................ 20 12 30 21 1,786 922 2,985 1,797 

 Local ................................................................ 31 44 42 40 2,589 3,804 3,451 3,372 

 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 November 2008,

not seasonally adjusted

Extended mass layoffs 

lasting more than 30 days Realization rates 1

Events Initial

claimants Events Initialclaimants Events Initialclaimants Events Initialclaimants

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 1,814 347,149 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 1,340 258,767 35.9 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 1,756 335,854 44.7 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 

November .................................. 2,574 241,589 2,389 226,657 

 1 The event realization rate is the percentage of all private nonfarm data on these layoffs become available. Experience suggests that the

mass layoff events lasting more than 30 days. The initial claimant realization number of extended mass layoff events is generally revised upwards

rate is the percentage of all private nonfarm mass layoff initial claimants by less than 10 percent and the number of initial claimants associated

associated with layoffs lasting more than 30 days. with such events increases by 25-40 percent.

 2

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

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

November September October November November September October November

2007 2008 2008 2008 2007 2008 2008 2008

 United States 1

 ......................................... 1,799 1,292 2,125 2,574 198,220 129,586 221,784 241,589 

Northeast ......................................................... 355 142 270 314 34,766 11,646 23,945 28,791 

 New England ............................................... 38 15 25 40 3,754 1,180 2,522 3,505 

 Middle Atlantic ............................................. 317 127 245 274 31,012 10,466 21,423 25,286 

South ............................................................... 350 475 538 616 42,139 43,772 53,087 56,608 

 South Atlantic .............................................. 180 153 295 304 19,924 12,291 25,535 25,648 

 East South Central ...................................... 91 54 111 196 9,831 4,788 15,162 19,725 

 West South Central ..................................... 79 268 132 116 12,384 26,693 12,390 11,235 

Midwest ........................................................... 483 225 511 824 62,163 26,646 75,210 85,730 

 East North Central ....................................... 389 189 406 645 51,952 23,087 60,196 65,287 

 West North Central ...................................... 94 36 105 179 10,211 3,559 15,014 20,443 

West ................................................................ 611 450 806 820 59,152 47,522 69,542 70,460 

 Mountain ...................................................... 76 43 98 126 6,893 3,675 9,191 11,050 

 Pacific .......................................................... 535 407 708 694 52,259 43,847 60,351 59,410 

 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

November September October November November September October November

2007 2008 2008 2008 2007 2008 2008 2008

 Total 1

 ............................................... 1,799 1,292 2,125 2,574 198,220 129,586 221,784 241,589 

Alabama ............................................... 29 12 26 48 2,917 1,090 3,865 5,289 

Alaska .................................................. 8 3 13 ( 2 ) 780 241 1,631 ( 2 )

Arizona ................................................. 3 8 13 20 197 586 979 1,603 

Arkansas .............................................. 12 3 18 21 2,678 359 1,877 2,026 

California .............................................. 455 358 621 580 44,127 34,584 51,286 47,690 

Colorado .............................................. 14 3 11 15 1,244 196 1,143 1,162 

Connecticut .......................................... 3 6 4 3 232 402 540 186 

Delaware .............................................. 3 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 6 356 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 415 

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

Florida .................................................. 73 96 176 151 4,499 5,988 12,946 10,582 

Georgia ................................................ 39 20 61 51 7,500 1,885 6,825 4,970 

Hawaii .................................................. 5 9 9 9 390 919 910 641 

Idaho .................................................... 21 4 22 27 2,101 324 2,682 2,298 

Illinois ................................................... 67 43 64 126 7,704 4,941 7,842 11,564 

Indiana ................................................. 52 34 63 111 7,638 4,314 7,961 13,420 

Iowa ..................................................... 23 10 23 49 2,503 1,455 3,818 8,213 

Kansas ................................................. ( 2 ) 6 18 14 ( 2 ) 478 2,543 1,321 

Kentucky .............................................. 34 24 46 78 4,747 2,351 8,327 9,210 

Louisiana ............................................. 6 163 22 13 1,672 14,929 1,662 1,093 

Maine ................................................... 6 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 4 467 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 451 

Maryland .............................................. 11 5 11 7 1,446 349 885 828 

Massachusetts ..................................... 18 4 11 18 1,495 310 980 1,459 

Michigan .............................................. 92 40 81 157 15,578 4,130 16,851 14,657 

Minnesota ............................................ 41 4 23 60 4,315 430 1,880 5,442 

Mississippi ........................................... 12 6 17 34 839 463 1,513 2,736 

Missouri ............................................... 19 16 35 44 2,312 1,196 5,877 3,087 

Montana ............................................... 8 ( 2

 ) 5 11 760 ( 2 ) 573 1,226 

Nebraska ............................................. 4 – 5 4 402 – 819 450 

Nevada ................................................ 18 18 29 33 1,713 1,604 2,421 2,992 

New Hampshire ................................... ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 3 4 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 310 311 

New Jersey .......................................... 50 17 45 46 6,234 1,663 3,670 5,665 

New Mexico ......................................... ( 2 ) 4 5 9 ( 2 ) 440 396 554 

New York ............................................. 82 36 54 79 7,658 2,905 4,725 7,366 

North Carolina ...................................... 4 9 18 34 457 793 1,838 3,410 

North Dakota ........................................ 4 – ( 2 ) 5 444 – ( 2 ) 1,631 

Ohio ..................................................... 68 32 118 120 7,369 5,912 17,764 11,680 

Oklahoma ............................................ 6 5 6 18 1,198 789 1,137 1,708 

Oregon ................................................. 37 21 36 60 3,866 2,942 3,883 7,259 

Pennsylvania ....................................... 185 74 146 149 17,120 5,898 13,028 12,255 

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

 ) 3 – – ( 2 ) 325 –

South Carolina ..................................... 28 16 23 36 3,038 1,793 2,268 3,916 

South Dakota ....................................... ( 2 ) – – 3 ( 2 ) – – 299 

Tennessee ........................................... 16 12 22 36 1,328 884 1,457 2,490 

Texas ................................................... 55 97 86 64 6,836 10,616 7,714 6,408 

Utah ..................................................... 9 3 9 10 658 243 721 1,161 

Vermont ............................................... 10 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 11 1,500 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 1,098 

Virginia ................................................. 18 4 4 16 2,384 546 655 1,316 

Washington .......................................... 30 16 29 44 3,096 5,161 2,641 3,724 

West Virginia ........................................ 4 ( 2 ) – ( 2 ) 244 ( 2 ) – ( 2 )

Wisconsin ............................................ 110 40 80 131 13,663 3,790 9,778 13,966 

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

Puerto Rico .......................................... 15 18 13 14 1,385 1,715 1,117 1,686 

1

 See footnote 1, table 3. NOTE: Dash represents zero. 2

 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.

State