Technical information: (202) 691-6392

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

Media contact: 691-5902

USDL 02-602

For release: 10:00 A.M. EDT

Thursday, October 24, 2002

MASS LAYOFFS IN SEPTEMBER 2002

Employers initiated 1,060 mass layoff actions in September 2002, as measured by new filings for unemployment insurance benefits during the month, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor

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

involved totaled 122,277. (See table 1.) A year earlier, in September 2001, there were 1,327 mass layoff

events involving 160,402 workers. Over 9 percent of the initial claims in September 2002 were in general

freight trucking (11,348), and an additional 6 percent were in the temporary help services industry (7,587).

In January through September 2002, both the total number of events, at 14,150, and initial claims, at

1,567,505, were lower than in January-September 2001 (14,475 and 1,734,530, respectively).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Industry Distribution

Manufacturing industries accounted for 33 percent of all mass layoff events and 35 percent of all initial

claims filed in September. A year earlier, layoffs in this sector accounted for 37 percent of events and

36 percent of initial claims. Within manufacturing, the number of initial claimants was highest in computer

and electronic products (5,146, primarily in semiconductors and related devices), followed by transportation equipment (4,959) and food manufacturing (4,688). (See table 2.)

Six percent of all layoff events and 15 percent of all initial claims filed during the month were in transportation and warehousing, mostly in general long distance freight trucking. A year earlier, layoffs in this

sector accounted for 5 percent of events and 6 percent of initial claims. Thirteen percent of the events and

11 percent of initial claims in September were from administrative and waste services, mostly in temporary

help services. Retail trade accounted for 9 percent of events and 8 percent of initial claims, primarily in

general merchandise stores. The information sector accounted for an additional 4 percent of events and

5 percent of initial claims, largely in motion picture and sound recording industries.

Government establishments accounted for 5 percent of events and of initial claims filed during the month,

particularly in elementary and secondary schools.
2

Compared with September 2001, the largest decreases in initial claims were reported in accommodation

services (-18,485), administrative and support services (-8,293), and transportation equipment manufacturing

(-6,926). The largest over-the-year increases in initial claims were reported in truck transportation (+11,026)

and in support activities for transportation (+4,117).

Geographic Distribution

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

West, 51,216. (See table 3.) Administrative and support services, support activities for transportation, and

trucking accounted for 30 percent of all initial claims in the West during the month. The South followed with

29,643 initial claims (mainly in administrative and support services), then the Midwest, with 25,437 (largely

in truck transportation). The Northeast continued to report the lowest number of initial claims, with 15,981

(mostly in truck transportation).

The number of initial claimants in mass layoffs declined over the year in each of the four geographic

regions, with the largest decreases occurring in the West (-21,825). The decline in the West was largely

in accommodation services (hotels and motels). Six of the nine geographic divisions reported over-the-year

declines in the number of initial claims associated with mass layoffs, with the largest declines in the Pacific

(-12,689) and Mountain (-9,136) divisions. The largest increase (+454) was reported in the West North

Central division.

California had the largest number of initial claims filed in mass layoff events this September, 39,691,

mostly in administrative and support services, followed by Texas (8,280) and Illinois (6,707). These

three states accounted for 45 percent of all layoff events and initial claims for unemployment insurance.

(See table 4.) Thus far this year, 406,077 mass layoff initial claims were filed in California, 26 percent of

the national total. The states with the next largest number of claims were Texas (96,233) and Pennsylvania

(89,726).

California reported the largest over-the-year decrease in initial claims (-14,576), followed by Nevada

(-9,629). The largest over-the-year increases occurred in Texas (+2,863) and Oregon (+2,674).

______________________________

The report on Extended Mass Layoffs in the Third Quarter of 2002 will be issued on Wednesday,

November 13, 2002.
Technical Note

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

program that uses a standardized, automated approach to identifying,

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

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

states report on establishments which have at least 50 initial claims

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

establishments then are contacted by the state agency to determine

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

information concerning the layoff is collected. States report on layoffs

lasting more than 1 month on a quarterly basis.

A given month contains an aggregation of the weekly unemployment

insurance claims filings for the Sunday through Saturday weeks in that

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

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

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

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

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

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

calendar effect into consideration.

The MLS program resumed operations in April 1995 after it

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

to April 1995, monthly layoff statistics were not available.

Information in this release will be made available to sensory

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

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

Definitions

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

period of unemployment within a benefit year or period of

eligibility.

Mass layoff event. Fifty or more initial claims for unemployment

insurance benefits filed against an establishment during a 5-week

period, regardless of duration.
Table 1. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance, July 2000 to September 2002

Date

Total mass layoffs Extended mass layoffs 

lasting more than 30 days Realization rates1

Events Initial

claimants Events Initial

claimants Events Initial 

claimants

2000

July ............................................................................. 1,333 164,978 

August ........................................................................ 751 97,215 

September .................................................................. 936 106,842 

Third Quarter .............................................................. 3,020 369,035 1,014 189,250 33.6 51.3 

October ....................................................................... 874 103,755 

November ................................................................... 1,697 216,514 

December ................................................................... 2,677 326,743 

Fourth Quarter ............................................................ 5,248 647,012 2,005 376,611 38.2 58.2 

2001

January ....................................................................... 1,522 200,343 

February ..................................................................... 1,501 172,908 

March ......................................................................... 1,527 171,466 

First Quarter ............................................................... 4,550 544,717 1,765 340,210 38.8 62.5 

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

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

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

Second Quarter .......................................................... 4,991 589,456 2,072 401,168 41.5 68.1 

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

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

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

Third Quarter .............................................................. 4,934 600,357 1,815 370,620 36.8 61.7 

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

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

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

Fourth Quarter ............................................................ 6,992 780,332 2,698 500,925 38.6 64.2 

2002

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

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

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

First Quarter ............................................................... 4,989 564,141 1,749 313,686 35.1 55.6 

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

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

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

Second Quarter .......................................................... 4,813 507,796 2, p1,754 2, p256,338 p36.4 p50.5

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

August

p

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

September p

 ............................................................... 1,060 122,277 

 1 The event realization rate is the percentage of total mass layoff data on these layoffs become available. Recent experience suggests

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

is the percentage of total mass-layoff initial claimants associated with upwards by less than 10 percent and the number of initial claimants

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

 2

 These quarterly numbers are provisional and will increase as more p = preliminary.
Table 2. Industry distribution: Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance

Industry

Mass layoff events Initial claimants for

unemployment insurance

September July August September September July August September

2001r 2002 2002p 2002p 2001r 2002 2002p 2002p

 Total1 ..................................................................... 1,327 2,041 1,247 1,060 160,402 245,211 128,080 122,277 

Total, private ............................................................... 1,292 1,936 1,189 1,006 156,240 235,558 122,106 116,292 

 Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting ................ 78 118 39 51 5,079 8,734 2,255 3,801 

 Mining ..................................................................... 3 12 10 7 345 1,450 701 513 

 Utilities .................................................................... ( 2 ) 4 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 320 ( 2 ) ( 2 )

 Construction ........................................................... 68 74 98 80 4,804 5,675 8,241 5,735 

 Manufacturing.......................................................... 485 908 427 350 58,544 135,313 48,733 42,228 

 Food ................................................................... 46 60 47 39 5,605 6,102 5,150 4,688 

 Beverage and tobacco products ........................ 4 ( 2 ) 5 7 251 ( 2 ) 405 454 

 Textile mills ......................................................... 26 33 12 17 3,754 4,795 1,177 2,585 

 Textile product mills ............................................ 5 11 ( 2 ) 12 877 2,336 ( 2 ) 1,966 

 Apparel ............................................................... 39 34 24 19 3,869 3,196 3,127 2,225 

 Leather and allied products ................................ 7 6 ( 2 ) 3 642 378 ( 2 ) 240 

 Wood products ................................................... 7 28 11 12 636 2,893 1,198 1,312 

 Paper .................................................................. 9 13 8 9 862 1,244 741 1,007 

 Printing and related support activities ................ 9 13 5 7 802 1,331 558 650 

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

 Chemicals ........................................................... 12 14 ( 2

 ) 8 951 1,451 ( 2 ) 952 

 Plastics and rubber products .............................. 10 71 16 15 1,257 10,080 1,368 1,322 

 Nonmetallic mineral products ............................. 11 18 12 5 1,068 2,813 1,334 410 

 Primary metals ................................................... 25 64 25 20 2,733 7,651 2,862 2,273 

 Fabricated metal products .................................. 34 60 33 22 3,190 7,556 3,136 2,365 

 Machinery ........................................................... 51 76 50 28 8,315 12,778 9,197 3,657 

 Computer and electronic products ..................... 71 94 74 47 6,850 11,950 6,202 5,146 

 Electrical equipment and appliances .................. 22 31 23 23 1,916 5,036 3,082 2,679 

 Transportation equipment .................................. 66 234 50 32 11,885 47,583 6,665 4,959 

 Furniture and related products ........................... 18 27 11 17 1,948 4,187 888 2,831 

 Miscellaneous manufacturing ............................. 13 17 13 8 1,133 1,699 931 507 

 Wholesale trade ..................................................... 30 29 23 20 2,297 3,017 2,357 1,708 

 Retail trade ............................................................. 74 93 111 93 7,498 10,412 11,322 9,851 

 Transportation and warehousing ............................ 63 71 68 68 8,905 6,658 8,140 18,070 

 Information ............................................................. 56 72 45 47 11,736 12,559 4,006 6,585 

 Finance and insurance ........................................... 25 52 26 26 2,163 4,394 2,161 2,530 

 Real estate and rental and leasing ......................... 4 11 11 ( 2 ) 249 1,066 647 ( 2 )

 Professional and technical services ....................... 31 74 47 29 2,943 6,818 6,455 2,811 

 Management of companies and enterprises .......... ( 2 ) 3 – ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 323 – ( 2 )

 Administrative and waste services ......................... 161 233 179 133 22,254 24,762 18,192 13,874 

 Educational services............................................... ( 2 ) 15 ( 2 ) 5 ( 2 ) 1,239 ( 2 ) 369 

 Health care and social assistance .......................... 11 54 27 18 776 3,652 1,738 1,299 

 Arts, entertainment, and recreation ........................ 18 23 17 19 1,465 1,599 1,422 2,157 

 Accommodation and food services ........................ 163 70 38 48 24,821 5,930 2,702 3,955 

 Other services, except public administration........... 8 17 13 ( 2 ) 625 1,385 1,745 ( 2 )

 Unclassified ........................................................... 10 3 3 1 1,281 252 737 103 

Government ................................................................ 35 105 58 54 4,162 9,653 5,974 5,985 

 Federal ................................................................... 9 6 15 9 901 781 2,056 1,703 

 State ....................................................................... 10 17 12 10 1,078 1,315 1,596 980 

 Local ....................................................................... 16 82 31 35 2,183 7,557 2,322 3,302 

 1

 For September 2002, data were reported by all states and the District of Columbia. the statistical agencies of the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

 2

 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards. Due to differences in NAICS and SIC structures, data by industry

 p

 = preliminary. for 2002 will not be comparable to the SIC-based data for earlier r = revised. years. However, the monthly historical industry series from April 

 NOTE: Beginning with data for January 2002, the 2002 version of the North American 1995 to December 2001 are available on both SIC and NAICS 

Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the basis for the assignment and tabulation of bases. Dash represents zero.

economic data by industry. NAICS is the product of a cooperative effort on the part of
Table 3. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance by census region and division

Census region and division

Mass layoff events Initial claimants for

unemployment insurance

September July August September September July August September

2001 2002 2002p 2002p 2001 2002 2002p 2002p

 United States1 .....................................................

 r1,327 2,041 1,247 1,060 r

160,402 245,211 128,080 122,277 

Northeast .................................................................... 220 315 195 158 23,678 35,012 25,178 15,981 

 New England .......................................................... 30 68 27 21 2,785 7,000 3,897 1,919 

 Middle Atlantic ........................................................ 190 247 168 137 20,893 28,012 21,281 14,062 

South .......................................................................... r309 485 308 257 r32,246 56,170 31,764 29,643 

 South Atlantic ......................................................... 170 202 159 127 17,272 22,290 13,884 14,161 

 East South Central ................................................. 54 137 30 51 5,591 16,850 3,574 5,877 

 West South Central ................................................ r85 146 119 79 r9,383 17,030 14,306 9,605 

Midwest ...................................................................... 221 574 251 177 31,437 89,068 28,016 25,437 

 East North Central .................................................. 182 468 186 134 26,358 66,354 21,208 19,904 

 West North Central ................................................. 39 106 65 43 5,079 22,714 6,808 5,533 

West ........................................................................... 577 667 493 468 73,041 64,961 43,122 51,216 

 Mountain ................................................................. 61 66 38 35 13,245 6,399 3,933 4,109 

 Pacific ..................................................................... 516 601 455 433 59,796 58,562 39,189 47,107 

 1

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

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

the census divisions are: New England: Connecticut, Maine, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota; Mountain: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, 

Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont; Middle Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming; and Pacific: Alaska, 

Atlantic: New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania; South Atlantic: California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington.

Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North

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

State Mass layoff events Initial claimants for

unemployment insurance

September July August September September July August September

2001 2002 2002p 2002p 2001 2002 2002p 2002p

 Total1 ....................................................................... r1,327 2,041 1,247 1,060 r160,402 245,211 128,080 122,277 

Alabama ..................................................................... 12 56 5 16 1,067 7,290 691 2,174 

Alaska ......................................................................... ( 2 ) – ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) – ( 2 ) ( 2 )

Arizona ....................................................................... 7 28 7 9 506 2,528 485 1,618 

Arkansas .................................................................... 8 11 ( 2 ) 4 807 999 ( 2 ) 421 

California .................................................................... 465 545 415 376 54,267 52,556 34,590 39,691 

Colorado ..................................................................... 8 15 7 6 787 1,658 573 561 

Connecticut ................................................................ ( 2 ) 6 4 4 ( 2 ) 598 588 262 

Delaware .................................................................... ( 2 ) 4 – – ( 2 ) 642 – –

District of Columbia .................................................... 5 ( 2 ) – ( 2 ) 704 ( 2 ) – ( 2 )

Florida ........................................................................ 75 92 72 55 5,575 6,405 5,154 4,143 

Georgia ....................................................................... 14 9 17 14 1,505 824 1,734 2,404 

Hawaii ......................................................................... 16 3 ( 2 ) 4 2,108 256 ( 2 ) 428 

Idaho .......................................................................... 6 7 10 4 763 864 1,708 287 

Illinois ......................................................................... 60 62 51 41 9,708 9,521 6,185 6,707 

Indiana ........................................................................ 20 72 23 16 3,241 11,367 2,954 2,512 

Iowa ............................................................................ 13 25 10 9 2,041 6,494 939 1,673 

Kansas ....................................................................... 4 15 11 3 706 3,701 1,378 196 

Kentucky ..................................................................... 26 59 14 16 3,033 7,580 2,032 1,773 

Louisiana .................................................................... r

13 18 19 12 r1,680 1,294 1,513 761 

Maine .......................................................................... – ( 2 ) – ( 2 ) – ( 2 ) – ( 2 )

Maryland ..................................................................... 3 11 8 7 175 1,225 898 815 

Massachusetts ........................................................... 21 44 17 12 1,910 4,130 2,132 988 

Michigan ..................................................................... 43 144 26 14 6,062 15,700 2,535 1,544 

Minnesota ................................................................... 6 16 11 9 507 1,702 1,243 1,142 

Mississippi .................................................................. 5 5 3 6 335 583 176 782 

Missouri ...................................................................... 15 42 28 15 1,672 9,917 2,884 1,886 

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

 ) ( 2 ) – – ( 2 ) ( 2 ) – –

Nebraska .................................................................... – 8 4 6 – 900 287 583 

Nevada ....................................................................... 34 11 11 13 10,762 991 891 1,133 

New Hampshire .......................................................... 3 5 3 3 182 696 618 514 

New Jersey ................................................................. 23 44 33 29 2,348 5,367 3,371 3,424 

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

New York .................................................................... 77 88 86 49 9,427 9,715 11,213 5,137 

North Carolina ............................................................ 10 23 27 11 805 2,244 3,104 1,208 

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

Ohio ............................................................................ 30 98 47 34 3,983 15,236 5,602 5,468 

Oklahoma ................................................................... 6 20 5 ( 2 ) 1,479 2,757 1,008 ( 2 )

Oregon ....................................................................... 14 27 24 30 1,291 2,829 2,603 3,965 

Pennsylvania .............................................................. 90 115 49 59 9,118 12,930 6,697 5,501 

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

 ) 9 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 1,163 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

South Carolina ............................................................ 45 35 19 18 5,904 6,590 1,238 2,220 

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

Tennessee .................................................................. 11 17 8 13 1,156 1,397 675 1,148 

Texas .......................................................................... 58 97 93 62 5,417 11,980 11,660 8,280 

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

Vermont ...................................................................... 3 3 ( 2 ) – 487 353 ( 2 ) –

Virginia ....................................................................... 14 24 15 19 2,282 3,974 1,693 3,092 

Washington ................................................................ 19 26 14 21 1,986 2,921 1,856 2,889 

West Virginia .............................................................. 3 3 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 209 308 ( 2 ) ( 2 )

Wisconsin ................................................................... 29 92 39 29 3,364 14,530 3,932 3,673 

Wyoming .................................................................... ––––––––

Puerto Rico ................................................................. 9 11 10 9 831 2,251 772 873 

 1 See footnote 1, table 2. r

 = revised.

2

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