1

Technical information: (202) 691-6392

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

Media contact: 691-5902

USDL 03-454

For release: 10:00 A.M. EDT

Thursday, August 28, 2003

MASS LAYOFFS IN JULY 2003

Employers initiated 2,087 mass layoff actions in July 2003, as measured by new filings for unemployment

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

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

involved totaled 226,435. (See table 1.) Of the 10 industries with highest number of initial claims in July, 6

were automotive-related. (See table A.) Compared with July 2002, the number of layoff events increased,

while the number of workers involved declined. July 2003 marks the 14th consecutive month in which masslayoff initial claims declined over the year. From January through July 2003, the total number of events, at

11,947, was higher than for the same period a year ago, but the number of initial claims, at 1,183,045, was

lower.

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”). The quarterly release 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 shortterm 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

The manufacturing sector accounted for 45 percent of all mass layoff events and 60 percent of all initial

claims filed in July, little changed from a year ago (44 and 55 percent, respectively). Within manufacturing,

the number of claimants was highest in transportation equipment (60,173, mainly automotive-related), followed by plastics and rubber products (11,122), primary metals (8,676), and machinery (8,669).

(See table 2.)

The administrative and waste services sector accounted for 10 percent of events and 8 percent of initial

claims filed in July, with layoffs mostly in temporary help services. Retail trade accounted for 5 percent of

events and 4 percent of initial claims during the month, mainly in general merchandise stores. Six percent of

the events and 4 percent of the initial claims were from agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, largely among

farm labor contractors and crew leaders. Transportation and warehousing accounted for an additional

4 percent of all layoff events and 3 percent of initial claims filed during July, as did the construction sector.

Layoffs in transportation and warehousing were primarily in school and employee bus transportation. Layoffs

in construction were mostly among specialty trade contractors.
2

Temporary help services ................................ 11,444 1998 24,601

Motion vehicle power train components......... 8,905 2003 8,905

Light truck and utility vehicles ........................ 8,348 1997 14,618

All other motor vehicle parts.......................... 7,349 1998 8,590

Elementary and secondary schools ................. 7,069 2003 7,069

All other plastics products.............................. 6,778 2003 6,778

Motor vehicle metal stamping......................... 6,702 1999 6,932

Automobiles................................................... 4,502 1996 22,644

Motor vehicle seating and interior trim ........... 3,849 1999 6,702

Professional employer organizations ............... 2,926 2002 3,569

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

Industry

 p=preliminary.

Initial claims

July peak

Year Initial claims

Government establishments accounted for 7 percent of events and 5 percent of initial claims filed during

the month, particularly in educational services, as the school year ended. The 11,265 initial claims in this

sector were the most for any July since 1998.

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

support services (-6,527), computer and electronic products (-6,374), and motion picture and sound

recording (-5,878). The largest over-the-year increase in initial claims was reported in transportation

equipment manufacturing (+12,590).

Geographic Distribution

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

the Midwest, 101,533. (See table 3.) Transportation equipment manufacturing accounted for 44 percent of

all initial claims in that region during the month. The South followed, with 48,895 initial claims, then the

West, with 45,820, and the Northeast, with 30,187.

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

largest decrease in the West (-19,224). The Midwest had the only over-the-year increase (+12,465). Eight

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

mass layoffs, with the largest declines in the Pacific (-16,921). The East North Central division had the only

increase (+13,007).

California recorded the largest number of initial claims filed in mass layoff events this July, 37,033, mostly

in administrative and support services and in educational services. Michigan reported 21,647 initial claims,

followed by Indiana (18,688) and Ohio (17,086). These four states accounted for 44 percent of all layoff

events and 42 percent of initial claims for unemployment insurance. (See table 4.)

California reported the largest over-the-year decrease in the number of initial claims (-15,523). The

largest over-the-year increases occurred in Indiana (+7,321), Georgia (+7,011), and Michigan (+5,947).

p
3

From January through July, California reported 284,855 initial claims, 24 percent of the national total.

The states with the next highest numbers of initial claims were Pennsylvania (75,199), Ohio (69,023), New

York (60,615), and Texas (58,958).

The report on Mass Layoffs in August 2003 will be issued on Thursday, September 25, 2003.

______________________________
Technical Note

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

program that uses a standardized, automated approach to identifying,

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

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

states report on establishments which have at least 50 initial claims

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

establishments then are contacted by the state agency to determine

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

information concerning the layoff is collected. States report on layoffs

lasting more than 1 month on a quarterly basis.

A given month contains an aggregation of the weekly unemployment

insurance claims filings for the Sunday through Saturday weeks in that

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

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

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

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

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

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

calendar effect into consideration.

The MLS program resumed operations in April 1995 after it

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

to April 1995, monthly layoff statistics were not available.

Information in this release will be made available to sensory

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

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

Definitions

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

period of unemployment within a benefit year or period of

eligibility.

Mass layoff event. Fifty or more initial claims for unemployment

insurance benefits filed against an establishment during a 5-week

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

Date

Total mass layoffs Extended mass layoffs 

lasting more than 30 days Realization rates1

Events Initial

claimants Events Initialclaimants Events Initialclaimants

2001

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

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

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

Third Quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4,934 600,357 1,815 r371,541 36.8 r61.9

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

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

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

Fourth Quarter ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6,992 780,332 r2,697 r502,502 38.6 64.4 

2002

January ..................................................................................................................................................................... 2,146 r263,777

February r ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,382 138,808 

March ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,460 r161,316

First Quarter r ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4,988 563,901 1,750 316,489 35.1 56.1 

April r ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,506 165,814 

May r ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,723 179,799 

June r ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,584 162,189 

Second Quarter..................................................................................................................................................................... 4,813 r507,802 1,905 r353,017 39.6 69.5 

July r ..................................................................................................................................................................... 2,042 245,294 

August r ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,248 128,103 

September..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,062 r124,522

Third Quarter.....................................................................................................................................................................

 r4,352 r497,919 r1,383 r284,511 31.8 r57.1

October..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,497 r171,100

November r ..................................................................................................................................................................... 2,152 240,151 

December r

 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 2,474 264,158 

Fourth Quarter.....................................................................................................................................................................

 r6,123 r675,409 r2,257 r421,025 36.9 r62.3

2003

January ..................................................................................................................................................................... 2,315 r225,430

February ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,363 r124,986

March r ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,207 113,026 

First Quarter.....................................................................................................................................................................

 r4,885 r463,442 1,700 329,153 34.8 71.0 

April 2,r ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,581 161,412 

May 2 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,703 174,204 

June p .................................................................................................................................................................... 1,691 157,552 

Second Quarter p .................................................................................................................................................................... 4,975 493,168 3 1,894 3 285,884 38.1 58.0 

July p

 .................................................................................................................................................................... 2,087 226,435 

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

events lasting more than 30 days. The initial claimant realization rate suggests that the number of extended mass layoff events is genis the percentage of total mass-layoff initial claimants associated with erally revised upwards by less than 10 percent and the number of 

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

 2 For April and May 2003, data were reported by all states and the percent.

District of Columbia, except Wyoming. p = preliminary.

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

Industry

Mass layoff events Initial claimants for

unemployment insurance

July May June July July May June July

2002r2003 2003p2003p2002r2003 2003p2003p

 Total1 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 2,042 1,703 1,691 2,087 245,294 174,204 157,552 226,435 

Total, private ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1,937 1,591 1,397 1,932 235,626 164,028 132,185 215,170 

 Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting ..................................................................................................................................................................... 118 53 61 117 8,734 3,299 4,442 8,269 

 Mining ..................................................................................................................................................................... 13 9 4 7 1,491 1,749 591 505 

 Utilities ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4 7 3 – 320 529 315 –

 Construction ..................................................................................................................................................................... 74 159 95 88 5,675 13,279 6,238 5,970 

 Manufacturing..................................................................................................................................................................... 907 499 389 946 135,271 61,278 40,845 136,410 

 Food ..................................................................................................................................................................... 60 70 59 74 6,102 7,655 5,829 6,460 

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

 ) 5 ( 2 ) 8 ( 2 ) 548 ( 2 ) 614 

 Textile mills ..................................................................................................................................................................... 33 21 18 27 4,795 2,204 1,970 2,828 

 Textile product mills ..................................................................................................................................................................... 11 10 10 12 2,336 948 1,581 1,048 

 Apparel ..................................................................................................................................................................... 34 31 19 36 3,196 3,705 1,584 3,093 

 Leather and allied products ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 7 6 ( 2

 ) 378 544 692 ( 2 ) 

 Wood products ..................................................................................................................................................................... 28 24 9 31 2,893 2,361 711 3,976 

 Paper ..................................................................................................................................................................... 13 15 9 16 1,244 1,072 1,202 1,035 

 Printing and related support activities ..................................................................................................................................................................... 13 16 14 12 1,331 1,249 1,053 723 

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

 ) 3 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 190 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

 Chemicals ..................................................................................................................................................................... 14 8 9 15 1,451 930 878 1,332 

 Plastics and rubber products ..................................................................................................................................................................... 71 22 19 90 10,080 1,480 3,233 11,122 

 Nonmetallic mineral products ..................................................................................................................................................................... 18 13 10 30 2,813 1,080 828 3,954 

 Primary metals ..................................................................................................................................................................... 64 27 29 66 7,651 3,920 2,226 8,676 

 Fabricated metal products ..................................................................................................................................................................... 60 34 23 59 7,556 2,957 1,728 6,235 

 Machinery ..................................................................................................................................................................... 76 39 30 65 12,778 6,179 3,062 8,669 

 Computer and electronic products ..................................................................................................................................................................... 93 46 35 60 11,908 4,029 3,464 5,534 

 Electrical equipment and appliances ..................................................................................................................................................................... 31 20 13 33 5,036 3,665 2,088 5,445 

 Transportation equipment ..................................................................................................................................................................... 234 52 51 265 47,583 13,288 6,367 60,173 

 Furniture and related products ..................................................................................................................................................................... 27 21 15 20 4,187 1,985 1,363 2,391 

 Miscellaneous manufacturing ..................................................................................................................................................................... 17 15 6 19 1,699 1,289 572 1,648 

 Wholesale trade ..................................................................................................................................................................... 29 31 25 36 3,017 2,431 1,597 2,776 

 Retail trade ..................................................................................................................................................................... 93 117 100 108 10,412 12,107 9,640 9,065 

 Transportation and warehousing ..................................................................................................................................................................... 71 80 135 84 6,658 7,755 15,035 7,489 

 Information ..................................................................................................................................................................... 72 63 54 44 12,559 8,819 5,954 3,700 

 Finance and insurance ..................................................................................................................................................................... 52 31 23 35 4,394 2,414 1,730 2,569 

 Real estate and rental and leasing ..................................................................................................................................................................... 11 5 7 11 1,066 478 485 751 

 Professional and technical services ..................................................................................................................................................................... 74 65 36 53 6,818 5,542 3,357 4,970 

 Management of companies and enterprises ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 5 4 4 323 369 725 438 

 Administrative and waste services ..................................................................................................................................................................... 234 204 175 212 24,831 19,751 15,596 18,427 

 Educational services.................................................................................................................. 15 8 12 25 1,239 536 961 1,714 

 Health care and social assistance ..................................................................................................................................................................... 54 84 123 59 3,652 7,043 10,226 4,048 

 Arts, entertainment, and recreation ..................................................................................................................................................................... 23 32 25 27 1,599 2,293 1,383 2,559 

 Accommodation and food services ..................................................................................................................................................................... 70 98 83 50 5,930 10,068 9,975 3,764 

 Other services, except public administration..................................................................................................................................................................... 17 39 41 19 1,385 4,143 2,937 1,115 

 Unclassified ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 2 2 7 252 145 153 631 

Government ..................................................................................................................................................................... 105 112 294 155 9,668 10,176 25,367 11,265 

 Federal ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 14 9 10 781 1,736 841 899 

 State ..................................................................................................................................................................... 17 17 22 24 1,330 1,454 1,699 1,527 

 Local ..................................................................................................................................................................... 82 81 263 121 7,557 6,986 22,827 8,839 

 1 For May 2003, data were reported by all states and the District of Columbia, r = revised.

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

 

2

 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards. Classification System (NAICS), 2002. Dash represents zero.

 

p

 = preliminary.
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

July May June July July May June July

2002 2003 2003p2003p2002 2003 2003p2003p

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

 r2,042 1,703 1,691 2,087 r245,294 174,204 157,552 226,435 

Northeast ..................................................................................................................................................................... 315 274 275 336 35,012 27,071 29,032 30,187 

 New England ..................................................................................................................................................................... 68 32 55 69 7,000 2,888 5,732 6,148 

 Middle Atlantic ..................................................................................................................................................................... 247 242 220 267 28,012 24,183 23,300 24,039 

South ..................................................................................................................................................................... 485 446 461 440 56,170 48,321 41,019 48,895 

 South Atlantic ..................................................................................................................................................................... 202 214 243 200 22,290 21,217 18,913 22,033 

 East South Central ..................................................................................................................................................................... 137 74 78 128 16,850 7,645 9,495 14,232 

 West South Central ..................................................................................................................................................................... 146 158 140 112 17,030 19,459 12,611 12,630 

Midwest ..................................................................................................................................................................... 574 373 310 697 89,068 46,401 33,819 101,533 

 East North Central ..................................................................................................................................................................... 468 271 238 589 66,354 34,240 24,398 79,361 

 West North Central ..................................................................................................................................................................... 106 102 72 108 22,714 12,161 9,421 22,172 

West 1 .....................................................................................................................................................................

 r668 610 645 614  r65,044 52,411 53,682 45,820 

 Mountain 1

 .....................................................................................................................................................................

 r67 62 68 53 r

6,482 6,104 5,827 4,179 

 Pacific ..................................................................................................................................................................... 601 548 577 561 58,562 46,307 47,855 41,641 

 

 

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

July May June July July May June July

2002 2003 2003p2003p2002 2003 2003p2003p

 Total1 .....................................................................................................................................................................

 r2,042 1,703 1,691 2,087 r245,294 174,204 157,552 226,435 

Alabama ..................................................................................................................................................................... 56 21 21 45 7,290 1,996 3,882 5,466 

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

 ) 4 – – ( 2 ) 439 –

Arizona ..................................................................................................................................................................... 28 19 17 20 2,528 1,846 1,282 1,634 

Arkansas ..................................................................................................................................................................... 11 4 9 8 999 266 653 621 

California ..................................................................................................................................................................... 545 502 526 517 52,556 41,857 42,918 37,033 

Colorado ..................................................................................................................................................................... 15 7 11 7 1,658 721 884 478 

Connecticut ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 5 9 12 598 403 1,296 833 

Delaware ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4 ( 2

 ) 4 3 642 ( 2 ) 266 1,430 

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

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

Florida ..................................................................................................................................................................... 92 100 117 76 6,405 8,078 8,488 5,356 

Georgia ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9 38 43 53 824 3,807 3,641 7,835 

Hawaii ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 6 7 ( 2

 ) 256 554 525 ( 2 ) 

Idaho ..................................................................................................................................................................... 7 11 8 9 864 1,444 629 957 

Illinois ..................................................................................................................................................................... 62 70 44 85 9,521 9,525 4,231 11,117 

Indiana ..................................................................................................................................................................... 72 34 36 86 11,367 4,685 3,912 18,688 

Iowa ..................................................................................................................................................................... 25 27 10 24 6,494 4,582 1,186 4,674 

Kansas ..................................................................................................................................................................... 15 7 11 14 3,701 811 2,198 1,800 

Kentucky ..................................................................................................................................................................... 59 25 28 57 7,580 3,100 3,087 7,110 

Louisiana ..................................................................................................................................................................... 18 22 28 20 1,294 2,005 2,308 2,299 

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

 ) 4 6 3 ( 2 ) 265 388 178 

Maryland ..................................................................................................................................................................... 11 8 11 16 1,225 969 950 1,149 

Massachusetts ..................................................................................................................................................................... 44 16 32 43 4,130 1,734 3,230 3,947 

Michigan ..................................................................................................................................................................... 144 36 39 190 15,700 6,599 3,541 21,647 

Minnesota ..................................................................................................................................................................... 16 22 20 18 1,702 2,119 1,898 2,127 

Mississippi ..................................................................................................................................................................... 5 10 7 8 583 717 547 460 

Missouri ..................................................................................................................................................................... 42 28 25 40 9,917 3,044 3,730 12,137 

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

 ) 3 8 3 ( 2 ) 236 528 172 

Nebraska ..................................................................................................................................................................... 8 9 4 9 900 702 267 1,231 

Nevada ..................................................................................................................................................................... 11 14 14 10 991 1,099 1,597 694 

New Hampshire ..................................................................................................................................................................... 5 ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) 8 696 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 944 

New Jersey ..................................................................................................................................................................... 44 22 69 59 5,367 1,915 9,441 5,354 

New Mexico ..................................................................................................................................................................... r3 6 6 ( 2

 ) 

 r172 583 605 ( 2

 ) 

New York ..................................................................................................................................................................... 88 110 46 92 9,715 11,375 4,194 8,253 

North Carolina ..................................................................................................................................................................... 23 27 24 11 2,244 2,790 1,918 1,298 

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

 ) – 349 – ( 2 ) 

Ohio ..................................................................................................................................................................... 98 68 72 133 15,236 7,098 8,361 17,086 

Oklahoma ..................................................................................................................................................................... 20 23 13 9 2,757 4,653 1,188 1,947 

Oregon ..................................................................................................................................................................... 27 22 20 24 2,829 2,151 2,022 2,891 

Pennsylvania ..................................................................................................................................................................... 115 110 105 116 12,930 10,893 9,665 10,432 

Rhode Island ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9 ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) 3 1,163 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 246 

South Carolina ..................................................................................................................................................................... 35 11 12 17 6,590 1,436 1,039 1,815 

South Dakota ..................................................................................................................................................................... – 4 ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) – 554 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

Tennessee ..................................................................................................................................................................... 17 18 22 18 1,397 1,832 1,979 1,196 

Texas ..................................................................................................................................................................... 97 109 90 75 11,980 12,535 8,462 7,763 

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

 ) ( 2 ) 4 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 302 ( 2 ) 

Vermont ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 4 ( 2

 ) – 353 315 ( 2 ) –

Virginia ..................................................................................................................................................................... 24 26 27 21 3,974 2,967 2,189 2,981 

Washington ..................................................................................................................................................................... 26 17 20 18 2,921 1,684 1,951 1,579 

West Virginia ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 ( 2

 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 308 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

Wisconsin ..................................................................................................................................................................... 92 63 47 95 14,530 6,333 4,353 10,823 

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

 ) – – – ( 1 ) – –

Puerto Rico ..................................................................................................................................................................... 11 7 8 13 2,251 1,098 702 1,116 

 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.