Bureau of Labor Statistics Washington, D.C. 20212 

Technical information: (202) 691-6392 USDL 08-1497 

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

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

Media contact: (202) 691-5902 Wednesday, October 22, 2008 

MASS LAYOFFS IN SEPTEMBER 2008 

In September, employers took 2,269 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 235,681, on a seasonally adjusted basis. The number of mass 

layoff events this September increased by 497 from the prior month, while the number of associated 

initial claims rose by 61,726. Layoff events reached their highest level since September 2001, a month 

that experienced substantial layoff activity due to the September 11 attacks. Mass layoff initial claims 

reached their highest level since September 2005, which was a month with high layoff activity due to 

Hurricane Katrina. The effects of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike contributed to the higher September 2008 

layoff activity. In September, 603 mass layoff events were reported in the manufacturing sector, seasonally adjusted, resulting in 81,414 initial claims. Over the month, mass layoff events in manufacturing increased by 4 and initial claims increased by 9,170. (See table 1.) 

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

Events

Chart 1. Mass layoff events, seasonally adjusted,

October 2003-September 2008

2004 2005 2006 

Total

Private nonfarm

2007

 Manufacturing

2008

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

Claims

Chart 2. Mass layoff initial claims, seasonally adjusted,

October 2003-September 2008

2004 2005 2006 

Total

Private nonfarm

2007

 Manufacturing

2008

From January through September 2008, the total number of events (seasonally adjusted), at 14,811, 

and initial claims (seasonally adjusted), at 1,510,446, were the highest for the January-September period 

since 2003 and 2002, respectively. 

News United States 

Department 

of Labor 
2

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

Year Initial claims

Temporary help services ...................................... 9,491 2001 12,752 

Professional employer organizations ................... 4,520 2008 4,520 

Aircraft manufacturing ........................................ ( 1 ) 2008 ( 1 )

Payroll services .................................................... 3,707 1999 4,737 

Automobile manufacturing .................................. 3,464 2004 ( 1 )

Light truck and utility vehicle manufacturing ..... 2,877 2000 3,688 

Motion picture and video production .................. 2,757 1997 11,176 

Elementary and secondary schools ...................... 2,259 2005 15,815 

Limited-service restaurants ................................. 2,042 2005 6,097 

Ship building and repairing ................................. 1,897 2005 8,811 

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

Industry Initial claims September peak

The national unemployment rate was 6.1 percent in September, seasonally adjusted, unchanged 

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

employment decreased by 159,000 over the month and by 519,000 from a year earlier. 

Industry Distribution (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

The number of mass layoff events in September was 1,292 on a not seasonally adjusted basis; the 

number of associated initial claims was 129,586. (See table 2.) Over the year, increases were recorded 

in both the number of layoff events (+575) and initial claims (+62,201). In 2008, three major sectors 

reported program highs in terms of mass layoff initial claims for the month of September—construction, 

professional and technical services, and finance and insurance (with data available back to 1995). 

The manufacturing sector accounted for 28 percent of all mass layoff events and 36 percent of 

initial claims filed in September 2008; a year earlier, manufacturing made up 34 percent of events and 

44 percent of initial claims. In September, the number of manufacturing claimants was greatest in 

transportation equipment manufacturing (19,278), followed by machinery manufacturing (4,058). (See 

table 3.) Administrative and waste services accounted for 14 percent of mass layoff events and associated initial claims during the month, primarily from temporary help services. 

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

(9,491), followed by professional employer organizations (4,520). Among the 10 industries with the 

highest levels of initial claims, 2 of the 10—professional employer organizations and aircraft manufacturing—reached program highs in 2008 for the month of September (with data available back to 1995). 

(See table A.) 

Geographic Distribution (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

Of the 4 census regions, the West had the highest number of initial claims in September due to mass 

layoffs (47,522), followed by the South (43,772). (See table 5.) Initial claimants in mass layoffs increased over the year in all 4 regions with the South (+27,859) and the West (+21,983) experiencing the 

largest increases, followed by the Midwest (+9,373) and the Northeast (+2,986). 
3

Of the 9 divisions, the Pacific had the highest number of initial claims in September due to mass 

layoffs (43,847), followed by the West South Central (26,693). (See table 5.) Eight of the 9 divisions 

experienced over-the-year increases in initial claims, led by the West South Central (+22,101) and the 

Pacific (+20,474). 

California recorded the highest number of initial claims filed due to mass layoff events in September with 34,584. The next highest states reporting mass layoff initial claims were Louisiana 

(14,929) and Texas (10,616). (See table 6.) Six states reached program highs in 2008 for the month 

of September—Indiana, Ohio, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Thirty-five states registered over-the-year increases in initial claims associated with mass layoffs, led by Louisiana (+14,366), 

California (+13,440), and Texas (+8,010). The effects of Hurricane Gustav in Louisiana and of Hurricane Ike in Texas contributed to the higher September 2008 layoff activity in those two states. 

______________________________ 

The report on Extended Mass Layoffs in the Third Quarter 2008 is scheduled to be released on 

Thursday, November 13. 
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 ununemployment 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 numb ers 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 1 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, October 2004 to September 2008, 

seasonally adjusted

2004

October ........................................................ 1,283 132,766 1,169 123,471 363 47,046 

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

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

2005

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2006

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2007

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2008

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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, October 2004 to September 2008,

not seasonally adjusted

2004

October ........................................................ 1,242 127,918 1,101 117,375 372 48,265 

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

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

2005

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2006

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2007

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2008

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

September July August September September July August September

2007 2008 2008 2008 2007 2008 2008 2008

Seasonally adjusted

 Total .............................................................. 1,307 1,512 1,772 2,269 128,487 151,171 173,955 235,681 

 Total, private nonfarm ....................................... 1,204 1,368 1,622 2,092 121,294 140,116 163,800 221,538 

 Manufacturing ................................................. 430 443 599 603 53,432 57,470 72,244 81,414 

Not seasonally adjusted

 Total 1

 ............................................................ 717 1,891 1,427 1,292 67,385 200,382 139,999 129,586 

Total, private ....................................................... 688 1,765 1,373 1,227 65,205 191,309 134,871 124,096 

 Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting ......... 21 78 30 25 1,179 5,291 1,725 1,591 

 Total, private nonfarm ....................................... 667 1,687 1,343 1,202 64,026 186,018 133,146 122,505 

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

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

 Construction .................................................... 70 72 142 144 4,283 4,941 9,717 10,763 

 Manufacturing ................................................. 246 760 414 361 29,381 108,733 51,912 46,391 

 Food ............................................................ 31 49 40 33 2,873 4,844 3,510 3,068 

 Beverage and tobacco products ................. ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 8 7 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 630 648 

 Textile mills ................................................. 4 15 10 13 448 1,286 1,013 1,422 

 Textile product mills 3

 .................................. 4 5 4 3 410 560 487 347 

 Apparel 3 ...................................................... 12 24 10 7 1,180 2,048 981 688 

 Leather and allied products ......................... – 3 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) – 184 ( 2 ) ( 2 )

 Wood products ............................................ 27 38 35 32 2,461 4,044 2,980 2,901 

 Paper ........................................................... 5 10 3 8 389 1,239 516 603 

 Printing and related support activities ......... ( 2 ) 12 10 5 ( 2 ) 947 938 341 

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

 Chemicals ................................................... 3 13 5 8 186 999 268 527 

 Plastics and rubber products 3 ..................... 13 62 30 16 1,066 6,804 3,625 1,224 

 Nonmetallic mineral products ...................... 9 16 8 12 941 1,412 1,161 861 

 Primary metals ............................................ 15 41 19 13 1,678 4,606 1,709 1,582 

 Fabricated metal products ........................... 16 71 25 35 1,473 7,007 2,179 2,357 

 Machinery 3 .................................................. 19 45 30 28 3,021 5,042 4,887 4,058 

 Computer and electronic products .............. 15 30 26 15 1,381 2,498 2,446 1,556 

 Electrical equipment and appliances ........... 10 21 11 22 2,881 3,052 1,485 3,453 

 Transportation equipment 3 ......................... 51 269 112 87 7,759 57,761 19,787 19,278 

 Furniture and related products 3 .................. 7 18 20 13 791 2,397 2,566 1,153 

 Miscellaneous manufacturing 3 .................... ( 2 ) 15 5 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 1,751 520 ( 2 )

 Wholesale trade .............................................. 17 22 27 20 1,053 1,926 1,765 1,642 

 Retail trade ...................................................... 67 116 142 112 5,657 9,450 12,674 10,345 

 Transportation and warehousing ..................... 17 107 100 54 1,415 11,182 9,077 4,383 

 Information ...................................................... 32 42 48 45 5,420 4,069 6,640 6,021 

 Finance and insurance 3 .................................. 40 55 45 38 2,649 4,256 3,192 3,104 

 Real estate and rental and leasing 3 ................ 3 11 13 7 285 792 742 396 

 Professional and technical services 3 .............. 23 40 45 35 2,683 3,147 4,458 5,623 

 Management of companies and enterprises ... ( 2 ) 4 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 313 ( 2 ) ( 2 )

 Administrative and waste services 3 ................ 85 259 214 181 6,325 22,921 19,682 18,557 

 Educational services ....................................... ( 2 ) 18 9 5 ( 2 ) 1,388 1,462 346 

 Health care and social assistance ................... 13 65 35 54 998 4,263 2,584 4,021 

 Arts, entertainment, and recreation ................. 11 27 18 30 716 2,136 1,320 2,043 

 Accommodation and food services ................. 37 78 74 99 2,681 5,803 6,221 7,552 

 Other services, except public administration ... ( 2 ) 7 9 6 ( 2 ) 419 1,185 297 

 Unclassified .................................................... – – – 2 – – – 73 

Government ........................................................ 29 126 54 65 2,180 9,073 5,128 5,490 

 Federal ............................................................ 5 4 8 9 408 306 800 764 

 State ................................................................ 7 26 13 12 777 2,179 1,464 922 

 Local ................................................................ 17 96 33 44 995 6,588 2,864 3,804 

 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, July 2006 to September 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

July ............................................ 1,511 166,857 1,335 154,342 

August ........................................ 708 72,844 656 69,054 

September ................................. 865 87,699 785 81,274 

Third Quarter ............................. 3,084 327,400 2,776 304,670 929 161,764 33.5 53.1 

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 1,814 347,146 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 1,340 256,697 35.9 69.8 

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 2,p 1,534 2,p 215,808 p

 39.1 p 52.3 

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 

 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

September July August September September July August September

2007 2008 2008 2008 2007 2008 2008 2008

 United States 1

 ......................................... 717 1,891 1,427 1,292 67,385 200,382 139,999 129,586 

Northeast .......................................................... 96 281 226 142 8,660 25,506 22,736 11,646 

 New England ................................................ 10 34 24 15 756 2,658 2,304 1,180 

 Middle Atlantic .............................................. 86 247 202 127 7,904 22,848 20,432 10,466 

South ................................................................ 160 450 362 475 15,913 48,440 38,188 43,772 

 South Atlantic ............................................... 78 218 212 153 6,303 17,556 20,313 12,291 

 East South Central ....................................... 38 161 90 54 5,018 21,721 11,179 4,788 

 West South Central ...................................... 44 71 60 268 4,592 9,163 6,696 26,693 

Midwest ............................................................ 156 606 307 225 17,273 84,535 33,238 26,646 

 East North Central ........................................ 119 528 254 189 13,995 75,373 26,689 23,087 

 West North Central ....................................... 37 78 53 36 3,278 9,162 6,549 3,559 

West ................................................................. 305 554 532 450 25,539 41,901 45,837 47,522 

 Mountain ....................................................... 23 49 50 43 2,166 4,519 4,688 3,675 

 Pacific ........................................................... 282 505 482 407 23,373 37,382 41,149 43,847 

 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

September July August September September July August September

2007 2008 2008 2008 2007 2008 2008 2008

 Total 1

 .............................................. 717 1,891 1,427 1,292 67,385 200,382 139,999 129,586 

Alabama ............................................. 18 67 24 12 1,836 7,072 3,288 1,090 

Alaska ................................................. ( 2 ) – – 3 ( 2 ) – – 241 

Arizona ............................................... ( 2 ) 15 7 8 ( 2 ) 1,422 488 586 

Arkansas ............................................. 6 13 8 3 565 1,606 613 359 

California ............................................ 256 460 439 358 21,144 33,250 36,120 34,584 

Colorado ............................................. 3 4 3 3 261 343 258 196 

Connecticut ......................................... ( 2 ) 6 4 6 ( 2 ) 579 368 402 

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

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

Florida ................................................. 47 123 126 96 2,985 7,555 9,849 5,988 

Georgia ............................................... 18 39 32 20 1,633 3,949 2,938 1,885 

Hawaii ................................................. ( 2 ) 4 4 9 ( 2 ) 271 408 919 

Idaho ................................................... 3 7 10 4 222 619 1,120 324 

Illinois .................................................. 31 56 55 43 3,486 7,674 6,164 4,941 

Indiana ................................................ 11 67 40 34 2,826 8,787 4,359 4,314 

Iowa .................................................... 8 16 18 10 840 2,068 3,727 1,455 

Kansas ................................................ 4 8 4 6 295 731 291 478 

Kentucky ............................................. 14 63 34 24 2,611 11,907 5,487 2,351 

Louisiana ............................................ 8 10 10 163 563 1,645 851 14,929 

Maine .................................................. ( 2 ) 5 3 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 359 217 ( 2 )

Maryland ............................................. 6 5 8 5 431 443 762 349 

Massachusetts .................................... 3 16 6 4 196 1,107 495 310 

Michigan ............................................. 24 212 48 40 2,844 27,672 3,669 4,130 

Minnesota ........................................... 4 12 5 4 524 1,452 334 430 

Mississippi .......................................... 4 13 15 6 471 1,330 908 463 

Missouri .............................................. 16 39 21 16 1,141 3,763 1,490 1,196 

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

 ) 4 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 234 ( 2 ) ( 2 )

Nebraska ............................................ 5 ( 2 ) 3 – 478 ( 2 ) 271 –

Nevada ............................................... 7 15 23 18 529 1,637 1,912 1,604 

New Hampshire .................................. – 4 3 ( 2 ) – 426 170 ( 2 )

New Jersey ......................................... 19 56 38 17 1,985 4,110 3,151 1,663 

New Mexico ........................................ 3 ( 2 ) 5 4 644 ( 2 ) 728 440 

New York ............................................ 24 103 94 36 1,914 10,764 10,760 2,905 

North Carolina .................................... ( 2 ) 12 25 9 ( 2 ) 1,128 3,123 793 

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

Ohio .................................................... 29 117 62 32 2,579 19,402 7,994 5,912 

Oklahoma ........................................... 5 5 ( 2 ) 5 858 575 ( 2 ) 789 

Oregon ................................................ 15 25 28 21 1,324 2,498 3,741 2,942 

Pennsylvania ...................................... 43 88 70 74 4,005 7,974 6,521 5,898 

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

 ) 5 ( 2 ) – ( 2 ) 390 ( 2 )

South Carolina .................................... 3 29 12 16 242 2,958 2,232 1,793 

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

Tennessee .......................................... ( 2 ) 18 17 12 ( 2 ) 1,412 1,496 884 

Texas .................................................. 25 43 40 97 2,606 5,337 5,124 10,616 

Utah .................................................... 3 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 3 220 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 243 

Vermont .............................................. 4 ( 2 ) 3 ( 2 ) 331 ( 2 ) 664 ( 2 )

Virginia ................................................ ( 2 ) 9 4 4 ( 2 ) 1,475 361 546 

Washington ......................................... 8 16 11 16 616 1,363 880 5,161 

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

Wisconsin ........................................... 24 76 49 40 2,260 11,838 4,503 3,790 

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

Puerto Rico ......................................... 8 12 18 18 750 1,227 1,958 1,715 

1

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

 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.

State