Technical information:  (202) 691-6392     USDL 04-2168
http://www.bls.gov/mls/

                                           For release: 10:00 A.M. EDT
Media contact:                691-5902     Thursday, October 21, 2004


                      MASS LAYOFFS IN SEPTEMBER 2004
   
   
   In September 2004, employers took 708 mass layoff actions, as measured
by new filings for unemployment insurance benefits during the month, accord-
ing 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 68,972.  (See table 1.)  Both the num-
ber of events and initial claims were lower than a year ago.  From January
through September 2004, the total number of events, 11,725, and initial
claims, 1,187,546, were lower than in January-September 2003 (14,073 and
1,399,510, respectively).
   
Industry Distribution
   
   The 10 industries reporting the highest number of mass-layoff initial
claims accounted for 27,382 initial claims in September, 40 percent of the
total.  (See table A.)  Temporary help services, with 6,789 initial claims,
accounted for 10 percent of all initial claims in September.
   
   The manufacturing sector had 27 percent of all mass layoff events and
37 percent of all initial claims filed in September.  A year ago, manu-
facturing reported 31 percent of events and 38 percent of initial claims.
The number of manufacturing events this month was the lowest for any
September since 1997, and the number of initial claims was the lowest for
any September since 1998.  Within manufacturing, the number of claimants
was highest in transportation equipment (7,400, mainly automotive-related),
followed by food processing (4,848) and electrical equipment and appliances
(3,211).  (See table 2.)
   
   The administrative and waste services sector accounted for 15 percent
of both events and initial claims filed in September, with layoffs mainly
in temporary help services.  Ten percent of all layoff events and 9 percent
of initial claims filed during the month were in retail trade, primarily in
general merchandise stores.  Accommodation and food services accounted for
9 percent of events and 6 percent of initial claims during the month, mainly
in full-service restaurants.  Construction also accounted for 9 percent of
events and 6  percent of initial claims, mostly among specialty trade con-
tractors.  An additional 4 percent of events and 5 percent of initial claims
were from the information sector, largely in motion picture and sound record-
ing.
   
   Government establishments accounted for 6 percent of events and initial
claims filed during the month, mostly in elementary and secondary schools.
   
   Compared with September 2003, the largest decreases in initial claims
were reported in computer and electronic products (-4,078), textile mills
(-2,809), professional and technical services (-2,021), and motion picture
and sound recording industries (-1,806).  The largest over-the-year in-
creases in initial claims were reported in transportation equipment (+2,575)
and electrical equipment and appliances (+2,069).

                                   - 2 -

Table A.  Industries with the largest mass-layoff initial claims in September 2004p
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                            |          |     September peak
                 Industry                   | Initial  |------------------------
                                            |  claims  |  Year  | Initial claims
--------------------------------------------|----------|--------|---------------                                            |          |        |
Temporary help services.....................|  6,789   |  2001  |     12,752
Automobile manufacturing....................|  5,060   |  2004  |      5,060
Household refrigerator and home freezers....|  2,981   |  2004  |      2,981
Motion picture and video production.........|  2,663   |  1997  |     11,176
Elementary and secondary schools............|  2,363   |  2004  |      2,363
Supermarkets and other grocery stores ......|  1,755   |  2004  |      1,755
Hotels and motels, except casino hotels ....|  1,741   |  2001  |     10,886
Professional employer organizations ........|  1,418   |  2001  |      2,435
Men's pants, except work pands, mfg. .......|  1,395   |  1995  |      1,919
Full-service restaurants ...................|  1,217   |  2001  |      1,702
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   p=preliminary.


Geographic Distribution
   
   Among the four regions, the highest number of initial claims in September
due to mass layoffs was reported in the West, 24,324.  (See table 3.)  Admin-
istrative and support services and motion picture and sound recording indus-
tries accounted for 35 percent of all initial claims in that region during
the month.  The South region was next, with 19,467 initial claims, followed
by the Midwest, with 16,380, and the Northeast, with 8,801.

   The number of initial claimants in mass layoffs fell over the year in
three of the four regions.  The largest decrease was in the West (-10,053),
followed by the Northeast (-3,314) and the Midwest (-488).  Five of the
nine geographic divisions had over-the-year decreases in the number of ini-
tial claims associated with mass layoffs, with the largest decreases in the
Pacific (-8,648), New England (-3,922), and West South Central (-2,773) div-
sions.  The largest over-the-year increases were in the East South Central
(+1,499) and South Atlantic (+1,454) divisions.
   
   Among the states, California recorded the highest number of initial
claims filed in mass layoff events in September (21,752), mostly in admin-
istrative and support services and in motion picture and sound recording
industries.  Florida reported 6,349 initial claims, followed by Michigan
(5,997) and Pennsylvania (3,584).  These four states accounted for 57 per-
cent of all layoff events and 55 percent of all initial claims for unemploy-
ment insurance.  (See table 4.)
   
   California reported the largest over-the-year decrease in the number of
initial claims (-7,677), followed by Texas (-2,622) and Illinois (-1,943).
The largest over-the-year increases occurred in Michigan (+4,136) and
Florida (+3,794).
   
   From January to September, California reported 292,850 mass layoff initial
claims, 25 percent of the national total.  The states with the next largest
number of claims over this period were Michigan (79,483), New York (77,502),
Ohio (69,128), and Pennsylvania (64,614).

                                  - 3 -

Note
   
   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 lay-
offs.  For private nonfarm establishments, 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 lay-
offs").  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 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.

                      ______________________________


   The report on Extended Mass Layoffs in the Third Quarter of 2004 is
scheduled to be released on Thursday, November 18, 2004.  The report on
Mass Layoffs in October 2004 is scheduled to be released on Tuesday,
November 23, 2004.





                                   - 4 -                                           

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 establish-
ments 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 long-
er, 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 ter-
minated 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 indi-
viduals 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 2002 to September 2004

                                                                                   Private nonfarm                               
 
                                 Total mass layoffs                              Extended mass layoffs            Realization
             Date                                       Mass layoffs           lasting more than 30 days           rates (1)   

                                           Initial               Initial                       Initial                   Initial  
                                Events    claimants   Events    claimants        Events       claimants       Events    claimants 
             2002           

July .......................     2,042     245,294     1,819     226,892
August .....................     1,248     128,103     1,151     119,874
September ..................     1,062     124,522       957     114,736

Third Quarter ..............     4,352     497,919     3,927     461,502          1,186         254,955        30.2        55.2

October ....................     1,497     171,100     1,270     149,327
November ...................     2,153     240,171     1,860     216,237
December ...................     2,474     264,158     2,324     252,807

Fourth Quarter .............     6,124     675,429     5,454     618,371          1,916         370,592        35.1        59.9

             2003           

January ....................     2,315     225,430     2,130     210,918
February ...................     1,363     124,965     1,222     116,264
March ......................     1,207     113,026     1,099     104,468

First Quarter ..............     4,885     463,421     4,451     431,650          1,502         297,608        33.7        68.9

April ......................     1,581     161,412     1,470     152,937
May ........................     1,703     174,204     1,538     160,729
June .......................     1,691     157,552     1,336     127,743

Second Quarter .............     4,975     493,168     4,344     441,409          1,799         348,966        41.4        79.1

July .......................     2,087     226,435     1,815     206,901
August .....................     1,258     133,839     1,163     124,131
September ..................       868      82,647       756      73,914

Third Quarter ..............     4,213     442,921     3,734     404,946          1,190         227,878        31.9        56.3

October ....................     1,523     158,240     1,265     137,706
November ...................     1,438     138,543     1,234     123,524
December ...................     1,929     192,633     1,793     182,750

Fourth Quarter .............     4,890     489,416     4,292     443,980          1,690         326,261        39.4        73.5

             2004           

January ....................     2,428     239,454     2,226     220,687
February ...................       941      84,201       832      76,577
March ......................       920      92,554       847      87,782

First Quarter ..............     4,289     416,209     3,905     385,046          1,339         236,521        34.3        61.4

April ......................     1,458     157,314     1,316     142,657
May ........................       988      87,501       878      78,786
June .......................     1,379     134,588     1,077     110,804

Second Quarter .............     3,825     379,403     3,271     332,247   (2)(p) 1,233  (2)(p) 178,381     (p)37.7     (p)53.7

July .......................     2,094     253,929     1,860     234,877
August(p) ..................       809      69,033       745      63,876
September(p) ...............       708      68,972       637      63,102

Third Quarter(p) ...........     3,611     391,934     3,242     361,855                             

                                                                                                                       
    1 The event realization rate is the percentage of all private nonfarm mass layoff events lasting more than 30 days. The initial
claimant realization rate is the percentage of all private nonfarm mass layoff initial claimants associated with layoffs lasting
more than 30 days. 
    2 These quarterly numbers are provisional and will be revised as more data on these layoffs become available. Experience
suggests that the number of extended mass layoff events is generally revised upwards by less than 10 percent and the number of
initial claimants associated with such events increases by 25-40 percent. 
    p = preliminary. 




     
Table 2. Industry distribution: Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance
                                                 
                                                                                                    Initial claimants for          
                                                             Mass layoff events                     unemployment insurance         
                     Industry                    

                                                   September  July    August  September    September   July      August    September
                                                     2003     2004     2004p    2004p        2003      2004       2004p      2004p 


      Total(1) ..................................      868    2,094      809      708       82,647    253,929     69,033     68,972

Total, private ..................................      799    1,945      769      669       76,296    241,601     65,294     64,917

  Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting ....       43       85       24       32        2,382      6,724      1,418      1,815

 Total, private nonfarm .........................      756    1,860      745      637       73,914    234,877     63,876     63,102
  Mining ........................................        4    ( 2 )    ( 2 )    ( 2 )          259      ( 2 )      ( 2 )      ( 2 )
  Utilities .....................................    ( 2 )        -        -    ( 2 )        ( 2 )          -          -      ( 2 )
  Construction ..................................       82      119       75       65        5,205      8,700      5,266      4,160
  Manufacturing .................................      271      885      194      189       31,428    145,895     17,698     25,808
      Food ......................................       44       82       28       56        4,145      7,418      2,797      4,848
      Beverage and tobacco products .............    ( 2 )        6        4        3        ( 2 )        447        216        271
      Textile mills .............................       21       26       10        6        3,510      2,309      1,313        701
      Textile product mills .....................    ( 2 )       15    ( 2 )        4        ( 2 )      1,966      ( 2 )        438
      Apparel ...................................       10       46       12        9        1,212      5,521        898      1,878
      Leather and allied products ...............    ( 2 )        6    ( 2 )    ( 2 )        ( 2 )        841      ( 2 )      ( 2 )
      Wood products .............................       11       33        7        4          969      5,523        566        268
      Paper .....................................       10    ( 2 )        3        4          834      ( 2 )        193        369
      Printing and related support activities ...    ( 2 )       10        6        -        ( 2 )      1,195        447          -
      Petroleum and coal products ...............        -    ( 2 )    ( 2 )        -            -      ( 2 )      ( 2 )          -

      Chemicals .................................        9       17        3    ( 2 )          602      2,032        189      ( 2 )
      Plastics and rubber products ..............       10       98        9       12          886     13,053        614        976
      Nonmetallic mineral products ..............        5       16        4        8          420      2,242        369        759
      Primary metals ............................       24       50       10    ( 2 )        2,011      8,177        740      ( 2 )
      Fabricated metal products .................        5       62       21       11          826      6,961      2,031        794
      Machinery .................................       21       39       15       11        2,073      5,426      1,946      1,118
      Computer and electronic products ..........       26       31       12       11        4,820      4,012        963        742
      Electrical equipment and appliances .......        9       17        4        5        1,142      1,661        293      3,211
      Transportation equipment ..................       31      288       30       21        4,825     72,492      2,846      7,400
      Furniture and related products ............       11       23        4       10        1,254      2,331        394        912
      Miscellaneous manufacturing ...............       10       14        7       10          662      1,798        534        842

  Wholesale trade ...............................       22       30       11       14        1,808      2,853        749      1,028
  Retail trade ..................................       69      104       98       68        5,789     10,541      8,752      5,974
  Transportation and warehousing ................       20      112       52       21        1,723      9,522      5,130      1,692
  Information ...................................       26       40       37       26        5,791      6,778      4,909      3,455
  Finance and insurance .........................       35       35       29       16        2,371      2,438      2,117      1,211
  Real estate and rental and leasing ............        5       17    ( 2 )    ( 2 )          382      1,580      ( 2 )      ( 2 )
  Professional and technical services ...........       29       55       21       19        3,730      8,562      1,641      1,709
  Management of companies and enterprises .......    ( 2 )    ( 2 )    ( 2 )    ( 2 )        ( 2 )      ( 2 )      ( 2 )      ( 2 )
  Administrative and waste services .............      109      253      124      106        9,606     22,955     10,220     10,255
  Educational services ..........................        8       16        5    ( 2 )          634      1,219        368      ( 2 )
  Health care and social assistance .............       13       69       32       15          945      4,623      2,117        975
  Arts, entertainment, and recreation ...........       19       30        7       21        1,237      2,092        459      1,366
  Accommodation and food services ...............       37       68       41       61        2,623      5,100      2,581      4,173
  Other services, except public administration ..        3       15       12        8          183        987      1,486        525

  Unclassified ..................................        1        6        2        1           50        361         72         71

Government ......................................       69      149       40       39        6,351     12,328      3,739      4,055
  Federal .......................................       13       19        8        5        1,910      2,122        602        364
  State .........................................       14       24        8        3        1,417      2,247        800        233
  Local .........................................       42      106       24       31        3,024      7,959      2,337      3,458


    1 Data were reported by all states and the District of Columbia.
    2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards. 
    p = preliminary.
    NOTE: Dash represents zero. 




     
Table 3. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance by census region and division
                           
                                                                                      Initial claimants for            
                                          Mass layoff events                          unemployment insurance           
 Census region and division

                              September   July      August    September     September    July       August     September
                                2003      2004       2004p      2004p         2003       2004        2004p       2004p 

      United States (1) ...      868      2,094        809        708        82,647     253,929      69,033      68,972

Northeast .................      107        289        166        101        12,115      27,200      17,163       8,801

  New England .............       19         35         14          9         4,559       2,767       1,274         637
  Middle Atlantic .........       88        254        152         92         7,556      24,433      15,889       8,164

South .....................      196        487        217        204        19,287      55,404      16,351      19,467

  South Atlantic ..........       96        225        116        123         8,698      23,319       7,914      10,152
  East South Central ......       31        151         41         41         4,144      20,698       3,759       5,643
  West South Central ......       69        111         60         40         6,445      11,387       4,678       3,672

Midwest ...................      165        706        151        125        16,868     118,913      14,653      16,380

  East North Central ......      125        604        125         99        12,646      99,614      11,886      13,827
  West North Central ......       40        102         26         26         4,222      19,299       2,767       2,553

West ......................      400        612        275        278        34,377      52,412      20,866      24,324

  Mountain ................       30         53         17         15         2,568       5,010       1,099       1,163
  Pacific .................      370        559        258        263        31,809      47,402      19,767      23,161


    1 See footnote 1, table 2.
    p = preliminary.
    NOTE: The States (including the District of Columbia) that comprise the census divisions are: New England:
Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont; Middle Atlantic: New Jersey, New York, and
Pennsylvania; South Atlantic: Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina,
Virginia, and West Virginia; East South Central: Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee; West South Central:
Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas; East North Central: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin; West North
Central: Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota; Mountain: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho,
Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming; and Pacific: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington. 




     
Table 4. State distribution: Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance
                         
                                                                                       Initial claimants for            
                                         Mass layoff events                            unemployment insurance           
           State         

                            September     July       August     September    September     July       August     September
                              2003        2004        2004p       2004p        2003        2004        2004p       2004p 

   Total (1) ............      868       2,094         809         708        82,647     253,929      69,033      68,972

Alabama .................        8          48          10          18         1,164       6,033       1,080       1,793
Alaska ..................        3           -       ( 2 )       ( 2 )           185           -       ( 2 )       ( 2 )
Arizona .................        4          19           5           -           423       1,812         353           -
Arkansas ................        3           6           3       ( 2 )           268         763         261       ( 2 )
California ..............      345         504         246         246        29,429      41,702      18,768      21,752
Colorado ................        6           3       ( 2 )           3           439         217       ( 2 )         199
Connecticut .............        4           4           4       ( 2 )           291         255         268       ( 2 )
Delaware ................    ( 2 )       ( 2 )           -           -         ( 2 )       ( 2 )           -           -
District of Columbia ....        -           3           -           -             -         470           -           -
Florida .................       43          90          78          86         2,555       6,491       4,842       6,349
Georgia .................       19          27          21          11         2,130       2,338       1,827         815
Hawaii ..................        3           3       ( 2 )       ( 2 )           196         214       ( 2 )       ( 2 )
Idaho ...................        6          11           5           3           463         944         266         331

Illinois ................       41          71          30          26         4,510       8,625       3,358       2,567
Indiana .................       13          96          19          19           983      20,435       1,707       2,767
Iowa ....................        9          22           5           6         1,108       3,552         491         764
Kansas ..................        6          17           4           4           547       2,023         587         380
Kentucky ................       16          79          15          11         2,259      12,944       1,182       2,892
Louisiana ...............        4          22          16           5           231       1,501       1,155         402
Maine ...................        -       ( 2 )       ( 2 )           -             -       ( 2 )       ( 2 )           -
Maryland ................    ( 2 )          14       ( 2 )           5         ( 2 )       1,274       ( 2 )         529
Massachusetts ...........       10          19           7           6         1,047       1,435         678         439
Michigan ................       18         253          25          23         1,861      35,562       2,409       5,997
Minnesota ...............        7          13           7           6           511       1,884         897         441
Mississippi .............    ( 2 )           8           6           3         ( 2 )         500         613         314
Missouri ................       13          43           6           3         1,307      10,635         540         195

Montana .................    ( 2 )           3           -           -         ( 2 )         402           -           -
Nebraska ................        5           6       ( 2 )           6           749       1,119       ( 2 )         646
Nevada ..................       12          11           4           7           879       1,094         302         471
New Hampshire ...........    ( 2 )           6       ( 2 )           -         ( 2 )         530       ( 2 )           -
New Jersey ..............        8          46          26          11           691       4,096       2,979       1,630
New Mexico ..............    ( 2 )       ( 2 )       ( 2 )       ( 2 )         ( 2 )       ( 2 )       ( 2 )       ( 2 )
New York ................       38          94          73          31         3,384       9,615       8,063       2,950
North Carolina ..........       11          13           9          10           897       1,118         577         712
North Dakota ............        -       ( 2 )       ( 2 )       ( 2 )             -       ( 2 )       ( 2 )       ( 2 )
Ohio ....................       29         122          23          16         2,979      26,605       1,822       1,352
Oklahoma ................        5          10       ( 2 )       ( 2 )           359       1,919       ( 2 )       ( 2 )
Oregon ..................        5          32       ( 2 )           6           375       3,921       ( 2 )         370
Pennsylvania ............       42         114          53          50         3,481      10,722       4,847       3,584

Rhode Island ............    ( 2 )           4       ( 2 )       ( 2 )         ( 2 )         381       ( 2 )       ( 2 )
South Carolina ..........        5          51       ( 2 )           6         1,548       6,843       ( 2 )         921
South Dakota ............        -           -           -           -             -           -           -           -
Tennessee ...............        5          16          10           9           608       1,221         884         644
Texas ...................       57          73          40          32         5,587       7,204       3,201       2,965
Utah ....................        -           5           -       ( 2 )             -         499           -       ( 2 )
Vermont .................    ( 2 )           -           -           -         ( 2 )           -           -           -
Virginia ................       14          24           4           5         1,321       2,989         272         826
Washington ..............       14          20           8           7         1,624       1,565         753         819
West Virginia ...........    ( 2 )       ( 2 )       ( 2 )           -         ( 2 )       ( 2 )       ( 2 )           -
Wisconsin ...............       24          62          28          15         2,313       8,387       2,590       1,144
Wyoming .................        -           -           -           -             -           -           -           -

Puerto Rico .............        7          14           9          30           573       1,234         803       4,059


    1 See footnote 1, table 2.
    2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards. 
    p = preliminary.
    NOTE: Dash represents zero.