Internet address:  http://stats.bls.gov/newsrels.htm
Technical information:  (202) 606-6396      USDL 99-266


                                            For release: 10:00 A.M. EDT
Media contact:                606-5902      Thursday, September 23, 1999

                                     
                         MASS LAYOFFS IN JULY 1999
                                     
   
   In July 1999, there were 1,742 mass layoff actions by employers 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 221,605.  Both
the number of layoff events and the number of initial claimants for
unemployment insurance were lower in July 1999 than in July 1998, when
there were strike-related plant shutdowns in the transportation equipment
and electronic equipment industries.  (See table 1.)
   
   The monthly series in this release covers mass layoffs of 50 or more
workers beginning in a given month, regardless of the duration of the
layoffs.  Information on the length of the layoff is obtained later and
issued in a quarterly release that reports on mass layoffs lasting more
than 30 days (referred to as "extended mass layoffs") and provides more
information on the industry classification and location of the establish-
ment and on the demographics of the laid-off workers.  Because monthly
figures include short-term layoffs of 30 days or less, the sum of the
figures for the 3 months in a quarter will be higher than the quarterly
figure for mass layoffs of more than 30 days.  (See table 1.)  See the
Technical Note for more detailed definitions.
   
Industry Distribution
   
   In July 1999, manufacturing industries accounted for 46 percent of all
mass layoff events and 61 percent of all initial claims filed.  Manufacturing
industries that had the highest numbers of initial claimants were transporta-
tion equipment (36,323), primarily in motor vehicles and car bodies and in
motor vehicle parts and accessories; industrial machinery and equipment
(17,937), mostly in farm machinery and equipment; and rubber and miscel-
laneous plastics products (13,645), particularly in miscellaneous plastics
products.  (See table 2.)
   
   In nonmanufacturing industries, services accounted for 18 percent of all
mass layoff events and 11 percent of all initial claims filed.  The layoffs
were predominantly in business services (particularly in help supply
services).  Layoffs in the help supply services industry are more likely
than those in most other industries to last less than 30 days.  Retail trade
accounted for 6 percent of all layoffs and 4 percent of initial claimants
during the month, largely in eating and drinking places.  Agriculture
accounted for 7 percent of all layoff events and 4 percent of initial
claimants during the month, concentrated primarily in the agricultural
production of grapes and of vegetables and melons.  Transportation and public
utilities accounted for 6 percent of layoff events and 5 percent of initial
claimants during the month, largely in trucking and warehousing.
   
   Compared with July 1998, the largest decreases in initial claims occurred
in business services (-19,154) followed by motion pictures (-9,432) and
transportation equipment (-8,406).  The largest over-the-year increases in
initial claims occurred in industrial machinery and equipment (+5,427).

                                  - 2 -

Geographic Distribution
   
   In July, the number of initial claims due to mass layoffs was higher in
the Midwest (102,174) than in any other region.  (See table 3.)  The
transportation equipment, industrial machinery and equipment, and rubber
and miscellaneous plastics products industries contributed to the layoffs
in the Midwest.  The lowest number of mass layoff initial claims was
reported in the Northeast region (31,067).
   
   All four regions reported over-the-year decreases in mass layoff-related
initial claims, with the largest decrease in the West (-55,865).  Lower
levels of initial claims this year were reported mainly in the Pacific and
Middle Atlantic divisions, with sharply fewer layoffs in business services.
   
   Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia reporting data for
July, Michigan had the largest number of initial claims filed in mass
layoff events (36,033), primarily in transportation equipment and in rubber
and miscellaneous plastics products, followed by California (26,197), Ohio
(14,028), Illinois (12,548), and Pennsylvania (11,234).  These five states
accounted for 47 percent of all layoff events and 45 percent of all initial
claimants for unemployment insurance.  (See table 4.)
   
   From July 1998 to July 1999, California reported the largest over-the-
year decline in initial claims (-57,525), mostly in business services,
followed by Ohio (-10,098).  Iowa had the largest over-the-year increase in
initial claims (+4,659), mostly in industrial machinery and computer
equipment.
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: 202-606-STAT; TDD
phone: 202-606-5897; TDD message referral phone number:  1-800-326-2577.
 
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 1997 to July 1999

  
                                                               Extended mass layoffs 
                                                             lasting more than 30 days
               Date                                                                                    
                                Total mass layoffs                                  Event
                                                                                 realization
                                                                                   rate(1)
                                           Initial                  Initial          
                              Events      claimants     Events     claimants
               1997

 July .......................  1,899      237,410     
 August .....................    973       99,513     
 September ..................    548       59,062     

 Third Quarter ..............  3,420      395,985        1,082      209,019         31.6     

 October ....................  1,414      139,297     
 November ...................  1,156      100,051     
 December ...................  1,634      172,029     

 Fourth Quarter .............  4,204      411,377        1,697      316,035         40.4     

             1998

 January ....................  2,360      255,203     
 February ...................    970       81,455     
 March ......................    762       78,210     

 First Quarter ..............  4,092      414,868        1,320      247,315         32.3     

 April ......................  1,253      132,476     
 May ........................  1,180      107,952     
 June .......................  1,208      183,590     

 Second Quarter .............  3,641      424,018        1,563   (r)402,276         42.9     

 July .......................  2,220      286,055     
 August .....................    617       53,665     
 September ..................    637       79,629     

 Third Quarter ..............  3,474      419,349        1,234   (r)256,802         35.5     

 October ....................  1,557      256,658     
 November ...................  1,372      162,537     
 December ...................  1,644      193,072     

 Fourth Quarter .............  4,573      612,267        1,736   (r)326,076         38.0     

             1999

 January ....................  2,415      296,404     
 February ...................  1,076      117,223     
 March ......................    850       90,958     

 First Quarter ..............  4,341      504,585     (r)1,509   (r)255,015      (r)34.8

 April ......................  1,250      161,269     
 May ........................  1,033      102,815     
 June(r) ....................  1,140      130,951     

 Second Quarter .............  3,423      395,035     (p)1,430   (p)192,291      (p)41.8

 July .......................  1,742      221,605     


      1  The event realization rate is the percentage of events lasting more than 30 days.                 
      2  Data were reported by all states and the District of Columbia.
      r  = revised.
      p  = preliminary.
Table 2. Industry distribution: Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance,
July 1998 and July 1999
                                                                                             Initial claimants for
                                                                  Mass layoff events         unemployment insurance
                           Industry

                                                                 July           July          July           July
                                                                 1998           1999          1998           1999


      Total(1) ...............................................   2,220          1,742        286,055        221,605     

 Total, private ..............................................   2,072          1,633        270,974        212,194     

   Agriculture ...............................................     164            129         15,363          9,921     
   Nonagriculture ............................................   1,851          1,459        248,152        195,479     
     Manufacturing ...........................................     989            795        149,305        135,767     
       Durable goods .........................................     596            475        103,220         90,053     
         Lumber and wood products ............................      31             25          3,540          2,652     
         Furniture and fixtures ..............................      32             36          5,810          5,546     
         Stone, clay, and glass products .....................      13             16          1,444          3,640     
         Primary metal industries ............................      52             40          7,445          4,986     
         Fabricated metal products ...........................     106             78         11,550         10,872     
         Industrial machinery and equipment ..................      84             80         12,510         17,937     
         Electronic and other electrical equipment ...........      97             49         13,426          6,004     
         Transportation equipment ............................     151            123         44,729         36,323     
         Instruments and related products ....................      17             10          1,421            649     
         Miscellaneous manufacturing industries ..............      13             18          1,345          1,444     

       Nondurable goods ......................................     393            320         46,085         45,714     
         Food and kindred products ...........................     104             78         11,918          7,645     
         Tobacco products ....................................   ( 2 )          ( 2 )          ( 2 )          ( 2 )
         Textile mill products ...............................      54             55          6,872          9,699     
         Apparel and other textile products ..................      99             72         10,286          9,125     
         Paper and allied products ...........................      14              6          1,376            599     
         Printing and publishing .............................       6              9            418          1,084     
         Chemicals and allied products .......................      10             14          1,454          1,911     
         Petroleum and coal products .........................   ( 2 )          ( 2 )          ( 2 )          ( 2 )
         Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products ..........      87             68         11,391         13,645     
         Leather and leather products ........................      17             14          2,234          1,426     

     Nonmanufacturing ........................................     862            664         98,847         59,712     
       Mining ................................................      25              8          1,719          2,150     
       Construction ..........................................      65             75          5,275          6,510     
       Transportation and public utilities ...................     103            103          9,957         10,570     
       Wholesale and retail trade ............................     192            137         21,414         12,441     
          Wholesale trade ....................................      43             38          3,677          3,605     
          Retail trade .......................................     149             99         17,737          8,836     
       Finance, insurance, and real estate ...................      27             34          2,290          2,890     
       Services ..............................................     450            307         58,192         25,151     

   Not identified ............................................      57             45          7,459          6,794     

 Government ..................................................     148            109         15,081          9,411     
   Federal ...................................................      18             23          3,126          2,782     
   State .....................................................      29             17          2,640          1,607     
   Local .....................................................     101             69          9,315          5,022     


      1  Data were reported by all states and the District of Columbia.
      2  Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
 Table 3. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance by census region and
 division, July 1998 and July 1999

                                       Mass layoff events           Initial claimants for
                                                                    unemployment insurance
    Census region and division
                                       July           July           July            July
                                       1998           1999           1998            1999


         United States(1) ........... 2,220          1,742         286,055         221,605       

 Northeast ..........................   352            300          38,011          31,067       

     New England ....................    54             60           5,137           6,103       
     Middle Atlantic ................   298            240          32,874          24,964       

 South ..............................   412            395          50,687          49,985       

     South Atlantic..................   229            200          28,627          27,628       
     East South Central .............    66             59           8,563           7,132       
     West South Central .............   117            136          13,497          15,225       

 Midwest ............................   618            559         103,113         102,174       

     East North Central .............   531            455          88,229          80,771       
     West North Central .............    87            104          14,884          21,403       

 West ...............................   838            488          94,244          38,379       

     Mountain .......................    53             66           6,051           7,734       
     Pacific ........................   785            422          88,193          30,645       


      1  Data were reported by all states and the District of Columbia.
      NOTE:  The States (including the District of Columbia) that comprise the 
 various 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,
July 1998 and July 1999

                                                                Initial claimants for
                                      Mass layoff events        unemployment insurance
                                                                      
                   State
                                      July          July          July          July
                                      1998          1999          1998          1999

    Total(1) ......................   2,220         1,742       286,055       221,605     

 Alabama ..........................       6             9         1,147           788     
 Alaska ...........................   ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )
 Arizona ..........................      15            21         1,559         3,277     
 Arkansas .........................      16            11         1,775         1,442     
 California .......................     736           377        83,722        26,197     
 Colorado .........................       5             6           643           687     
 Connecticut ......................       6             7           423           544
 Delaware .........................   ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )
 District of Columbia .............   ( 2 )             -         ( 2 )             -
 Florida ..........................      55            64         4,411         4,845     
 Georgia ..........................      19            23         1,901         1,845     
 Hawaii ...........................       3             5           209           351     
 Idaho ............................      13            12         1,596         1,660     

 Illinois .........................      58            54        10,363        12,548     
 Indiana ..........................      56            54         7,394         9,492     
 Iowa .............................      19            30         2,788         7,447     
 Kansas ...........................       5            14           747         2,108     
 Kentucky .........................      31            24         4,200         3,118     
 Louisiana ........................      19            18         1,965         1,576     
 Maine ............................      11             7         1,222           749     
 Maryland .........................       5             5           397           396     
 Massachusetts ....................      25            25         2,347         2,496     
 Michigan .........................     202           198        33,520        36,033     
 Minnesota ........................      13            12         1,673         2,507     
 Mississippi ......................      17             8         2,176           761     
 Missouri .........................      46            42         8,784         8,764     

 Montana ..........................       3             3           479           239     
 Nebraska .........................       3         ( 2 )           577         ( 2 )         
 Nevada ...........................       8            17           649         1,389     
 New Hampshire ....................       8             9           704         1,137     
 New Jersey .......................      42            48         3,508         5,776     
 New Mexico .......................       4         ( 2 )           550         ( 2 )         
 New York .........................      91            83        10,393         7,954     
 North Carolina ...................       7             6         1,183         2,035     
 North Dakota .....................   ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )
 Ohio .............................     120            83        24,126        14,028     
 Oklahoma .........................      12            12         1,185         1,151     
 Oregon ...........................      25            22         2,631         2,442     
 Pennsylvania .....................     165           109        18,973        11,234     

 Rhode Island .....................       4            11           441         1,083     
 South Carolina ...................      79            61        11,028        10,770     
 South Dakota .....................      -          ( 2 )             -         ( 2 )         
 Tennessee ........................      12            18         1,040         2,465     
 Texas ............................      70            95         8,572        11,056     
 Utah .............................       5             5           575           381     
 Vermont ..........................      -          ( 2 )             -	        ( 2 )         
 Virginia .........................      60            39         7,429         5,599     
 Washington .......................      20            17         1,564         1,443     
 West Virginia ....................   ( 2 )             -         ( 2 )             -
 Wisconsin ........................      95            66        12,826         8,670     
 Wyoming ..........................       -             -             -             -

 Puerto Rico ......................      17            15         1,516         1,767

     
      1  Data were reported by all states and the District of Columbia.
      2  Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
      NOTE:  Dash represents zero.