Internet address: http://stats.bls.gov/newsrels.htm
Technical information:  (202) 691-6392  USDL 00-158
                                     
                                        For release: 10:00 A.M. EDT
Media contact:                691-5902  Thursday, June 1, 2000
                                     
                                     
            EXTENDED MASS LAYOFFS IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2000


   In the first quarter of 2000, there were 1,268 mass layoff actions by
employers that resulted in the separation of 232,874 workers from their
jobs for more than 30 days, according to preliminary figures released by
the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics.  Both the number
of layoff events and the number of separations were sharply lower than in
January-March 1999, with separations at their lowest level in two years.
(See table A.)  With this release, the mass layoff statistics program has
reported statistics for five years.
   
   The completion of seasonal work was the major reason cited for layoffs
in the first quarter and accounted for 41 percent of all events and 39
percent of all separations.  Layoffs due to internal company restructuring
resulted in 63,048 separations.  Permanent closure of worksites occurred in
13 percent of all events and affected 40,449 workers, down from a year
earlier (50,633).
   
   The quarterly series on extended mass layoffs covers layoffs of at
least 31-days duration that involve 50 or more individuals from a single
establishment filing initial claims for unemployment insurance during a
consecutive 5-week period.  Data for the first quarter are preliminary and
subject to revision.  This release also includes revised data for previous
quarters.  Data are not seasonally adjusted, but survey data suggest that
there is a seasonal pattern to layoffs.  Thus, comparisons between
consecutive quarters should not be used as an indicator of trend.
Additional information about the program is provided in the technical note
that follows the analysis.
   
Industry Distribution of Extended Layoffs
   
   In the private sector during January-March 2000, agriculture accounted
for 17 percent of all layoff events and separations.  The layoff activity
occurred in agricultural services, primarily farm labor contractors, and
was almost entirely due to the end of seasonal work.  (See table 1.)
   
   Thirty-six percent of all layoff events and thirty-five percent of
separations occurred in manufacturing industries.  Layoffs from durable
goods industries were most prevalent in transportation equipment (motor
vehicle parts and accessories and motor vehicles and car bodies).  Among
nondurable goods manufacturers, layoffs were most numerous in food and
kindred products (primarily in canned fruits and vegetables).

                                  - 2 -

Table A.  Selected measures of mass layoff activity
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Period          | Layoff events | Separations | Initial claimants
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
         1995           |               |             |
April-June .............|     1,724     |   400,891   |      332,731
July-September..........|       950     |   193,956   |      154,226
October-December........|     1,764     |   348,036   |      312,428
         1996           |               |             |
January-March...........|     1,408     |   272,399   |      224,393
April-June..............|     1,352     |   261,628   |      200,032
July-September..........|     1,021     |   233,199   |      185,247
October-December........|     1,916     |   417,044   |      348,073
         1997           |               |             |
January-March...........|     1,317     |   255,227   |      224,180
April-June..............|     1,587     |   351,198   |      292,673
July-September..........|     1,082     |   217,869   |      209,019
October-December........|     1,697     |   321,821   |      316,035
         1998           |               |             |
January-March...........|     1,320     |   208,082   |      247,315
April-June..............|     1,563     |   391,461   |      402,276
July-September..........|     1,234     |   248,054   |      256,803
October-December(r).....|     1,734     |   379,976   |      325,990
         1999           |               |             |
January-March(r)........|     1,509     |   277,780   |      252,122
April-June(r)...........|     1,444     |   294,968   |      242,351
July-September(r).......|     1,097     |   241,725   |      189,732
October-December(r).....|     1,625     |   334,676   |      286,538
         2000           |               |             |
January-March(p)........|     1,268     |   232,874   |      175,233
---------------------------------------------------------------------
   p=preliminary.                         r=revised.

   Construction accounted for 15 percent of events and 9 percent of
separations, primarily in heavy construction, excluding building.  Cutbacks
in services accounted for 12 percent of all layoff events and separations,
mainly in business services (mainly help supply) and health services
(mostly in general medical and surgical hospitals).  Retail trade accounted
for 8 percent of all layoff events and 11 percent of all separations,
largely in miscellaneous retail (catalog and mail-order houses) and general
merchandise stores (department stores).
   
   Layoffs in government establishments accounted for 2 percent of all
events and 3 percent of separations.
   
Reasons for Extended Layoff
   
   Thirty-nine percent of the separations and 41 percent of the events in
the first quarter were due to seasonal work.  These layoffs were most
numerous among workers in agricultural services (such as farm labor
contractors and crop preparation services) and agricultural production
crops (mostly in grapes and in vegetables and melons).  Layoffs due to
internal company restructuring (bankruptcy, business ownership change,
financial difficulty, and reorganization) comprised 20 percent of layoff
events and 27 percent of all separations.  More than half of these
separations were attributed to company reorganizations.  (See table 2.)

                                  - 3 -
     
Table B.  Distribution of layoff events by size of layoff,
January-March 2000p
---------------------------------------------------------------
                    |    Layoff events    |      Separations
     Size           |---------------------|--------------------
                    |  Number |  Percent  |  Number  |  Percent
---------------------------------------------------------------
  Total.............|  1,268  |   100.0   | 232,874  |   100.0
                    |         |           |          |
50-99...............|    556  |    43.9   |  39,130  |    16.8
100-149.............|    278  |    21.9   |  32,287  |    13.9
150-199.............|    122  |     9.6   |  20,343  |     8.7
200-299.............|    146  |    11.5   |  33,520  |    14.4
300-499.............|     92  |     7.3   |  33,606  |    14.4
500-999.............|     46  |     3.6   |  28,354  |    12.2
1,000 or more.......|     28  |     2.2   |  45,634  |    19.6
---------------------------------------------------------------
     p=preliminary.

Size of Extended Layoff

   Layoff events during the first quarter continued to be concentrated at
the lower end of the layoff-size spectrum, with 66 percent involving fewer
than 150 workers.  These events, however, accounted for only 31 percent of
all separations.  (See table B.)  Separations involving 500 or more workers
accounted for 32 percent of all separations, about unchanged from a year
earlier.  The average size of layoffs (as measured by separations per
layoff event) differed widely by industry, ranging from an average of 76
separations in local and interurban passenger transit to 1,006 in
depository institutions.

Initial Claimant Characteristics

   A total of 175,233 initial claimants for unemployment insurance were
associated with mass layoffs in the first quarter of 2000.  Of these
claimants, 13 percent were black, 39 percent were women, 27 percent were
Hispanic, and 12 percent were 55 years of age or older.  (See table 3.)
Over 2 out of 5 claimants were 30 to 44 years of age.  Among the civilian
labor force, 12 percent were black, 47 percent were women, 11 percent were
Hispanic, and 13 percent were 55 years of age or older.  Thirty-nine
percent of the civilian labor force were ages 30 to 44.

Geographic Distribution

   In the first quarter, the number of separations due to extended mass
layoff events was higher in the West (77,212) than in any of the other
regions.  (See table 4.) Contributing to extended mass layoffs in the West
were agricultural services and agricultural production crops.  The lowest
number of worker separations was reported in the Northeast region (33,299).
     
   All four regions reported over-the-year decreases in separations, with
the largest decline occurring in the West (-30,646), primarily in motion
pictures and depository institutions.  Within the West region, lower levels
of separations this year were reported mainly by employers in the Pacific
division, with sharply fewer layoffs in motion pictures, agricultural
services, and depository institutions.  Separations rose in the East South
Central (+2,206) and West South Central (+2,093) divisions.
   
   Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, the largest number of
worker separations occurred in California (61,235), followed by Texas
(22,835), Illinois (19,084), and Pennsylvania (13,593).  These four states
accounted for 47 percent of total layoff events and 50 percent of all
separations during the first quarter of 2000.  (See table 5.)  After
excluding the substantial impact of seasonal work, California still
reported the most laid-off workers (22,233).

                                  - 4 -
   
   Over the year, the largest decreases in laid-off workers occurred in
California (-29,651) and New Jersey (-6,315).  The largest increase
occurred in Texas (+6,106), primarily in depository institutions.


Table C.  Summary of employer expectations of a recall from layoff,
first quarter 1999-first quarter 2000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       |               Percentage of events
                       |------------------------------------------------
  Nature of the recall |    I   |   II    |   III   |   IV     |    I
                       |  1999  |  1999r  |  1999r  |  1999r   |  2000p
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anticipate a recall....|  57.3  |   60.2  |   50.5  |   68.6   |   58.9
                       |        |         |         |          |
      Timeframe        |        |         |         |          |
                       |        |         |         |          |
Within 6 months........|  84.1  |   84.2  |   82.7  |   81.9   |   79.0
  Within 3 months......|  47.3  |   51.1  |   56.7  |   30.2   |   40.7
                       |        |         |         |          |
         Size          |        |         |         |          |
                       |        |         |         |          |
At least half..........|  89.5  |   91.5  |   88.6  |   88.8   |   87.8
  All workers..........|  53.0  |   60.3  |   39.7  |   42.7   |   41.5
------------------------------------------------------------------------
            p=preliminary.                      r=revised.

Recall Expectations

   Fifty-nine percent of employers reporting a layoff in the first quarter
of 2000 indicated they anticipated some type of recall, about the same as a
year earlier.  (See table C.)  Among establishments expecting a recall,
most employers expected to recall over one-half of the separated employees
and to do so within 6 months.
   
   Excluding layoff events due to seasonal work and vacation period (in
which 90 percent of the employers expected a recall), employers expected to
recall laid-off workers in 37 percent of the events, unchanged from first
quarter 1999.  In layoff events due to internal company restructuring,
employers anticipated a recall in only 12 percent of the events.
Technical Note
  
  The  Mass  Layoff  Statistics (MLS) program is  a  federal-state  program
which  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.  Establishments  which  have  at
least  50  initial  claims filed against them during a  consecutive  5-week
period  are  contacted  by  the state agency  to  determine  whether  these
separations  are of at least 31 days duration, and, if so,  information  is
obtained on the total number of persons separated and the reasons for these
separations.    Establishments  are  identified   according   to   industry
classification  and  location,  and unemployment  insurance  claimants  are
identified by such demographic factors as age, race, sex, ethnic group, and
place  of  residence.  The program yields information  on  an  individual's
entire  spell  of  unemployment,  to the point  when  regular  unemployment
insurance benefits are exhausted.

  The  MLS  program  was resumed in April 1995; it had been  terminated  in
November  1992 due to lack of funding.  However, due to changes in concepts
and  definitions,  data  from the resumed program  are  not  comparable  to
earlier data.

  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

  Establishment.   A  unit  at   a  single   physical  location   at  which
predominantly one type of economic activity is conducted.

  Extended layoff event.  Fifty  or  more  initial  claims for unemployment
insurance  benefits from an establishment during a 5-week period,  with  at
least 50 workers separated for more than 30 days.

  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.

  Layoff. The separation of persons  from  an  employer  as part of a  mass
layoff  event.  (See below.) Such layoffs involve both persons  subject  to
recall and those who are terminated by the establishment.

                                  - 2 -

  Mass layoff.  Fifty or more  initial  claims for  unemployment  insurance
benefits  from  an establishment beginning in a given month, regardless  of
duration.

  Worksite  closure.  The  full  closure  of  either multi-unit or  single-
unit  establishments  or the partial closure of a multi-unit  establishment
where  entire  worksites affected by layoffs are closed or  planned  to  be
closed.


Table 1. Industry distribution: Extended mass layoff events, separations, and initial claimants for unemployment
insurance, selected quarters, 1999 and 2000

                                                             Layoff events            Separations           Initial claimants for
                                                                                                           unemployment insurance
                         Industry
                                                            I      IV      I         I      IV       I        I       IV        I
                                                          1999r  1999r   2000p     1999r   1999r   2000p    1999r    1999r    2000p    

         Total( 1 ).....................................  1,509  1,625   1,268   277,780 334,676 232,874  252,122  286,538  175,233     

 Total, private ........................................  1,483  1,580   1,239   273,073 318,431 225,581  247,065  275,830  171,674     

   Agriculture  ........................................    222    397     207    41,715  81,410  38,844   34,022   56,771   27,013     
   Nonagriculture ......................................  1,251  1,177   1,022   230,212 235,867 185,565  211,768  217,837  143,299     
      Manufacturing  ...................................    502    457     441    87,137  92,249  78,213   78,440   91,264   68,281     
         Durable goods  ................................    280    227     228    52,961  38,568  40,696   42,100   45,442   36,688     
            Lumber and wood products ...................     27     26      18     3,833   2,758   3,015    2,782    2,514    2,118     
            Furniture and fixtures .....................     13      7      15     1,932     940   1,964    1,861    1,413    1,474     
            Stone, clay, and glass products ............     33     25      18     4,078   4,059   2,241    3,256    4,174    1,575     
            Primary metal industries ...................     24     16      12     6,633   2,924   2,565    4,830    3,243    2,053     
            Fabricated metal products ..................     27     25      24     3,497   3,474   2,994    3,430    3,793    2,606     
            Industrial machinery and equipment .........     52     42      32     7,824   8,910   4,483    7,848    9,390    3,767     
            Electronic and other electrical equipment ..     41     26      34     5,185   4,277   5,128    6,059    5,829    4,857     
            Transportation equipment ...................     37     40      47    13,659   8,359  13,626    8,531   11,709   15,387     
            Instruments and related products ...........     16      6      13     4,416     718   2,957    2,211      872    1,456     
            Miscellaneous manufacturing industries .....     10     14      15     1,904   2,149   1,723    1,292    2,505    1,395     

         Nondurable goods  .............................    222    230     213    34,176  53,681  37,517   36,340   45,822   31,593     
            Food and kindred products ..................     91    105      88    12,844  30,419  16,604   14,594   23,817   14,764     
            Tobacco products ...........................      8      -       7     2,845       -   2,135    2,011        -    1,427     
            Textile mill products ......................     16     19       9     2,099   5,063   3,850    3,906    4,296    1,371     
            Apparel and other textile products .........     41     43      52     6,124   7,564   7,507    6,805    8,134    7,598     
            Paper and allied products ..................     14      8      14     1,932     988   1,477    2,082      826    1,599     
            Printing and publishing ....................     17      8      11     2,323   1,519   1,623    2,498    1,524    1,246     
            Chemicals and allied products ..............     12      9       9     1,396   1,282   1,351    1,412    1,443    1,038     
            Petroleum and coal products ................      3     15       4       392   2,547     546      329    2,409      514     
            Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products .     14     15      15     3,616   2,794   1,481    2,007    2,036    1,326     
            Leather and leather products ...............      6      8       4       605   1,505     943      696    1,337      710     

      Nonmanufacturing  ................................    749    720     581   143,075 143,618 107,352  133,328  126,573   75,018     
         Mining  .......................................     35     18      15     4,539   3,002   1,509    5,666    2,628    1,506     
         Construction ..................................    273    314     184    32,149  50,066  21,429   34,607   49,710   20,536     
         Transportation and public utilities ...........     41     49      60     8,059   7,678  10,478    6,915    9,092    7,201     
         Wholesale and retail trade ....................    159    114     143    48,924  32,690  31,366   30,989   22,820   21,024     
            Wholesale trade  ...........................     45     37      45     5,912   7,172   6,776    4,778    5,486    4,765     
            Retail trade  ..............................    114     77      98    43,012  25,518  24,590   26,211   17,334   16,259     
         Finance, insurance, and real estate ...........     32     26      31    10,675   4,406  15,066    5,557    4,538    3,343     
         Services ......................................    209    199     148    38,729  45,776  27,504   49,594   37,785   21,408     

   Not identified  .....................................     10      6      10     1,146   1,154   1,172    1,275    1,222    1,362     

 Government ............................................     26     45      29     4,707  16,245   7,293    5,057   10,708    3,559     
         Federal .......................................     11      8      11     1,995   2,219   4,901    2,321    2,657    1,600     
         State .........................................      7     19       3     1,513   8,965     285    1,476    3,883      285     
         Local .........................................      8     18      15     1,199   5,061   2,107    1,260    4,168    1,674     


   1 For the first quarter of 2000, data on layoffs were reported by employers in all states and the District of Columbia.
   p = preliminary.
   r = revised.                                                                                              
   NOTE:  Dash represents zero.

                                                                                                       
Table 2. Reason for separation: Extended mass layoff events, separations, and initial claimants for unemployment 
insurance, selected quarters, 1999 and 2000

 

                                         Layoff events               Separations           Initial claimants for                                                                           
                                                                                          unemployment insurance
           Reason for separation                                                           
                                       I      IV       I         I       IV        I        I        IV        I
                                     1999r   1999r   2000p     1999r    1999r    2000p    1999r     1999r    2000p     


    Total, all reasons( 1 )........  1,509   1,625   1,268   277,780  334,676  232,874   252,122  286,538  175,233      

 Automation .......................  ( 2 )   ( 2 )       4     ( 2 )    ( 2 )      727     ( 2 )    ( 2 )      532      
 Bankruptcy .......................     26      26      32    22,853    7,177   10,221    10,368    3,202    3,451      
 Business ownership change ........     53      34      25    16,325    9,752    3,731     9,233    5,490    2,206      
 Contract cancellation ............     27      18      15     4,388    2,535    2,461     2,927    2,708    1,831      
 Contract completed ...............    172     155     128    31,192   30,663   20,484    42,587   32,543   18,955      
 Domestic relocation ..............     16       8      12     2,009    1,929    1,572     1,553    1,360    1,352      
 Energy-related ...................     22       -       -     2,769        -        -     4,355        -        -
 Environment-related ..............      3       6       4       510    1,306      749       651    1,120      558      
 Financial difficulty .............     50      41      71    13,074   10,105   12,706     9,839    5,948   10,435      
 Import competition ...............     24      26       6     5,585    7,081    2,918     4,386    4,905      653      
 Labor dispute ....................     10       8       6     3,446    2,615    1,013     1,459    1,757      682      
 Material shortage ................  ( 2 )       -   ( 2 )     ( 2 )        -    ( 2 )     ( 2 )        -    ( 2 )

 Model changeover .................  ( 2 )   ( 2 )   ( 2 )     ( 2 )    ( 2 )    ( 2 )     ( 2 )    ( 2 )    ( 2 )
 Overseas relocation ..............      6       9       9       789    1,479    2,144       805    1,188    1,233      
 Plant or machine repair ..........      6       3       -       526      376        -       604      374        -
 Product line discontinued ........     10       6       7     1,371    1,556    1,090     2,077    1,984    1,078      
 Reorganization within company ....    131      98     123    26,048   18,270   36,390    24,620   18,562   23,345      
 Seasonal work ....................    516     948     514    93,135  196,643   91,850    75,002  157,977   66,071      
 Slack work .......................    211     118     161    25,925   17,706   19,693    34,786   24,788   19,956      
 Vacation period ..................      5       6       8       614      921    2,530       394    1,444    2,965      
 Weather-related ..................     76      20      43     7,590    3,195    3,990     7,881    2,786    4,376      
 Other ............................     59      40      39     7,832   11,206    8,168     8,599    8,255    5,986      
 Not reported .....................     81      52      56    10,750    9,696    9,012     9,302    9,671    8,956      


    1 See footnote 1, table 1.                                                         
    2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.                       
    p = preliminary.
    r = revised.
    NOTE:  Dash represents zero.
Table 3. State and selected claimant characteristics: Extended mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment
insurance, fourth quarter 1999 and first quarter 2000
               
                                                                                        Percent of total
                                               Total
                          Layoff events       initial                          Hispanic                            
                                             claimants           Black          origin            Women         Persons age 55
                                                                                                                   and over 
          State
                           IV       I        IV        I     IV        I       IV       I      IV       I       IV        I
                          1999r   2000p     1999r    2000p  1999r    2000p    1999r   2000p   1999r   2000p    1999r    2000p 

     Total( 1 ) ........  1,625   1,268   286,538  175,233    9.9     12.9     30.8    26.7    35.9    39.3     12.8     12.3     

 Alabama ...............     15      16     2,071    1,875   28.2     39.1       .2      .5    43.7    42.9     17.2     11.2     
 Alaska ................      7   ( 2 )       942    ( 2 )    2.1       .8     14.2       -    26.8     9.3     14.8     12.7     
 Arizona ...............      8      15     1,036    1,943    1.9      2.8     38.6    59.9    34.8    34.4     14.3     20.1     
 Arkansas ..............     10       3     1,424      184   16.9     44.0      1.9     1.1    51.5    67.4     11.0      5.4     
 California ............    525     341    85,181   45,783    2.8      3.4     71.0    68.1    39.0    40.3     10.6     10.8     
 Colorado ..............     18       9     1,867    1,147    4.7      6.1     33.4    24.4    30.0    46.3     12.4     10.1     
 Connecticut ...........      5       8       629    1,071   12.4     19.6      5.4     8.2    27.7    38.3     16.2     13.6     
 Delaware ..............  ( 2 )       -     ( 2 )        -   18.2        -      2.3       -    39.8       -     19.3        -
 District of Columbia ..  ( 2 )   ( 2 )     ( 2 )    ( 2 )   81.9     84.7      5.9       -    25.4    52.2      9.4     12.7     
 Florida ...............     28      19     3,487    2,473   17.4     27.8     19.5    28.1    52.5    36.2     27.5     25.7     
 Georgia ...............     12       8     1,680      612   54.1     59.6      1.1     1.3    53.9    61.8     10.4     17.3     
 Hawaii ................      7       9     1,199      826     .8       .2       .5     1.9    19.1    31.6     18.8     22.5     
 Idaho .................     11      11     1,176    1,032     .3       .2     33.6    19.3    26.8    34.7     12.0     10.6     

 Illinois ..............    148      90    26,019   10,098   18.8     26.5     16.5    13.1    27.6    42.2     12.1     10.3     
 Indiana ...............     27      23     4,533    2,397    7.6      8.9      4.5     3.3    19.5    34.4     14.7     12.0     
 Iowa ..................     32      27     6,690    3,381    1.6       .6      5.3     1.3    23.0    40.2     11.7     10.8     
 Kansas ................      8       3     1,319      241   10.5     10.8     11.4     4.6    20.8    49.0     14.6      5.8     
 Kentucky ..............      6      16       676    1,405    3.7     12.0        -      .4    71.7    51.0     15.1      9.8     
 Louisiana .............      7      20       990    2,037   50.7     37.3      1.2     2.5    25.3    24.6     12.4      9.3     
 Maine .................     12       4     1,607    1,167     .3       .3       .1      .2    15.6    54.7     11.6     15.6     
 Maryland ..............      4       4       359      537   37.0     52.1        -      .4    16.2    18.2     39.8     23.6     
 Massachusetts .........     35      33     6,054    4,397    7.4      4.5     11.0     6.3    51.9    40.5     21.4     16.4     
 Michigan ..............     90      64    18,957   10,062   16.0     17.6      9.4     2.8    34.9    32.8     11.5      8.9     
 Minnesota .............     73      20    10,792    2,577    1.1     12.7      5.6      .7    24.4    24.1     13.2     11.4     
 Mississippi ...........     10       9       961    1,645   66.5     41.9       .7     1.4    58.9    35.7      5.5      8.1     
 Missouri ..............     15       9     2,591      853   11.1     14.7      2.1      .6    59.9    65.9     15.2     20.8     

 Montana ...............      4   ( 2 )       510    ( 2 )     .6      1.8      1.4     3.5     5.7     5.3     14.3     14.0     
 Nebraska ..............      -       4         -      424      -     17.9        -     6.4       -    65.1        -      9.9     
 Nevada ................     10      10     1,246      926    8.1      4.0     20.9    18.4    26.8    25.1     17.8     13.3     
 New Hampshire .........      -   ( 2 )         -    ( 2 )      -        -        -      .5       -     9.2        -     17.5     
 New Jersey ............     31      32     5,504    3,326   17.3     19.6     26.5    20.8    47.7    46.7     19.7     17.5     
 New Mexico ............  ( 2 )       6     ( 2 )      441    2.6      2.0     79.9    63.5    31.2    27.2     20.1      9.3     
 New York ..............     41      45     5,766    5,396   13.0      8.7      9.4    12.2    47.2    44.1     19.6     11.4     
 North Carolina ........     22      23     3,318    2,713   37.3     66.1       .8     2.5    51.1    60.2     11.5     15.6     
 North Dakota ..........  ( 2 )   ( 2 )     ( 2 )    ( 2 )     .2      1.5      1.5     4.8    13.5    37.0      5.5      5.9     
 Ohio ..................     80      83    13,274    9,763    9.8     14.1      4.3     1.6    25.7    30.6     11.6     10.4     
 Oklahoma ..............  ( 2 )       6     ( 2 )      805   17.6     13.4      2.7     2.5    47.9    37.9     24.9     19.9     
 Oregon ................     15      17     1,966    2,289    1.6      1.5     24.9    27.3    40.0    55.6     14.5     17.0     
 Pennsylvania ..........     66      79    20,148   14,387    6.9      6.5      1.8     1.5    46.0    29.2     17.1     13.2     

 Rhode Island ..........  ( 2 )       3     ( 2 )      594    3.9      4.4     16.9     3.2    72.1    85.5     29.2     19.5     
 South Carolina ........      6       6       870      689   65.3     52.2        -     1.6    57.0    78.7      4.7      5.1     
 South Dakota ..........      -       -         -        -      -        -        -       -       -       -        -        -
 Tennessee .............      5      30       893    3,798   16.6     19.3       .1      .5    42.8    66.2      8.6     22.2     
 Texas .................     87      80    22,025   15,165   16.9     17.1     43.3    46.4    33.4    37.6     10.2     12.1     
 Utah ..................     11       5     1,492      375    1.1      1.3     13.3    15.2    18.0    21.1      6.4      9.3     
 Vermont ...............      3       -       431        -     .2        -       .2       -    29.9       -     24.8        -
 Virginia ..............     15      21     2,876    2,812   40.6     48.4       .8      .7    64.7    53.4     14.8     12.4     
 Washington ............     29      18     5,992    6,882    2.6      2.3     35.3     7.4    33.7    24.1     12.2     10.5     
 West Virginia .........  ( 2 )   ( 2 )     ( 2 )    ( 2 )    2.5        -        -       -    25.7    33.3     15.6        -
 Wisconsin .............     76      31    15,874    5,846    4.7     13.1      8.3     6.7    25.1    49.6     12.6     13.0     
 Wyoming ...............      -       -         -        -      -        -        -       -       -       -        -        -

 Puerto Rico ...........     14      16     1,830    1,542  ( 3 )    ( 3 )    ( 3 )   ( 3 )    67.9    40.7      6.0      6.5     


     1 See footnote 1, table 1.                                                       
     2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
     3 Data are not available.
     p = preliminary.
     r = revised.
     NOTE:  Dash represents zero.
                           
Table 4. Census region and division: Extended mass layoff events, separations, and initial claimants for unemployment
insurance, selected quarters, 1999 and 2000


                                                                                                    Initial claimants for
                                      Layoff events                  Separations	              unemployment insurance
 Census region and division
                                  I       IV        I              I        IV         I              I        IV         I
                                1999r    1999r    2000p          1999r     1999r     2000p          1999r     1999r     2000p     


       United States( 1 ).....  1,509    1,625    1,268        277,780   334,676   232,874        252,122   286,538   175,233     

 Northeast ..................     199      194      206         44,745    31,116    33,299         43,787    40,293    30,544     

     New England ............      53       56       50         16,890    12,024    11,317          9,142     8,875     7,435     
     Middle Atlantic ........     146      138      156         27,855    19,092    21,982         34,645    31,418    23,109     

 South ......................     313      234      263         55,735    45,891    54,997         55,312    42,738    36,958     

     South Atlantic .........     139       92       83         24,535    21,909    19,498         21,206    13,437    10,044     
     East South Central .....      36       36       71          7,549     5,226     9,755          4,895     4,601     8,723     
     West South Central .....     138      106      109         23,651    18,756    25,744         29,211    24,700    18,191     

 Midwest ....................     480      550      356         69,442   111,373    67,366         61,319   100,522    45,912     

     East North Central .....     411      421      291         57,947    85,860    55,225         52,929    78,657    38,166     
     West North Central .....      69      129       65         11,495    25,513    12,141          8,390    21,865     7,746     

 West .......................     517      647      443        107,858   146,296    77,212         91,704   102,985    61,819     

     Mountain ...............      51       64       57          6,806    11,368     8,141          7,114     7,705     5,921     
     Pacific ................     466      583      386        101,052   134,928    69,071         84,590    95,280    55,898     

      1 See footnote 1, table 1.
      p = preliminary.
      r = revised.
      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 5. State distribution: Extended mass layoff events, separations, and initial claimants for unemployment insurance,
selected quarters, 1999 and 2000                    

                                                                                                 
                                Layoff events                Separations               Initial claimants for 
                                                                                       unemployment insurance
           State
                              I      IV       I          I        IV         I          I        IV         I
                            1999r   1999r   2000p      1999r     1999r     2000p      1999r     1999r     2000p 

     Total( 1 )...........  1,509   1,625   1,268    277,780   334,676   232,874    252,122   286,538   175,233     

 Alabama .................     15      15      16      4,161     1,821     1,865      2,738     2,071     1,875     
 Alaska ..................      4       7   ( 2 )        334     5,183     ( 2 )        331       942     ( 2 )
 Arizona .................      9       8      15      1,574       627     2,850      2,197     1,036     1,943     
 Arkansas ................      5      10       3      1,167     1,467       310        887     1,424       184     
 California ..............    415     525     341     90,886   121,277    61,235     77,524    85,181    45,783     
 Colorado ................      -      18       9          -     2,952     1,500          -     1,867     1,147     
 Connecticut .............      8       5       8      6,858     1,369     1,381      1,557       629     1,071     
 Delaware ................      -   ( 2 )       -          -     ( 2 )         -          -     ( 2 )         -
 District of Columbia ....  ( 2 )   ( 2 )   ( 2 )      ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )      ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )
 Florida .................     43      28      19      6,763     6,553     5,136      6,388     3,487     2,473     
 Georgia .................     10      12       8      1,615     1,737       977      1,095     1,680       612     
 Hawaii ..................     19       7       9      1,737       932       897      1,941     1,199       826     
 Idaho ...................     12      11      11      1,065     1,538     1,330      1,082     1,176     1,032     

 Illinois ................    118     148      90     20,409    35,610    19,084     17,107    26,019    10,098     
 Indiana .................     15      27      23      2,232     5,334     3,626      1,777     4,533     2,397     
 Iowa ....................      7      32      27        642     6,690     3,381        515     6,690     3,381     
 Kansas ..................      8       8       3      3,933     1,271       246      2,192     1,319       241     
 Kentucky ................     14       6      16      2,278     1,435     2,120      1,237       676     1,405     
 Louisiana ...............     18       7      20      3,586     1,137     1,794      3,654       990     2,037     
 Maine ...................      9      12       4      2,017     3,412     1,769      1,758     1,607     1,167     
 Maryland ................     13       4       4      1,722       380       881      1,317       359       537     
 Massachusetts ...........     31      35      33      7,491     6,658     6,506      5,369     6,054     4,397     
 Michigan ................    140      90      64     14,082    12,994    10,157     15,627    18,957    10,062     
 Minnesota ...............     21      73      20      2,908    13,211     6,078      2,754    10,792     2,577     
 Mississippi .............      4      10       9        767     1,305     3,704        577       961     1,645     
 Missouri ................     32      15       9      3,712     3,868     1,742      2,780     2,591       853     

 Montana .................  ( 2 )       4   ( 2 )      ( 2 )       461     ( 2 )      ( 2 )       510     ( 2 )
 Nebraska ................      -       -       4          -         -       424          -         -       424     
 Nevada ..................     15      10      10      2,198     1,911     1,098      1,942     1,246       926     
 New Hampshire ...........      3       -   ( 2 )        300         -     ( 2 )        297         -     ( 2 )
 New Jersey ..............     24      31      32      9,427     3,832     3,112      5,720     5,504     3,326     
 New Mexico ..............     10   ( 2 )       6      1,233     ( 2 )       538      1,197     ( 2 )       441     
 New York ................     35      41      45      6,687     6,201     5,277      6,659     5,766     5,396     
 North Carolina ..........     29      22      23      5,909     4,409     4,717      4,813     3,318     2,713     
 North Dakota ............  ( 2 )   ( 2 )   ( 2 )      ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )      ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )
 Ohio ....................     98      80      83     12,551    16,692    11,748     11,663    13,274     9,763     
 Oklahoma ................      7   ( 2 )       6      2,169     ( 2 )       805      2,154     ( 2 )       805     
 Oregon ..................     18      15      17      2,955     2,184     2,289      2,776     1,966     2,289     
 Pennsylvania ............     87      66      79     11,741     9,059    13,593     22,266    20,148    14,387     

 Rhode Island ............  ( 2 )   ( 2 )       3      ( 2 )     ( 2 )     1,376      ( 2 )     ( 2 )       594     
 South Carolina ..........     14       6       6      1,692       669       561      2,837       870       689     
 South Dakota ............      -       -       -          -         -         -          -         -         -
 Tennessee ...............      3       5      30        343       665     2,066        343       893     3,798     
 Texas ...................    108      87      80     16,729    15,891    22,835     22,516    22,025    15,165     
 Utah ....................  ( 2 )      11       5      ( 2 )     2,712       760      ( 2 )     1,492       375     
 Vermont .................      -       3       -          -       431         -          -       431         -
 Virginia ................     26      15      21      5,989     7,225     6,920      4,356     2,876     2,812     
 Washington ..............     10      29      18      5,140     5,352     4,532      2,018     5,992     6,882     
 West Virginia ...........  ( 2 )   ( 2 )   ( 2 )      ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )      ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )
 Wisconsin ...............     40      76      31      8,673    15,230    10,610      6,755    15,874     5,846     
 Wyoming .................  ( 2 )       -       -      ( 2 )         -         -      ( 2 )         -         -

 Puerto Rico .............     19      14      16      2,829     1,344     2,780      3,492     1,830     1,542     


    1 See footnote 1, table 1.                                 
    2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
    r = revised.
    p = preliminary.
    NOTE:  Dash represents zero.