Internet address:  http://stats.bls.gov/newsrels.htm
Technical information:  (202) 691-6392    USDL 00-49

                                          For release: 10:00 A.M. EST
Media contact:                691-5902    Wednesday, February 23, 2000

                                     
                       MASS LAYOFFS IN DECEMBER 1999

   In December 1999, there were 1,509 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 162,381.  Both
the number of layoff events and the number of initial claimants for
unemployment insurance were lower than in December 1998.  The total of
layoff events for 1999, at 14,909, and the total number of initial claimants,
at 1,572,399, were lower than in 1998 (15,904 and 1,771,069, respectively).
(See table 1.)  Additional information on the annual data is provided in the
Review of 1999 section on page 2 of this release.
   
   The monthly data series in this release cover mass layoffs of 50 or
more workers beginning in a given month, regardless of the duration of the
layoffs.  Information on the length of the layoff is obtained later and
issued in a quarterly release that reports on mass layoffs lasting more
than 30 days (referred to as "extended mass layoffs") and 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.
   
Industry Distribution
   
   In December 1999, manufacturing industries accounted for 29 percent
of all mass layoff events and 36 percent of all initial claims filed.
Manufacturing industries that had the highest numbers of initial claimants
were food and kindred products (8,105), primarily in candy and other
confectionery products and in canned and frozen fruits and vegetables; and
transportation equipment (7,642), mostly in motor vehicle parts and
accessories.  (See table 2.)
   
   Services accounted for 19 percent of all mass layoff events and 17 percent
of initial claimants during the month, largely in business services
(especially help supply services).  Layoffs in help supply services are
more likely than those in most other industries to last less than 30 days.
Construction accounted for 18 percent of all layoffs and 14 percent of
initial claimants during the month, mainly in heavy construction.  Retail
trade accounted for 11 percent of all layoff events and 10 percent of
initial claims during the month, mostly in eating and drinking places.
   
   Compared with December 1998, the largest decreases in initial claims
occurred in motion pictures (-14,170).  The largest over-the-year increases
in initial claims occurred in transportation equipment (+2,422) and special
trade contractors (+2,273).

                                  - 2 -

Geographic Distribution
   
   In December, the number of initial claims due to mass layoffs was higher
in the Midwest (67,805) than in any other region.  (See table 3.)  Layoffs
in heavy construction, transportation equipment, special trade contractors,
and electronic and other electrical equipment accounted for 35 percent of
the claims in the Midwest.  The fewest number of mass-layoff initial claims
continued to be reported in the Northeast region (21,597).
   
   Over-the-year decreases in mass layoff-related initial claims were
reported in the West, South, and Northeast, with the largest decrease in
the West (-31,099).  Among the divisions, lower levels of initial claims
over the year were reported mainly in the Pacific division, with sharply
lower numbers of layoffs in motion pictures.  Seven of the nine divisions
reported over-the-year declines; increases occurred in the East North
Central and Mountain divisions.
   
   Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia reporting data for
December, California had the largest number of initial claims filed in mass
layoff events (33,517), primarily in business services and agricultural
services, followed by Michigan (17,255), Illinois (12,107), and Pennsylvania
(11,186).  These four states accounted for 48 percent of all layoff events
and 46 percent of all initial claims for unemployment insurance.
(See table 4.)
   
   From December 1998 to December 1999, California reported the largest
over-the-year decrease in initial claims (-28,161), mostly in motion
pictures.  Michigan had the largest over-the-year increase in initial
claims (+14,278).
   
Review of 1999

   In all of 1999, there were 14,909 layoff events and 1,572,399 initial
claimants for unemployment insurance in the 50 states and the District of
Columbia.  After increasing in 1997 and 1998, both the number of layoff
events and initial claimants returned to around 1997 levels.  (See table A.)
   
   In 1999, manufacturing accounted for 33 percent of all mass layoff
events and 40 percent of initial claims filed, essentially the same as in
1998 (35 percent and 42 percent, respectively).  Initial claims filings
were most numerous in transportation equipment (98,746) and industrial
machinery and equipment (87,363).  Compared with 1998, the largest decrease
in initial claims occurred in transportation equipment (-77,087).  The       
largest over-the-year increase in initial claims occurred in industrial
machinery and equipment (+31,048).                                  

   In 1999, the number of initial claims due to mass layoffs continued to
be higher in the West (576,654) than in any other region.  Layoffs in
business services, agricultural services, and motion pictures accounted for
41 percent of the claims in the West.  The fewest number of mass-layoff
initial claims continued to be reported in the Northeast region (207,057).
Over-the-year decreases in mass layoff-related initial claims were reported
in all four regions, with the largest decrease in the West (-78,607),
particularly in the Pacific division, and the smallest in the Midwest
(-30,281).  Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, California had
the largest number of initial claims filed in mass layoff events (469,814),
which reflected an over-the-year decline of -86,264.  Illinois had the
largest over-the-year increase in initial claims (+12,562), followed by
Iowa (+11,312).

                                  - 3 -

         Table A.  Number of mass layoff events and initial
         claimants for unemployment insurance, 1996-1999
         ---------------------------------------------------
           Year |  Layoff events |   Initial claimants for
                |                |  unemployment insurance
         -------|----------------|--------------------------
           1996 |     14,111     |        1,437,628
           1997 |     14,960     |        1,542,543
           1998 |     15,904     |        1,771,069
           1999 |     14,909     |        1,572,399
         ---------------------------------------------------

   

   

   

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, October 1997 to December 1999

  
                                                                       Extended mass layoffs 
                                                                     lasting more than 30 days
               Date                                                                                       
                                        Total mass layoffs                                   Event
                                                                                          realization
                                                                                            rate(1)
                                                   Initial                    Initial          
                                      Events      claimants      Events      claimants
 
                1997

 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       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       256,805          35.5     

 October ..........................    1,553       160,830    
 November(r).......................    1,368       144,343    
 December(r).......................    1,776       207,661    

 Fourth Quarter ................... (r)4,697    (r)512,834        1,736       326,109       (r)37.0

                1999
 January(r)........................    2,421       226,995    
 February(r).......................    1,067        89,800    
 March(r)..........................      880        91,890    

 First Quarter .................... (r)4,368    (r)408,685        1,509       251,332       (r)34.5

 April(r) .........................    1,270       136,885    
 May(r)............................    1,032       102,738    
 June .............................    1,140       130,951    

 Second Quarter ................... (r)3,442    (r)370,574        1,445       241,828       (r)42.0

 July .............................    1,741       221,334    
 August ...........................      698        75,691    
 September ........................      717        75,288    

 Third Quarter ....................    3,156       372,313     (p)1,072    (p)153,142       (p)34.0

 October ..........................    1,098       118,938    
 November .........................    1,336       139,508    
 December .........................    1,509       162,381    


    1  The event realization rate is the percentage of total mass layoff events lasting more than 30 days.                 
    p  = preliminary.
    r  = revised.

Table 2. Industry distribution: Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance,
December 1998 and December 1999
                                           		                        Initial claimants for
                                                         Mass layoff events         unemployment insurance
                           Industry

                                                        December      December     December      December
                                                         1998(r)        1999        1998(r)        1999

      Total(1) .......................................   1,776         1,509       207,661       162,381     

 Total, private ......................................   1,671         1,458       196,793       157,932     

   Agriculture .......................................     126           120         8,665         8,730     
   Nonagriculture ....................................   1,505         1,314       184,322       146,160     
     Manufacturing ...................................     610           444        80,459        59,141     
       Durable goods .................................     321           237        47,873        35,086     
         Lumber and wood products ....................      41            37         4,892         3,170     
         Furniture and fixtures ......................      14             9         2,425         1,076     
         Stone, clay, and glass products .............      28            32         3,535         3,817     
         Primary metal industries ....................      27            15         3,554         2,183     
         Fabricated metal products ...................      24            16         3,237         1,290     
         Industrial machinery and equipment ..........      51            34         9,629         6,581     
         Electronic and other electrical equipment ...      55            24         9,555         6,477     
         Transportation equipment ....................      37            44         5,220         7,642     
         Instruments and related products ............      17             8         1,805           759     
         Miscellaneous manufacturing industries ......      27            18         4,021         2,091     

       Nondurable goods ..............................     289           207        32,586        24,055     
         Food and kindred products ...................      83            70         9,515         8,105     
         Tobacco products ............................       4             3           355           367     
         Textile mill products .......................      48            18         7,056         2,741     
         Apparel and other textile products ..........      68            42         6,608         4,193     
         Paper and allied products ...................      15             5         1,719           422     
         Printing and publishing .....................      12             8         1,273           672     
         Chemicals and allied products ...............       4             4           323           227     
         Petroleum and coal products .................      11            12         1,174         1,208     
         Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products ..      32            36         2,319         4,145     
         Leather and leather products ................      12             9         2,244         1,975     

     Nonmanufacturing ................................     895           870       103,863        87,019     
       Mining ........................................      27            19         2,242         2,231     
       Construction ..................................     265           269        21,013        23,467     
       Transportation and public utilities ...........      90            77        12,610        11,644     
       Wholesale and retail trade ....................     185           200        21,557        20,806     
          Wholesale trade ............................      35            35         3,819         4,503     
          Retail trade ...............................     150           165        17,738        16,303     
       Finance, insurance, and real estate ...........      22            24         1,497         1,804     
       Services ......................................     306           281        44,944        27,067     

   Not identified ....................................      40            24         3,806         3,042     

 Government ..........................................     105            51        10,868         4,449     
   Federal ...........................................      14             5         1,162           688     
   State .............................................      35            18         5,375         1,761     
   Local .............................................      56            28         4,331         2,000     



      1  Data were reported by all states and the District of Columbia.
      r = revised.
Table 3. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance by census region and
division, December 1998 and December 1999

                                          Mass layoff events             Initial claimants for
                                    	             		    unemployment insurance
        Census region and division
                                        December       December       December        December
                                         1998(r)         1999          1998(r)          1999


         United States(1) .............. 1,776          1,509         207,661         162,381       

 Northeast .............................   253            197          25,355          21,597       

     New England .......................    45             41           5,365           4,598       
     Middle Atlantic ...................   208            156          19,990          16,999       

 South .................................   344            245          38,942          26,449       

     South Atlantic ....................   167            119          18,882          12,019       
     East South Central ................    49             36           4,908           3,652       
     West South Central ................   128             90          15,152          10,778       

 Midwest ...............................   463            531          65,735          67,805       

     East North Central ................   318            385          44,478          47,465       
     West North Central ................   145            146          21,257          20,340       

 West ..................................   716            536          77,629          46,530       

     Mountain ..........................    64             70           6,153           6,733       
     Pacific ...........................   652            466          71,476          39,797       

      1 See footnote 1, table 2.
      r = revised.
      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,
December 1998 and December 1999

                                                               Initial claimants for
                                      Mass layoff events       unemployment insurance
                                                                      
               State
                                     December      December    December      December
                                      1998(r)        1999       1998(r)        1999

    Total(1) ......................   1,776         1,509       207,661       162,381     

 Alabama ..........................       6             7           424           768     
 Alaska ...........................       5         ( 2 )           340         ( 2 )
 Arizona ..........................       3             4           450           279     
 Arkansas .........................      12            17         1,493         2,187     
 California .......................     568           410        61,678        33,517     
 Colorado .........................      14            10         1,244           943     
 Connecticut ......................       -         ( 2 )             -         ( 2 )
 Delaware .........................       -         ( 2 )             -         ( 2 )
 District of Columbia .............   ( 2 )             5         ( 2 )           590     
 Florida ..........................      46            34         3,083         2,504     
 Georgia ..........................      10            18           809         1,378     
 Hawaii ...........................       6             3           740           342     
 Idaho ............................      17            13         1,710         1,202     

 Illinois .........................     104            98        15,226        12,107     
 Indiana ..........................      47            37         7,985         7,911     
 Iowa .............................      38            37         4,471         4,931     
 Kansas ...........................       8            10           743         1,023     
 Kentucky .........................      23            10         2,103           936     
 Louisiana ........................      21            12         1,553           801     
 Maine ............................      14             7         1,112           494     
 Maryland .........................       4             5           302           507     
 Massachusetts ....................      25            20         3,409         2,169     
 Michigan .........................      30           132         2,977        17,255     
 Minnesota ........................      36            41         4,697         5,209     
 Mississippi ......................       6         ( 2 )           522         ( 2 )
 Missouri .........................      57            55        10,428         8,654     

 Montana ..........................       -         ( 2 )             -         ( 2 )
 Nebraska .........................       4         ( 2 )           448         ( 2 )
 Nevada ...........................      22            31         1,956         3,267     
 New Hampshire ....................   ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )
 New Jersey .......................      41            33         4,658         3,063     
 New Mexico .......................   ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )
 New York .........................      32            33         2,888         2,750     
 North Carolina ...................       9            14           705         1,466     
 North Dakota .....................   ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )
 Ohio .............................      69            57         5,813         4,852     
 Oklahoma .........................      14            10         1,232         1,736     
 Oregon ...........................      37            33         4,089         4,052     
 Pennsylvania .....................     135            90        12,444        11,186     

 Rhode Island .....................       4             9           661         1,413     
 South Carolina ...................      62            20         9,154         1,944     
 South Dakota .....................       -             -             -             -
 Tennessee ........................      14            17         1,859         1,691     
 Texas ............................      81            51        10,874         6,054     
 Utah .............................       7             8           708           745     
 Vermont ..........................   ( 2 )             3         ( 2 )           223     
 Virginia .........................      34            22         4,714         3,585     
 Washington .......................      36            18         4,629         1,674     
 West Virginia ....................   ( 2 )             -         ( 2 )             -
 Wisconsin ........................      68            61        12,477         5,340     
 Wyoming ..........................       -             -             -             -

 Puerto Rico ......................       5            11           622         1,132 


      1  See footnote 1, table 2.
      2  Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
      r = revised.  
      NOTE:  Dash represents zero.