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Technical information: (202) 691-6392

Media contact: 691-5902

USDL 04-459

For release: 10:00 A.M. EST

Wednesday, March 24, 2004

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

MASS LAYOFFS IN FEBRUARY 2004

In February 2004, there were 941 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 84,201. (See table 1.) The number of events was the lowest for any

February since 1997, and the number of initial claims was the lowest for any February since 1998. Both the

number of events and initial claims were sharply lower than a year ago, and the over-the-year declines were

the largest for a February since the program began in April 1995.

Industry Distribution

Temporary help services, with 6,953 initial claimants, and motion picture and video production, with

3,967 initial claimants, together accounted for 13 percent of all initial claims in February. (See table A.)

The 10 industries reporting the highest number of mass-layoff initial claims accounted for 27,989 initial

claims in February, 33 percent of the total.

The manufacturing sector had 26 percent of all mass layoff events and 27 percent of all initial claims filed

in February, both being the smallest shares for any February on record. A year ago, manufacturing reported

32 percent of events and 39 percent of initial claims. Within manufacturing, the number of claimants was

highest in food processing (6,517, mainly in fruit and vegetable canning), followed by transportation equipment (2,671) and electrical equipment and appliances (2,109). (See table 2.)

The administrative and waste services sector accounted for 15 percent of events and 13 percent of initial claims filed in February, with layoffs mostly in temporary help services. Eleven percent of all layoff events

and initial claims filed during the month were in retail trade, especially in discount department stores, which

recorded a series peak for February. Construction accounted for an additional 14 percent of events and

10 percent of initial claims during the month, primarily among specialty trade contractors.

Government establishments accounted for 4 percent of events and initial claims filed during the month,

particularly in educational services. Government accounted for its largest share of events and initial claims

for any February on record.

Compared with February 2003, the largest decreases in initial claims were reported in transportation

equipment manufacturing (-7,864), administrative and support services (-4,648), and machinery manufac-
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Table A. Industries with the largest mass-layoff initial claims in February 2004 p

Industry Initial claims

February peak

Year

Initial claims

Temporary help services ...................................... 2001 18,893

Motion picture and video production .................... 2002 5,844

School and employee bus transportation ............... 2,997 2004 2,997

Payroll services ..................................................... 2,675 2000 6,590

Discount department stores ................................... 2,669 2004 2,669

Farm labor contractors and crew leaders .............. 2,313 2000 12,516

Department stores, except discount ....................... 1,814 2001 2,994

Supermarkets and other grocery stores ................. 1,646 2002 1,982

Food service contractors....................................... 1,500 2003 1,700

Professional employer organizations....................... 1,455 2001 3,241

p=preliminary.

3,967

 6,953

turing (-3,404). The largest over-the-year increases in initial claims were reported in motion picture and

sound recording (+1,632) and in general merchandise stores (+1,434).

Geographic Distribution

Among the four regions, the highest number of initial claims in February due to mass layoffs was reported

in the West, 34,453. (See table 3.) Administrative and support services and motion picture and sound recording industries accounted for 24 percent of all initial claims in that region during the month. The Midwest

region was next, with 19,183 initial claims, followed by the South, with 17,770, and the Northeast, with

12,795.

The number of initial claimants in mass layoffs declined over the year in all four of the regions, with the

largest decrease in the South (-15,107). Eight of the nine geographic divisions had over-the-year decreases

in the number of initial claims associated with mass layoffs, with the largest decreases in the Middle Atlantic

(-11,059) and Pacific (-10,543) divisions. The New England division reported the only increase in masslayoff initial claims (+563).

Among the states, California recorded the largest number of initial claims filed in mass layoff events in

February, 29,865, mostly in motion picture and sound recording industries and administrative and support

services. Ohio reported 4,142 initial claims, followed by Illinois (4,108) and Texas (4,062). These four

states accounted for 54 percent of all layoff events and 50 percent of all initial claims for unemployment

insurance. (See table 4.)

California reported the largest over-the-year decrease in the number of initial claims (-8,869), followed

by Pennsylvania (-8,383) and Texas (-6,272). The largest over-the-year increase occurred in Tennessee

(+927).

Note

The monthly data series in this release cover mass layoffs of 50 or more workers beginning in a given

month, regardless of the duration of the 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
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mass layoffs”). The quarterly release provides more information on the industry classification and location of

the establishment and on the demographics of the laid-off workers. Because monthly figures include shortterm layoffs of 30 days or less, the sum of the figures for the 3 months in a quarter will be higher than the

quarterly figure for mass layoffs of more than 30 days. (See table 1.) See the Technical Note for more detailed definitions.

______________________________

The report on Mass Layoffs in March 2004 is scheduled to be released on Thursday, April 22, 2004.

NOTE: Due to budget constraints in the Mass Layoff Statistics (MLS) program, beginning with data for the first quarter of 2004, the scope of quarterly extended mass layoffs and

plant closings, regularly reported in the release, Extended Mass Layoffs in (Quarter), has

been redefined to cover only the private nonfarm economy. Quarterly information on layoff

events in agriculture and government will no longer be collected. However, the monthly

reporting of the MLS program in the release, Mass Layoffs in (Month), which is based only

on administrative data, will be unaffected and will continue to cover the total economy.
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: 202-691-5200;

TDD message referral phone number: 1-800-877-8339.

Definitions

Initial claimant. A person who files any notice of unemployment to initiate a request either for a determination of entitlement to and eligibility for compensation, or for a subsequent

period of unemployment within a benefit year or period of

eligibility.

Mass layoff event. Fifty or more initial claims for unemployment

insurance benefits filed against an establishment during a 5-week

period, regardless of duration.
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Table 1. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance, January 2002 to February 2004

Date

Total mass layoffs

Private nonfarm

Mass layoffs Extended mass layoffs 

lasting more than 30 days Realization rates1

Events Initial

claimants Events Initial

claimants Events Initial

claimants Events Initial

claimants

2002

January .............................................. 2,146 263,777 2,028 252,245 

February ............................................ 1,382 138,808 1,253 129,849 

March ................................................. 1,460 161,316 1,335 151,305 

First Quarter ...................................... 4,988 563,901 4,616 533,399 1,611 292,998 34.9 54.9 

April ................................................... 1,506 165,814 1,378 153,216 

May .................................................... 1,723 179,799 1,571 166,801 

June ................................................... 1,584 162,189 1,266 136,424 

Second Quarter ................................. 4,813 507,802 4,215 456,441 1,624 299,598 38.5 65.6 

July .................................................... 2,042 245,294 1,819 226,892 

August ............................................... 1,248 128,103 1,151 119,874 

September ......................................... 1,062 124,522 957 114,736 

Third Quarter ..................................... 4,352 497,919 3,927 461,502 1,186 254,955 30.2 55.2 

October .............................................. 1,497 171,100 1,270 149,327 

November .......................................... 2,153 240,171 1,860 216,237 

December .......................................... 2,474 264,158 2,324 252,807 

Fourth Quarter ................................... 6,124 675,429 5,454 618,371 1,916 370,592 35.1 59.9 

2003

January .............................................. 2,315 225,430 2,130 210,918 

February ............................................ 1,363 124,965 1,222 116,264 

March ................................................. 1,207 113,026 1,099 104,468 

First Quarter ...................................... 4,885 463,421 4,451 431,650 1,502 297,524 33.7 68.9 

April ................................................... 1,581 161,412 1,470 152,937 

May .................................................... 1,703 174,204 1,538 160,729 

June ................................................... 1,691 157,552 1,336 127,743 

Second Quarter ................................. 4,975 493,168 4,344 441,409 1,799 346,549 41.4 78.5 

July .................................................... 2,087 226,435 1,815 206,901 

August ............................................... 1,258 133,839 1,163 124,131 

September ......................................... 868 82,647 756 73,914 

Third Quarter ..................................... 4,213 442,921 3,734 404,946 1,190 225,609 31.9 55.7 

October .............................................. 1,523 158,240 1,265 137,706 

November .......................................... 1,438 138,543 1,234 123,524 

December .......................................... 1,929 192,633 1,793 182,750 

Fourth Quarter ................................... 4,890 489,416 4,292 443,980 2,p 1,592 2,p 229,014 37.1 51.6 

2004

January p ............................................ 2,428 239,454 2,226 220,687 

February p

 ......................................... 941 84,201 832 76,577 

 1 The event realization rate is the percentage of all private nonfarm data on these layoffs become available. Experience suggests that the

mass layoff events lasting more than 30 days. The initial claimant realization number of extended mass layoff events is generally revised upwards

rate is the percentage of all private nonfarm mass layoff initial claimants by less than 10 percent and the number of initial claimants associated

associated with layoffs lasting more than 30 days. with such events increases by 25-40 percent. 2

 These quarterly numbers are provisional and will be revised as more p = preliminary.
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Table 2. Industry distribution: Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance

Industry

Mass layoff events Initial claimants for

unemployment insurance

February December January February February December January February

2003 2003 2004p 2004p 2003 2003 2004p 2004p

 Total1 .................................................................... 1,363 1,929 2,428 941 124,965 192,633 239,454 84,201 

Total, private ............................................................... 1,322 1,846 2,339 905 121,890 185,928 228,578 81,093 

 Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting ................ 100 53 113 73 5,626 3,178 7,891 4,516 

 Total, private nonfarm.............................................. 1,222 1,793 2,226 832 116,264 182,750 220,687 76,577 

 Mining .................................................................... 8 21 17 4 788 1,937 1,329 505 

 Utilities ................................................................... ( 2 ) 3 3 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 160 345 ( 2 )

 Construction ........................................................... 195 335 324 131 13,399 25,684 23,405 8,586 

 Manufacturing.......................................................... 435 648 848 240 48,161 77,915 89,551 23,043 

 Food ................................................................... 59 89 108 62 5,475 9,285 11,083 6,517 

 Beverage and tobacco products ......................... 9 5 9 6 458 781 834 557 

 Textile mills ......................................................... 16 31 48 4 1,958 4,299 6,376 310 

 Textile product mills ............................................ 7 14 19 7 571 2,102 1,933 560 

 Apparel ............................................................... 20 32 44 5 1,525 3,232 5,836 389 

 Leather and allied products ................................ ( 2 ) 7 11 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 842 1,195 ( 2 )

 Wood products ................................................... 29 55 46 18 2,351 5,000 5,651 1,438 

 Paper ................................................................. 15 12 20 4 1,436 934 1,847 391 

 Printing and related support activities ................ 13 7 24 10 793 627 2,147 828 

 Petroleum and coal products .............................. ( 2 ) 10 5 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 863 362 ( 2 )

 Chemicals ........................................................... 9 9 23 4 1,185 735 2,384 324 

 Plastics and rubber products ............................. 16 40 50 10 1,136 3,579 4,821 917 

 Nonmetallic mineral products ............................. 18 49 42 5 1,652 4,079 3,813 312 

 Primary metals ................................................... 17 33 44 9 1,678 3,421 4,579 913 

 Fabricated metal products ................................. 34 39 72 18 2,622 4,045 6,960 1,720 

 Machinery .......................................................... 22 24 39 12 4,207 3,629 3,017 803 

 Computer and electronic products ..................... 41 19 44 12 3,690 1,408 3,561 815 

 Electrical equipment and appliances ................. 19 20 23 11 3,159 4,726 2,263 2,109 

 Transportation equipment .................................. 53 122 114 23 10,535 21,061 15,107 2,671 

 Furniture and related products ........................... 24 14 36 9 2,702 1,607 3,541 679 

 Miscellaneous manufacturing ............................ 9 17 27 8 613 1,660 2,241 553 

 Wholesale trade ..................................................... 19 27 27 13 1,321 2,443 2,391 956 

 Retail trade ............................................................. 110 98 188 102 10,015 9,203 22,145 9,383 

 Transportation and warehousing ........................... 34 131 128 35 4,650 15,528 14,038 4,658 

 Information ............................................................. 61 40 67 19 5,689 3,839 9,394 4,716 

 Finance and insurance ........................................... 24 27 41 25 1,778 1,764 3,547 1,562 

 Real estate and rental and leasing ........................ 10 4 15 ( 2 ) 795 562 1,202 ( 2 )

 Professional and technical services ....................... 33 57 47 30 4,224 6,095 4,288 4,247 

 Management of companies and enterprises .......... 5 3 3 6 431 296 895 587 

 Administrative and waste services ......................... 177 200 285 139 15,942 17,256 27,855 11,065 

 Educational services............................................... ( 2 ) 6 8 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 327 553 ( 2 )

 Health care and social assistance ......................... 22 27 35 16 1,619 2,075 2,991 954 

 Arts, entertainment, and recreation ........................ 15 20 41 11 1,447 1,795 3,149 677 

 Accommodation and food services ........................ 52 131 113 46 4,746 14,701 9,614 4,455 

 Other services, except public administration.......... 11 12 26 8 629 955 2,992 629 

 Unclassified ........................................................... 6 3 10 2 361 215 1,003 191 

Government ................................................................ 41 83 89 36 3,075 6,705 10,876 3,108 

 Federal ................................................................... 7 13 26 6 421 1,419 2,725 504 

 State ....................................................................... 14 10 13 13 1,054 830 1,405 1,121 

 Local ...................................................................... 20 60 50 17 1,600 4,456 6,746 1,483 

 1

 Data were reported by all states and the District of Columbia. p = preliminary.

 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

Census region and division

Mass layoff events Initial claimants for

unemployment insurance

February December January February February December January February

2003 2003 2004p 2004p 2003 2003 2004p 2004p

 United States1 ..................................................... 1,363 1,929 2,428 941 124,965 192,633 239,454 84,201 

Northeast .................................................................... 225 350 498 117 23,291 34,437 50,650 12,795 

 New England .......................................................... 26 66 64 26 2,758 6,904 5,689 3,321 

 Middle Atlantic ........................................................ 199 284 434 91 20,533 27,533 44,961 9,474 

South .......................................................................... 307 335 501 191 32,877 32,467 53,115 17,770 

 South Atlantic ......................................................... 142 192 244 87 15,410 17,903 25,490 8,799 

 East South Central ................................................. 45 59 153 32 5,249 6,510 17,176 3,602 

 West South Central ................................................ 120 84 104 72 12,218 8,054 10,449 5,369 

Midwest ...................................................................... 235 780 688 211 23,244 87,806 68,404 19,183 

 East North Central .................................................. 181 596 574 172 16,279 64,802 58,674 15,385 

 West North Central ................................................. 54 184 114 39 6,965 23,004 9,730 3,798 

West ........................................................................... 596 464 741 422 45,553 37,923 67,285 34,453 

 Mountain ................................................................. 28 63 63 28 2,880 7,025 6,292 2,323 

 Pacific ..................................................................... 568 401 678 394 42,673 30,898 60,993 32,130 

 1

 See footnote 1, table 2. Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia; East South Central: p

 = preliminary. Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee; West South Central: Arkansas, NOTE: The States (including the District of Columbia) that comprise Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas; East North Central: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, 

the census divisions are: New England: Connecticut, Maine, Ohio, and Wisconsin; West North Central: Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, 

Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont; Middle Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota; Mountain: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, 

Atlantic: New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania; South Atlantic: Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming; and Pacific: Alaska, 

Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington.

 
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Table 4. State distribution: Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance

State Mass layoff events Initial claimants for

unemployment insurance

February December January February February December January February

2003 2003 2004p 2004p 2003 2003 2004p 2004p

 Total1 ....................................................................... 1,363 1,929 2,428 941 124,965 192,633 239,454 84,201 

Alabama ..................................................................... 9 27 112 ( 2

 ) 1,547 3,728 13,754 ( 2 ) 

Alaska ......................................................................... ( 2 ) 3 6 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 213 429 ( 2 )

Arizona ....................................................................... 7 8 7 3 537 551 645 214 

Arkansas .................................................................... 4 6 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 288 656 ( 2 ) ( 2 )

California .................................................................... 524 346 576 365 38,734 25,953 51,395 29,865 

Colorado .................................................................... 6 11 11 5 535 1,107 1,043 523 

Connecticut ................................................................ 3 13 7 5 190 1,166 669 351 

Delaware .................................................................... ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 )

District of Columbia .................................................... – 4 ( 2 ) – – 287 ( 2 ) –

Florida ........................................................................ 59 63 60 46 4,459 4,826 4,044 3,480 

Georgia ....................................................................... 23 31 92 17 3,627 3,354 10,525 2,448 

Hawaii ......................................................................... 3 6 4 ( 2 ) 186 506 296 ( 2 )

Idaho .......................................................................... 4 12 16 ( 2 ) 996 1,647 1,125 ( 2 )

Illinois ......................................................................... 44 123 88 47 4,956 15,006 9,610 4,108 

Indiana ........................................................................ 28 108 58 24 2,267 15,330 5,499 2,195 

Iowa ........................................................................... 15 46 29 7 1,191 5,305 2,267 698 

Kansas ....................................................................... 5 29 14 6 2,056 3,518 954 517 

Kentucky ..................................................................... 14 9 10 10 2,174 995 1,030 950 

Louisiana .................................................................... 16 15 14 13 1,043 991 908 757 

Maine .......................................................................... ( 2 ) 5 14 5 ( 2 ) 424 1,463 347 

Maryland ..................................................................... 6 15 19 ( 2 ) 562 1,119 2,009 ( 2 )

Massachusetts ........................................................... 18 24 30 5 1,620 2,568 2,375 352 

Michigan ..................................................................... 21 135 171 23 1,719 12,275 16,615 2,150 

Minnesota .................................................................. 8 51 30 6 614 6,342 2,688 460 

Mississippi .................................................................. 10 8 6 ( 2 ) 732 450 384 ( 2 )

Missouri ...................................................................... 15 45 26 16 1,922 6,180 2,422 1,479 

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

 ) 7 4 3 ( 2 ) 918 270 336 

Nebraska .................................................................... 6 10 11 3 830 1,411 984 548 

Nevada ....................................................................... 8 20 14 9 659 2,351 2,225 594 

New Hampshire ......................................................... – ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 3 – ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 480 

New Jersey ................................................................. 31 76 73 25 3,772 6,895 7,191 2,749 

New Mexico ............................................................... ( 2 ) 3 6 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 278 328 ( 2 )

New York ................................................................... 42 88 194 26 5,265 9,448 24,376 3,612 

North Carolina ............................................................ 17 23 18 10 1,385 1,857 1,829 912 

North Dakota .............................................................. 3 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) – 229 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) –

Ohio ........................................................................... 46 117 141 46 4,097 10,693 15,169 4,142 

Oklahoma ................................................................... 7 12 13 5 553 1,278 1,517 413 

Oregon ....................................................................... 24 26 70 13 2,036 2,498 6,681 986 

Pennsylvania .............................................................. 126 120 167 40 11,496 11,190 13,394 3,113 

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

 ) 12 5 7 ( 2 ) 1,775 332 1,716 

South Carolina ............................................................ 20 17 26 3 2,159 2,713 3,563 325 

South Dakota .............................................................. ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 )

Tennessee .................................................................. 12 15 25 19 796 1,337 2,008 1,723 

Texas .......................................................................... 93 51 74 52 10,334 5,129 7,571 4,062 

Utah ........................................................................... – ( 2 ) 5 4 – ( 2 ) 656 295 

Vermont ..................................................................... ( 2 ) 10 5 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 794 573 ( 2 )

Virginia ....................................................................... 13 34 24 8 1,263 3,372 3,061 574 

Washington ................................................................ 15 20 22 13 1,511 1,728 2,192 1,023 

West Virginia .............................................................. ( 2 ) 3 ( 2 ) – ( 2 ) 176 ( 2 ) –

Wisconsin ................................................................... 42 113 116 32 3,240 11,498 11,781 2,790 

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

Puerto Rico ................................................................. 10 6 5 9 1,336 486 511 891 

 1 See footnote 1, table 2. p = preliminary.

2

 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards. NOTE: Dash represents zero.