Internet address: http://stats.bls.gov/newsrels.htm
Technical information:  (202) 691-6392     USDL 00-343
                                     
                                           For release: 10:00 A.M. EST
Media contact:                691-5902     Wednesday, November 22, 2000
                                     
                                     
            EXTENDED MASS LAYOFFS IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF 2000


   In the third quarter of 2000, there were 975 mass layoff actions by
employers that resulted in the separation of 209,903 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 total
number of layoff events and the number of separations were lower than in
July-September 1999, with events and separations at their lowest level for
any third quarter period since 1995.  (See table A.)
   
   The completion of seasonal work was the major reason cited for layoffs
in the third quarter and accounted for 31 percent of all events and
34 percent of all separations.  Layoffs due to internal company restructuring
accounted for 21 percent of events and resulted in 47,548 separations.
Permanent closure of worksites occurred in 16 percent of all events and
affected 34,454 workers, the second lowest level on record and down sharply
from a year earlier (50,890).
   
   The quarterly series on extended mass layoffs cover 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 third 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 July-September 2000, agriculture accounted
for 14 percent of all layoff events and 17 percent of all separations.  The
layoff activity occurred in agricultural services (primarily in farm labor
contracting) and agricultural crop production (mainly in vegetables and
melons and in grapes) and was almost entirely due to the end of seasonal
work.  (See table 1.)
   
   Forty percent of all layoff events and separations occurred in
manufacturing industries.  Layoffs from durable goods industries were most
prevalent in transportation equipment (mostly in motor vehicles and car
bodies and in motor vehicle parts and accessories) and in industrial
machinery and equipment (primarily in refrigeration and heating equipment).
Among nondurable goods establishments, layoffs were most numerous in food
and kindred products (primarily in canned and frozen fruits and vegetables)
and in apparel.

                                  - 2 -     
     
Table A.  Selected measures of mass layoff activity
---------------------------------------------------------------------
        Period       |Layoff events| Separations | Initial claimants
---------------------|-------------|-------------|-------------------
        1995         |             |             |
April-June(r)........|    1,724    |   400,980   |      332,731
July-September(r)....|      950    |   194,149   |      154,226
October-December(r)..|    1,764    |   348,741   |      312,428
        1996         |             |             |
January-March(r).....|    1,408    |   272,480   |      224,393
April-June...........|    1,352    |   261,628   |      200,032
July-September.......|    1,021    |   233,199   |      185,247
October-December(r)..|    1,916    |   417,048   |      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.....|    1,734    |   379,976   |      325,990
        1999         |             |             |
January-March........|    1,509    |   277,780   |      252,122
April-June...........|    1,444    |   294,968   |      242,464
July-September(r)....|    1,097    |   241,725   |      189,973
October-December(r)..|    1,625    |   334,794   |      287,421
        2000         |             |             |
January-March(r).....|    1,331    |   254,812   |      220,019
April-June(r)........|    1,272    |   257,345   |      228,867
July-September(p)....|      975    |   209,903   |      142,269
--------------------------------------------------------------------
     p=preliminary.                       r=revised.

   Services accounted for about 20 percent of private-sector layoff events
and 21 percent of separations, primarily in business services (largely help
supply services) and in engineering and management services.  Transportation
and public utilities accounted for 8 percent of all layoff events and
6 percent of all separations.  These layoffs were largely in local and
interurban transit and were most prevalent among school bus companies.
   
   Layoffs in government establishments accounted for 5 percent of all
events and 6 percent of all separations, primarily in educational services
and in amusement and recreation services.  (The data in this release do not
include temporary federal census workers who completed their assignments.)
   
Reasons for Extended Layoff
   
   Thirty-one percent of the events and 34 percent of the separations in
the third quarter were due to the completion of seasonal work.  These
layoffs were most numerous among workers in food production (agriculture
and food and kindred products).  Layoffs due to internal company restruc-
turing (bankruptcy, business ownership change, financial difficulty,
and reorganization) accounted for 21 percent of layoff events and
23 percent of separations, largely due to job cutbacks in business
services and in furniture and home furnishings stores.  (See table 2.)
   
                                  - 3 -

Table B.  Distribution of layoff events by size of layoff, July-
September 2000p
--------------------------------------------------------------------
               |      Layoff events      |       Separations
      Size     |-------------------------|--------------------------
               |   Number   |   Percent  |   Number   |   Percent
---------------|------------|------------|------------|-------------
  Total........|     975    |    100.0   |   209,903  |    100.0
               |            |            |            |
50-99..........|     353    |     36.2   |    25,594  |     12.2
100-149........|     224    |     23.0   |    26,440  |     12.6
150-199........|     112    |     11.5   |    18,580  |      8.9
200-299........|     115    |     11.8   |    26,835  |     12.8
300-499........|     100    |     10.3   |    35,875  |     17.1
500-999........|      42    |      4.3   |    27,538  |     13.1
1,000 or more..|      29    |      3.0   |    49,041  |     23.4
--------------------------------------------------------------------
     p=preliminary.


Size of Extended Layoff

   Layoff events during the third quarter continued to be concentrated at
the lower end of the layoff-size spectrum, with 59 percent involving fewer
than 150 workers.  These events, however, accounted for only 25 percent of
all separations.  (See table B.)  Separations involving 500 or more workers
accounted for 36 percent of all separations, down slightly from a year
earlier (41 percent).  Seasonal layoffs in food production contributed to
the higher percentage of laid-off workers in the larger size categories.
The average size of layoffs (as measured by separations per layoff event)
differed widely by industry, ranging from an average of 103 separations in
auto repair, auto services, and parking companies to 550 in government
establishments engaged in finance, taxation, and monetary policy.
   
Initial Claimant Characteristics
   
   A total of 142,269 initial claimants for unemployment insurance were
associated with mass layoffs in the third quarter of 2000.  Of these
claimants, 16 percent were black, 42 percent were women, 20 percent were
Hispanic, and 14 percent were 55 years of age or older.  (See table 3.)
Forty percent of claimants were 30 to 44 years of age.  Among the civilian
labor force for the same period, 12 percent were black, 46 percent were
women, 11 percent were Hispanic, and 13 percent were 55 years of age or
older.  Thirty-eight percent of the civilian labor force were ages 30 to 44.
   
Geographic Distribution
   
   In the third quarter, the number of separations due to extended mass
layoff events was higher in the West (78,787) than in the other regions.
(See table 4.)  Contributing to extended mass layoffs in the West were
agricultural services, crop production, and food and kindred products.
The lowest number of worker separations was reported in the Northeast
region (36,611).
   
   The Northeast reported the largest over-the-year decrease in separations
(-20,116), with fewer layoffs reported in executive, legislative, and
general government, general merchandise stores, and local and interurban
transit.  Six of the nine geographic divisions experienced over-the-year
decreases in laid-off workers, with the largest declines occurring in the
Middle Atlantic (largely in general merchandise stores) and Mountain
divisions.  Separations rose in the South Atlantic (+4,668) and East South
Central (+4,313) divisions.
   
   Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, the largest number of
worker separations occurred in California (60,542), followed by Illinois
(21,303), Florida (15,388), Massachusetts (11,364), Texas (10,506), and New
York (10,446).  These six states accounted for 54 percent of total layoff
events and 62 percent of all separations during the third quarter of 2000.
(See table 5.)  After excluding the substantial impact of seasonal work,
California still reported the most laid-off workers (23,064), largely due
to layoffs in business services.
   
   Over the year, the largest decreases in laid-off workers occurred in
New York (-12,967) and Arizona (-11,834).  The largest increase occurred
in Florida (+8,533).
   
                                  - 4 -

Table C.  Summary of employer expectations of a recall from layoff,
third quarter 1999-third quarter 2000
----------------------------------------------------------------------
                        |             Percentage of events
  Nature of the recall  |---------------------------------------------
                        |   III  |   IV   |    I   |   II   |   III
                        |  1999  |  1999  |  2000  |  2000r |  2000p
------------------------|--------|--------|--------|--------|---------
Anticipate a recall.....|  50.5  |  68.6  |  58.0  |  60.6  |  51.7
                        |        |        |        |        |
      Timeframe         |        |        |        |        |
                        |        |        |        |        |
Within 6 months.........|  82.7  |  81.9  |  79.1  |  88.7  |  82.7        
  Within 3 months.......|  56.7  |  30.2  |  40.8  |  56.3  |  52.4        
                        |        |        |        |        |
           Size         |        |        |        |        |
                        |        |        |        |        |
At least half...........| 88.6   |  88.8  |  88.1  |  92.3  |  88.1
  All workers...........| 39.7   |  42.7  |  41.1  |  52.8  |  53.8
----------------------------------------------------------------------
    p=preliminary.                             r=revised.



Recall Expectations

     Fifty-two percent of employers reporting a layoff in the third quarter
of 2000 indicated they anticipated some type of recall, slightly higher
than 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 95 percent of the employers expected a recall), employers expected
to recall laid-off workers in 31 percent of the events, somewhat higher than
during the same period a year ago (28 percent).  In layoff events due to
internal company restructuring, employers anticipated a recall in only
6 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
   
                                                            III   II     III    III      II       III       III      II       III
                                                           1999r 2000r  2000p  1999r    2000r    2000p     1999r    2000r    2000p     


         Total( 1 ) ...................................... 1,097 1,272   975  241,725  257,345  209,903   189,973  228,867  142,269     

 Total, private .......................................... 1,040 1,211   926  222,277  238,301  198,239   178,002  210,587  136,239     

   Agriculture  ..........................................   137   146   129   37,321   32,615   34,604    21,347   24,706   10,964     
   Nonagriculture ........................................   897 1,057   790  184,366  204,480  162,450   156,100  184,894  123,819     
      Manufacturing  .....................................   408   339   375   92,383   59,916   80,230    75,794   58,204   63,480     
         Durable goods  ..................................   214   179   215   46,163   33,702   47,421    37,812   29,503   43,435     
            Lumber and wood products .....................    12    14    16    1,218    2,476    1,782     1,313    1,820    1,584     
            Furniture and fixtures .......................     9     7     6    1,157    1,010      990     1,125      693      485     
            Stone, clay, and glass products ..............     7     7     5      868      901      667     1,600      886      384     
            Primary metal industries .....................    22    16    18    3,831    2,140    4,903     4,379    1,855    4,078     
            Fabricated metal products ....................    27    25    29    4,618    4,197    4,817     4,324    3,801    4,509     
            Industrial machinery and equipment ...........    41    33    39    7,652    8,134   10,064     7,737    5,037    7,995     
            Electronic and other electrical equipment ....    28    19    21   14,527    3,101    4,442     4,694    2,790    3,466     
            Transportation equipment .....................    52    44    63   10,093    9,770   17,552    10,931   10,710   18,998     
            Instruments and related products .............     8     5    10    1,370      571    1,190     1,094      579    1,051     
            Miscellaneous manufacturing industries .......     8     9     8      829    1,402    1,014       615    1,332      885     

         Nondurable goods  ...............................   194   160   160   46,220   26,214   32,809    37,982   28,701   20,045     
            Food and kindred products ....................    65    60    53   21,107   10,155   14,553    11,246   10,963    6,961     
            Tobacco products ............................. ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 )    ( 2 )    ( 2 )    ( 2 )     ( 2 )    ( 2 )    ( 2 )
            Textile mill products ........................    18     7    12    4,088    1,370    2,423     5,585    3,668    2,064     
            Apparel and other textile products ...........    52    40    36   10,136    5,593    5,999    11,151    6,004    4,576     
            Paper and allied products ....................    11    13    13    2,141    2,036    2,625     1,666    1,277    1,426     
            Printing and publishing ......................     5    14 ( 2 )    1,304    2,156    ( 2 )       899    1,922    ( 2 )
            Chemicals and allied products ................    11     5    10    1,995      509    2,120     1,687      744    1,427     
            Petroleum and coal products .................. ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 )    ( 2 )    ( 2 )    ( 2 )     ( 2 )    ( 2 )    ( 2 )
            Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products ...    26    15    22    4,231    3,864    2,654     4,875    3,498    2,145     
            Leather and leather products .................     3 ( 2 )     9      290    ( 2 )    1,518       339    ( 2 )      845     

      Nonmanufacturing  ..................................   489   718   415   91,983  144,564   82,220    80,306  126,690   60,339     
         Mining  .........................................    12     4     4    4,583      556      874     5,718      377      714     
         Construction ....................................    74    68    61   11,012   12,168    9,520    12,075   12,304    8,107     
         Transportation and public utilities .............    87   112    76   20,605   23,057   12,458    14,963   20,456   10,913     
         Wholesale and retail trade ......................   101   148    71   22,521   36,772   12,429    14,444   30,078    7,418     
            Wholesale trade  .............................    29    38    17    5,552    7,174    2,594     3,260    5,048    1,481     
            Retail trade  ................................    72   110    54   16,969   29,598    9,835    11,184   25,030    5,937     
         Finance, insurance, and real estate .............    43    43    20    5,438    6,433    4,841     6,009    6,485    2,473     
         Services ........................................   172   343   183   27,824   65,578   42,098    27,097   56,990   30,714     

   Not identified  .......................................     6     8     7      590    1,206    1,185       555      987    1,456     

 Government ..............................................    57    61    49   19,448   19,044   11,664    11,971   18,280    6,030     
         Federal .........................................    10    13    12    3,110    5,048    4,280     3,065    6,684    1,930     
         State ...........................................     5     7    10    1,835    1,425    3,142     1,434    1,450    1,430     
         Local ...........................................    42    41    27   14,503   12,571    4,242     7,472   10,146    2,670     


   1 For the third quarter of 2000, data on layoffs were reported by employers in all states and the District of Columbia.          
   2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
   p = preliminary.
   r = revised. 
   
Table 2. Reason for separation: Extended mass layoff events, separations, and initial claimants for unemployment 
insurance, selected quarters, 1999 and 2000

                                                                                                        Initial claimants for
                                             Layoff events                    Separations               unemployment insurance
           Reason for separation
                                         III      II       III         III       II        III          III       II       III
                                        1999r    2000r    2000p       1999r     2000r     2000p        1999r     2000r    2000p     

    Total, all reasons( 1 ) ..........  1,097    1,272      975      241,725   257,345   209,903      189,973   228,867  142,269      
 
 Automation ..........................  ( 2 )    ( 2 )        -        ( 2 )     ( 2 )         -        ( 2 )     ( 2 )        -
 Bankruptcy ..........................     24       43       34       10,471    12,891    10,093        3,163     5,422    4,734      
 Business ownership change ...........     54       36       36       18,780     8,065     9,158        7,294     4,023    4,123      
 Contract cancellation ...............     17       20       25        2,655     2,764     3,824        2,057     3,019    2,817      
 Contract completed ..................    140      128      141       21,095    31,940    24,663       26,475    28,978   21,610      
 Domestic relocation .................     16       22       16        3,001     3,367     3,222        2,294     6,191    2,025      
 Energy-related ......................      -        -        3            -         -       744            -         -      467      
 Environment-related .................      -    ( 2 )    ( 2 )            -     ( 2 )     ( 2 )            -     ( 2 )    ( 2 )
 Financial difficulty ................     58       75       54       13,106    13,997     9,738       10,520    11,571    5,167      
 Import competition ..................     24       13       15        8,624     2,564     1,925        6,616     2,054    1,454      
 Labor dispute .......................      3        8       10          829     2,442    10,415          495     1,507   10,233      
 Material shortage ...................      6    ( 2 )    ( 2 )        1,368     ( 2 )     ( 2 )        2,843     ( 2 )    ( 2 )
 
 Model changeover ....................      -        3    ( 2 )            -       476     ( 2 )            -       337    ( 2 )
 Natural disaster ....................  ( 2 )        -        -        ( 2 )         -         -        ( 2 )         -        -
 Overseas relocation .................      5        9       10          988       991     1,886          594     1,004    1,336      
 Plant or machine repair .............  ( 2 )        7    ( 2 )        ( 2 )     1,416     ( 2 )        ( 2 )     1,474    ( 2 )
 Product line discontinued ...........      8        9        6        1,042     1,021     1,329        1,024       934    1,413      
 Reorganization within company .......    110       89       84       22,042    19,247    18,559       23,354    19,272   11,670      
 Seasonal work .......................    357      540      305       85,695   113,491    70,831       56,328    92,954   35,581      
 Slack work ..........................    121      104      118       17,972    13,378    25,800       21,624    21,335   23,120      
 Vacation period .....................     25       63       10       13,129     9,698     1,093        3,712     8,037    1,138      
 Weather-related .....................      5    ( 2 )        -          995     ( 2 )         -          494     ( 2 )        -
 Other ...............................     27       36       34        4,946     6,230     6,383        4,879     8,085    3,653      
 Not reported ........................     92       62       68       14,367    11,938     9,479       15,635    11,991    9,380      


    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, second and third quarters, 2000
               
                                                                                           Percent of total
                                                 Total
                            Layoff events       initial                              Hispanic                            
                                               claimants            Black             origin          Women         Persons age 55
                                                                                                                       and over 
          State

                             II      III       II      III         II      III       II     III       II    III       II      III
                            2000r   2000p     2000r   2000p       2000r   2000p     2000r  2000p     2000r 2000p     2000r   2000p 

     Total( 1 )  ........   1,272    975    228,867  142,269      17.9    15.9      23.3    20.1     54.0   42.0     14.7    14.2     

 Alabama ................      22     10      2,661    2,417      54.5    20.3        .3      .1     76.4   26.1     13.1    25.3     
 Alaska .................       5  ( 2 )        848    ( 2 )       4.8     1.0       5.4    13.7     64.9   29.8     13.2    13.2     
 Arizona ................      38     15      6,591    1,736       2.0     1.5      59.6    80.9     46.9   44.1     11.8    11.6     
 Arkansas ...............       9      5      1,105      457      47.1    33.0        .6    16.4     56.1   44.4      7.8    10.5     
 California .............     234    199     45,723   22,055       8.6     5.8      55.9    60.4     52.4   49.3     11.7    12.5     
 Colorado ...............      11      4      1,400      505       3.7     9.1      15.6    21.8     60.5   56.4     10.1    10.7     
 Connecticut ............      12      5      1,598      660      14.2    22.6      13.1    12.0     69.6   51.4     16.3    14.4     
 Delaware ...............       -      -          -        -         -       -         -       -        -      -        -       -
 District of Columbia ...       -      -          -        -         -       -         -       -        -      -        -       -
 Florida ................      88     97     15,132   10,776      28.4    29.2      34.1    20.5     47.8   44.5     19.2    20.1     
 Georgia ................       4  ( 2 )        947    ( 2 )      58.0    62.6        .7      .7     61.4   83.3      7.9    26.2     
 Hawaii .................       5  ( 2 )        465    ( 2 )       1.3     2.6        .6     1.0     32.0   12.7     16.8    20.8     
 Idaho ..................       8      4        700      320        .3      .3       4.4    19.7     35.6   20.9     13.7    15.3     

 Illinois ...............     101     85     19,131   10,532      27.2    19.7       6.6    14.1     56.0   41.7     14.1    12.7     
 Indiana ................      18     12      2,549    1,357      28.6    15.0       2.9     4.2     69.8   46.7     16.9     9.1     
 Iowa ...................       4  ( 2 )      1,430    ( 2 )        .8       -       3.2    14.9     31.2   65.7     19.4     7.5     
 Kansas .................       8  ( 2 )      1,005    ( 2 )      16.9    16.5       5.4     8.5     44.0   37.3     13.8     5.7     
 Kentucky ...............      14     22      1,656    3,527       8.8     7.8        .3      .1     43.8   39.9     14.9    10.5     
 Louisiana ..............       5  ( 2 )        604    ( 2 )      38.6    56.8       1.0     1.1     57.9   76.1     15.6    10.2     
 Maine ..................       7      4        655      327        .3       -        .2       -     37.4   45.0      8.5    13.8     
 Maryland ...............   ( 2 )      4      ( 2 )      769      87.6    39.1        .8      .7     75.2   27.4      2.3    18.3     
 Massachusetts ..........      42     16      8,020   10,130      10.9     3.7       9.8     5.9     70.8   45.6     22.3    13.0     
 Michigan ...............      69     67     13,332    9,822      15.9    24.1       2.7     5.9     50.3   40.1     11.3     8.8     
 Minnesota ..............      19      8      3,166      697       6.1     6.3       2.7     1.7     47.5   42.6     15.3    17.2     
 Mississippi ............       6     14        659    1,193      69.8    67.2        .3      .7     72.8   76.7      6.4     8.5     
 Missouri ...............      15     11      2,261      930      20.8     4.8       1.2      .9     38.8   38.9     19.2    13.7     

 Montana ................       5      3        412      651        .2       -       2.2      .8     41.3   28.0     16.5    15.5     
 Nebraska ...............   ( 2 )  ( 2 )      ( 2 )    ( 2 )      22.1    14.6       5.9    19.6     70.6   17.6      5.9     7.0     
 Nevada .................       3     11        333    1,783      36.6    12.2      10.2    24.4     57.1   38.1     12.9    19.8     
 New Hampshire ..........       5  ( 2 )        401    ( 2 )        .5       -       2.0      .6     71.1   58.9     24.7    10.0     
 New Jersey .............      68     34     11,349    5,582      21.3    29.5      17.3    28.5     67.6   60.9     28.3    21.0     
 New Mexico .............       8  ( 2 )        895    ( 2 )        .8     2.1      41.9    52.6     57.5   35.8     12.5    13.7     
 New York ...............      33     70      6,989    9,802      20.1    19.4      18.0    12.6     67.3   55.4     15.2    21.2     
 North Carolina .........      22     26      2,542    2,639      40.5    38.5       3.0      .8     56.4   51.3     15.5    12.8     
 North Dakota ...........       -      -          -        -         -       -         -       -        -      -        -       -
 Ohio ...................      68     48     10,929    6,245      19.4    12.2       2.1     1.3     47.8   29.8     13.1    13.3     
 Oklahoma ...............       3      3        462      272      10.8     9.2      14.7     5.5      9.5   46.3     10.4    21.3     
 Oregon .................       9     12      1,086    6,331       1.8     8.6       9.1     5.8     31.1   14.3     13.1     7.7     
 Pennsylvania ...........      61     42     17,184    9,093       8.2     6.3       1.6     1.0     52.9   29.2     17.0    17.4     

 Rhode Island ...........   ( 2 )  ( 2 )      ( 2 )    ( 2 )         -     2.6         -     1.9     97.1   68.8     31.4    13.6     
 South Carolina .........      15      7      4,918      975      57.1    42.3        .5      .4     63.7   57.6      1.3    10.8     
 South Dakota ...........   ( 2 )      -      ( 2 )        -        .3       -         -       -     68.7      -     17.0       -
 Tennessee ..............      22     16      3,327    1,369      16.0    25.8       1.6      .2     56.3   56.2     15.2    18.8     
 Texas ..................     116     61     24,509   12,602      22.0    20.3      40.9    32.4     48.8   31.7     13.8    11.4     
 Utah ...................       5      5        381      517         -      .4       1.3    10.3     54.3   37.5      6.0     5.6     
 Vermont ................       8      -      1,071        -        .7       -        .2       -     44.8      -     13.9       -
 Virginia ...............      14     11      1,492      982      42.6    35.1       1.0      .5     83.8   57.2     17.4    16.4     
 Washington .............      20     11      3,286    1,194       5.0     4.1      21.6    30.2     49.2   45.7     15.4    12.4     
 West Virginia ..........       -  ( 2 )          -    ( 2 )         -       -         -       -        -   78.9        -     5.6     
 Wisconsin ..............      38     14      5,061    1,955      19.2      .5       2.0      .4     50.2   30.6     15.6    10.6     
 Wyoming ................       -      -          -        -         -       -         -       -        -      -        -       -

 Puerto Rico ............      11     20      1,942    2,731     ( 3 )   ( 3 )     ( 3 )   ( 3 )     45.5   56.7      6.5     6.4     


     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                      
                               III       II          III          III        II         III            III        II         III
                              1999r     2000r       2000p        1999r      2000r      2000p          1999r      2000r      2000p     


      United States( 1 ) ..   1,097     1,272        975        241,725    257,345    209,903        189,973    228,867    142,269     

 Northeast ................     254       237        174         56,727     40,825     36,611         40,677     47,337     35,928     

     New England ..........      41        75         28         17,117     17,459     13,790          4,934     11,815     11,451     
     Middle Atlantic ......     213       162        146         39,610     23,366     22,821         35,743     35,522     24,477     

 South ....................     262       341        281         47,135     69,209     47,482         46,445     60,143     38,626     

     South Atlantic .......     105       144        148         19,128     35,797     23,796         16,248     25,160     16,613     
     East South Central ...      43        64         62          7,341     10,714     11,654          6,562      8,303      8,506     
     West South Central ...     114       133         71         20,666     22,698     12,032         23,635     26,680     13,507     

 Midwest ..................     242       343        250         45,613     72,527     47,023         44,122     59,267     32,016     

     East North Central ...     217       294        226         40,940     62,696     44,106         39,741     51,002     29,911     
     West North Central ...      25        49         24          4,673      9,831      2,917          4,381      8,265      2,105     

 West .....................     339       351        270         92,250     74,784     78,787         58,729     62,120     35,699     

     Mountain .............      46        78         44         19,443     19,529      9,104          7,169     10,712      5,607     
     Pacific ..............     293       273        226         72,807     55,255     69,683         51,560     51,408     30,092     


      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
                                III     II        III         III        II         III            III       II        III
                               1999r   2000r     2000p       1999r      2000r      2000p          1999r     2000r     2000p 


     Total( 1 )  ...........   1,097   1,272      975       241,725    257,345    209,903        189,973   228,867   142,269     

 Alabama ...................      20      22       10         3,001      2,764      3,066          2,258     2,661     2,417     
 Alaska ....................   ( 2 )       5    ( 2 )         ( 2 )      1,029      ( 2 )          ( 2 )       848     ( 2 )
 Arizona ...................      24      38       15        16,014      8,221      4,180          4,680     6,591     1,736     
 Arkansas ..................       4       9        5         1,726      1,298        920          1,393     1,105       457     
 California ................     245     234      199        59,125     49,025     60,542         44,641    45,723    22,055     
 Colorado ..................   ( 2 )      11        4         ( 2 )      5,727        530          ( 2 )     1,400       505     
 Connecticut ...............       9      12        5         1,804      3,589      1,475            913     1,598       660     
 Delaware ..................       -       -        -             -          -          -              -         -         -
 District of Columbia ......       -       -        -             -          -          -              -         -         -
 Florida ...................      44      88       97         6,855     15,468     15,388          5,081    15,132    10,776     
 Georgia ...................      17       4    ( 2 )         3,649      5,473      ( 2 )          2,109       947     ( 2 )
 Hawaii ....................       8       5    ( 2 )           665        465      ( 2 )            717       465     ( 2 )
 Idaho .....................       8       8        4         1,222        890        446          1,080       700       320     

 Illinois ..................      56     101       85        14,944     28,213     21,303         10,968    19,131    10,532     
 Indiana ...................      18      18       12         3,139      4,614      1,868          2,190     2,549     1,357     
 Iowa ......................   ( 2 )       4    ( 2 )         ( 2 )      1,430      ( 2 )          ( 2 )     1,430     ( 2 )
 Kansas ....................       6       8    ( 2 )           792      1,551      ( 2 )            511     1,005     ( 2 )
 Kentucky ..................       7      14       22           899      3,739      4,300            615     1,656     3,527     
 Louisiana .................       5       5    ( 2 )           862        724      ( 2 )            814       604     ( 2 )
 Maine .....................   ( 2 )       7        4         ( 2 )      1,845        425          ( 2 )       655       327     
 Maryland ..................       5   ( 2 )        4           717      ( 2 )        832            797     ( 2 )       769     
 Massachusetts .............      23      42       16        13,404      9,939     11,364          3,014     8,020    10,130     
 Michigan ..................      88      69       67        14,916     12,352      9,610         16,305    13,332     9,822     
 Minnesota .................       8      19        8         1,782      3,493        955          1,904     3,166       697     
 Mississippi ...............       3       6       14         1,567        948      2,394            532       659     1,193     
 Missouri ..................       8      15       11         1,633      3,118      1,293          1,633     2,261       930     

 Montana ...................       -       5        3             -        396        506              -       412       651     
 Nebraska ..................   ( 2 )   ( 2 )    ( 2 )         ( 2 )      ( 2 )      ( 2 )          ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )
 Nevada ....................       8       3       11           853        377      1,996            709       333     1,783     
 New Hampshire .............   ( 2 )       5    ( 2 )         ( 2 )      1,060      ( 2 )          ( 2 )       401     ( 2 )
 New Jersey ................      50      68       34         6,027      7,983      5,746          7,234    11,349     5,582     
 New Mexico ................   ( 2 )       8    ( 2 )         ( 2 )      1,998      ( 2 )          ( 2 )       895     ( 2 )
 New York ..................     104      33       70        23,413      4,569     10,446         15,624     6,989     9,802     
 North Carolina ............      17      22       26         4,923      9,732      4,316          2,394     2,542     2,639     
 North Dakota ..............       -       -        -             -          -          -              -         -         -
 Ohio ......................      43      68       48         6,584     12,488      8,979          8,244    10,929     6,245     
 Oklahoma ..................       7       3        3           633        462        430            633       462       272     
 Oregon ....................      18       9       12         2,808      1,086      6,331          1,717     1,086     6,331     
 Pennsylvania ..............      59      61       42        10,170     10,814      6,629         12,885    17,184     9,093     

 Rhode Island ..............       6   ( 2 )    ( 2 )         1,540      ( 2 )      ( 2 )            671     ( 2 )     ( 2 )
 South Carolina ............      11      15        7         1,371      2,454        615          4,431     4,918       975     
 South Dakota ..............       -   ( 2 )        -             -      ( 2 )          -              -     ( 2 )         -
 Tennessee .................      13      22       16         1,874      3,263      1,894          3,157     3,327     1,369     
 Texas .....................      98     116       61        17,445     20,214     10,506         20,795    24,509    12,602     
 Utah ......................       4       5        5           770      1,920      1,321            307       381       517     
 Vermont ...................       -       8        -             -        956          -              -     1,071         -
 Virginia ..................      11      14       11         1,613      2,541      1,443          1,436     1,492       982     
 Washington ................      20      20       11         4,095      3,650      2,175          4,232     3,286     1,194     
 West Virginia .............       -       -    ( 2 )             -          -      ( 2 )              -         -     ( 2 )
 Wisconsin .................      12      38       14         1,357      5,029      2,346          2,034     5,061     1,955     
 Wyoming ...................       -       -        -             -          -          -              -         -         -

 Puerto Rico ...............      18      11       20         2,937      2,480      2,859          2,726     1,942     2,731     



    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.