Technical information:  (202) 691-6392       USDL 02-79
http://www.bls.gov/mls/

                                             For release: 10:00 A.M. EST
Media contact:                691-5902       Wednesday, February 13, 2002


            EXTENDED MASS LAYOFFS IN THE FOURTH QUARTER OF 2001

   Employers reported the separation of 486,406 workers from their jobs for
more than 30 days in 2,538 mass layoff actions in the fourth quarter of
2001, according to preliminary figures released by the U.S. Department of
Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics.  Both the number of separations and the
number of layoff events were sharply higher than in October-December 2000.
This marked the fifth consecutive quarter of significant over-the-year
increases in extended mass layoff activity.  Fourth-quarter 2001 marked the
largest number of extended mass layoff events and separations for any
fourth quarter since 1995.  (See table A.)

   The completion of seasonal work was the major reason cited for layoffs
in the fourth quarter, accounting for 38 percent of all events.  The number
of such events, however, was down from a year earlier.  In contrast, the
number of extended mass layoff events in which firms cited financial
difficulty, slack work, bankruptcy, and reorganization were all up
substantially since the fourth quarter of 2000.  Half of the employers with
layoffs in the fourth quarter indicated that they anticipated some type of
recall, the smallest proportion on record for a fourth quarter.

   The number of worker separations in extended mass layoff events, at
1,695,335 for all of 2001, and the number of layoff events, at 8,191, were
higher than in any other year since the program began.  Additional
information on 2001 annual data is provided in the review of 2001 section,
beginning on page 5.

Industry Distribution of Extended Layoffs

   Extended mass layoff separations occurred in 490 of the 1,005 detailed
industries for which data are available.  Although 35 percent of the
separations occurred in manufacturing, another 9 percent were in three
industries in the service-providing sector--scheduled air transportation
(15,392), help supply services (14,289), and hotels and motels (14,203).

   Agriculture accounted for 12 percent of all events and 15 percent of all
separations in the private sector during October-December 2001.  Layoff
activity was concentrated in agricultural services (primarily in farm labor
contracting) and was almost entirely due to the end of seasonal work.
(See table 1.)

   Thirty-seven percent of all layoff events and 35 percent of separations
occurred in manufacturing.  Among durable goods industries, extended
layoffs were most prevalent in electronic and other electrical equipment
(mostly in telephone and telegraphic apparatus, in radio and television
communications, and in printed circuit boards), in transportation equipment
(primarily in aircraft and in motor vehicles and car bodies) and in primary
metal industries (mainly in blast furnaces and steel mills).  Within the
nondurable goods sector, almost half the layoffs were in food and kindred
products (largely in canned fruits and vegetables).

                                  - 2 -

Table A.  Selected measures of mass layoff activity
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
      Period         | Layoff events |   Separations | Initial claimants
---------------------|---------------|---------------|-------------------
       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.......|      1,097    |     241,725   |      189,973
October-December.....|      1,625    |     334,794   |      287,685
       2000          |               |               |
January-March........|      1,330    |     254,646   |      221,368
April-June...........|      1,271    |     258,608   |      231,471
July-September.......|      1,014    |     230,103   |      189,250
October-December(r)..|      2,005    |     427,070   |      376,588
       2001          |               |               |
January-March(r).....|      1,765    |     342,938   |      339,766
April-June(r)........|      2,072    |     481,876   |      399,075
July-September(r)....|      1,816    |     384,115   |      364,548
October-December(p)..|      2,538    |     486,406   |      358,067
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
    p=preliminary.                      r=revised.

   Services accounted for 15 percent of private-sector layoff events and
separations, primarily in business services (largely in help supply) and in
hotels and motels.  Layoffs in construction were 17 percent of the events
and 12 percent of the separations, mainly in heavy construction, except
buildings (largely in highway and street construction).  Cutbacks in retail
trade comprised 6 percent of events and 9 percent of separations in the
private sector and were largely in catalog and mail-order houses and in
eating and drinking places.

   Layoffs in government establishments accounted for 2 percent of all
events and 3 percent of all separations, mostly in the state administration
of environmental quality and housing programs.

Reasons for Extended Layoff

   Thirty-eight percent of the events and 40 percent of the separations in
the fourth quarter were due to the completion of seasonal work.  (See 
table 2.)  However, these were the smallest fourth-quarter proportions for 
this category since the program began in 1995.  Seasonal layoffs were most

                                  - 3 -

Table B.  Summary of employer expectations of a recall from layoff,
fourth quarter 2000-fourth quarter 2001
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
                        |            Percentage of events
                        | ---------------- ----------------------------
Nature of the recall    |   IV   |    I   |   II    |   III  |   IV
                        |  2000  |  2001  |  2001r  |  2001r |  2001p
------------------------|------- |--------|---------|--------|---------
Anticipate a recall.....|  67.0  |  46.1  |   45.0  |   35.7 |  50.2
                        |        |        |         |        |
       Timeframe        |        |        |         |        |
                        |        |        |         |        |
Within 6 months.........|  82.5  |  79.1  |   83.9  |  74.7  |  81.1
  Within 3 months.......|  37.9  |  53.4  |   52.2  |  47.4  |  31.0
                        |        |        |         |        |
          Size          |        |        |         |        |
                        |        |        |         |        |
At least half...........|  88.3  |  81.1  |   88.5  |  76.5  |  87.4
  All workers...........|  47.5  |  35.2  |   42.3  |  29.8  |  35.7
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
   p=preliminary.                         r=revised.


numerous among workers in agricultural services (farm labor contractors),
in heavy construction, except buildings (highway and street construction),
and in agricultural production crops (grapes).

   Lack of demand for employers' products and services (slack work)
accounted for 25 percent of events and resulted in 20 percent of the
separations during the quarter, mostly in transportation equipment, in
electronic and other electrical equipment, and in business services.

   Layoffs due to internal company restructuring (bankruptcy, business
ownership change, financial difficulty, and reorganization) accounted for
19 percent of layoff events and resulted in 108,046 separations.  These
layoffs were mostly among workers in the primary metal industries,
communications, and transportation by air.  A year earlier, layoff events
for these reasons were 14 percent of the total and involved 80,057 workers.

Recall Expectations

   Fifty percent of employers reporting a layoff in the fourth quarter of
2001 indicated they anticipated some type of recall.  This compares with
67 percent of the employers anticipating a recall a year earlier and is the
smallest proportion on record for a fourth quarter.  (See table B.)  Other
than fourth-quarter 1995, when 58 percent of employers expected a recall,
the typical proportion of employers anticipating a recall has been around
70 percent.  The relatively small current proportion reflects the greater
prevalence of reorganizations within the company and layoffs due to
financial difficulty--situations where recall is unlikely.

   Most of the employers not expecting a recall were in electronic and
other electrical equipment manufacturing, in business services, and in
industrial machinery and equipment.  Among establishments expecting a
recall, most employers expected to recall over one-half of the separated

                                  - 4 -

    Table C.  Distribution of layoff events by size of layoff,
    October-December 2001p
    -------------------------------------------------------------
                     |     Layoff events  |     Separations
          Size       |--------------------|----------------------
                     |  Number  | Percent |  Number  |  Percent
    -----------------|----------|---------|----------|-----------
    Total............|   2,538  |  100.0  |  486,406 |   100.0
                     |          |         |          |
    50-99............|     949  |   37.4  |   66,933 |    13.8
    100-149..........|     581  |   22.9  |   67,244 |    13.8
    150-199..........|     304  |   12.0  |   50,482 |    10.4
    200-299..........|     337  |   13.3  |   77,569 |    15.9
    300-499..........|     218  |    8.6  |   77,675 |    16.0
    500-999..........|     104  |    4.1  |   69,049 |    14.2
    1,000 or more....|      45  |    1.8  |   77,454 |    15.9
    -------------------------------------------------------------
       p=preliminary.

employees and to do so within 6 months.  Only 36 percent of such employers
expected to extend the offer to all laid-off workers.

   Excluding layoff events due to seasonal work and vacation period (in
which 92 percent of the employers expected a recall), employers expected to
recall laid-off workers in 25 percent of the events.  In layoff events due
to internal company restructuring, employers anticipated a recall in only
6 percent of the events.

Size of Extended Layoff

   Layoff events during the fourth quarter continued to be concentrated at
the lower end of the layoff-size spectrum, with 60 percent involving fewer
than 150 workers.  These events, however, accounted for only 28 percent of
all separations.  (See table C.)  Separations involving 500 or more workers
accounted for 30 percent of all separations, down slightly from a year
earlier (33 percent).  The average size of layoffs (as measured by
separations per layoff event) differed widely by industry, ranging from a
low of 91 separations in the manufacture of chemicals and allied products
to a high of 474 in miscellaneous retail trade establishments.

Initial Claimant Characteristics

   A total of 358,067 initial claimants for unemployment insurance were
associated with mass layoffs in the fourth quarter of 2001.  Of these
claimants, 12 percent were black, 35 percent were women, 19 percent were
Hispanic, and 12 percent were 55 years of age or older.  (See table 3.)
Forty-one percent of claimants were 30 to 44 years of age.  Among the
civilian labor force for the same period, 12 percent were black, 47 percent
were women, 11 percent were Hispanic, and 14 percent were 55 years of age
or older.  Thirty-eight percent of the civilian labor force were ages 30 
to 44.

                                  - 5 -

   Table D.  Selected measures of mass layoff activity, 1996-2001
   ------------------------------------------------------------------
        Period     | Layoff events|  Separations | Initial claimants
   ----------------|--------------|--------------|-------------------
   1996............|     5,697    |   1,184,355  |       957,745
   1997............|     5,683    |   1,146,115  |     1,041,907
   1998............|     5,851    |   1,227,573  |     1,232,384
   1999............|     5,675    |   1,149,267  |       972,244
   2000(r).........|     5,620    |   1,170,427  |     1,018,677
   2001(p).........|     8,191    |   1,695,335  |     1,461,456
   ------------------------------------------------------------------
        p=preliminary.              r=revised.

Geographic Distribution

   The number of separations due to extended mass layoff events in the
fourth quarter was highest in the West (177,965), followed by the Midwest
(154,367), the South (88,769), and the Northeast (65,305).  (See table 4.)
Extended mass layoffs in the West were largely agriculture-related; in the
Midwest, they were concentrated in heavy construction; in the South, in
transportation by air; and in the Northeast, mostly in electronic and other
electrical equipment.

   All four regions reported over-the-year increases in separations, the
largest occurring in the South (+24,987).  Seven of the nine geographic
divisions experienced higher levels of laid-off workers than a year ago,
with the largest increases occurring in the Middle Atlantic, followed by
the South Atlantic and Mountain divisions.  Separations declined in the
East North Central and Pacific divisions.

   Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, the greatest number of
worker separations occurred in California (121,981), followed by Illinois
(54,348).  These two states accounted for 33 percent of total layoff events
and 36 percent of the separations during the fourth quarter of 2001.  They
were followed by Wisconsin (22,894), Ohio (21,713), and New York (20,863).
(See table 5.)  After excluding the substantial impact of seasonal work,
California still reported the most laid-off workers (50,810), mainly due 
to layoffs in business services.

   Over the year, the greatest increases in laid-off workers occurred in
New York (+9,381), Washington (+6,937), Illinois (+5,963), and Georgia
(+5,922).  The largest decreases occurred in Michigan (-12,260) and
California (-8,306).

Review of 2001

   Employers reported a record number of extended mass layoff actions
--8,191, up from 5,620 in 2000.  Worker separations in these events reached
1,695,335, also a record, and were up more than 500,000 over the year. 
(See table D.)  The annual average national unemployment rate increased from 
4.0 percent in 2000 to 4.8 percent in 2001, while nonfarm payroll employment 
increased by 0.3 percent, or 453,000 jobs.

                                  - 6 -

   In the private sector, manufacturing accounted for 41 percent of all
mass layoff events and 37 percent of all separations that occurred during
2001, sharply higher than in 2000 (34 percent and 33 percent, respectively).
Layoffs in the durable goods sector were most prevalent in electronic and
other electrical equipment (128,351), primarily in printed circuit boards
and in semiconductors and related devices.  In the nondurable goods sector,
food and kindred products accounted for 71,547 separated workers, mostly in
canned and frozen fruits and vegetables.  Compared with 2000, the largest 
increase in laid-off workers occurred in electronic and other electrical 
equipment (+106,920), followed by business services (+95,066).  The largest 
over-the-year decreases in separations occurred in agricultural services 
(-14,936) and in health services (-13,200).

   Twenty-seven percent of all layoff events and 29 percent of the
separations in 2001 were due to the completion of seasonal work.  These
layoffs occurred in establishments primarily engaged in food production
(agriculture and food and kindred products).

   Layoff activity due to internal company restructuring reached record
highs in 2001.  Employers cited this in 1,897 events (23 percent of the
total), resulting in the separation of 488,233 workers (29 percent of the
total).

   In 2001, the West reported more separated workers due to extended mass
layoff events than any other region--570,757.  Layoffs in the West were
primarily concentrated in food production (agriculture and food and kindred
products), which accounted for one-third of the region's worker separations, 
and were primarily attributed to seasonal factors.  The Northeast region 
continued to report the lowest annual number of separations (240,885).

   Over the year, the Midwest reported the largest increase (+153,060) in
worker separations, mainly in the East North Central division (+115,488).
Layoffs were most numerous in business services.  Close behind was the West
--up 152,352 from a year ago.  Most of the increase occurred in the Pacific
division (+101,886), where separations were concentrated in electronic and
other electrical equipment and in business services.

   Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, California continued
to report the largest number of separated workers (383,325), largely due
to seasonal layoffs in food production (agriculture and food and kindred
products).  Over the year, California had the largest increase in the
number of separated workers (+67,039), followed by Illinois (+56,026), New
York (+38,777), and Michigan (+35,872).  Alaska and Ohio had the largest
over-the-year decreases in laid-off workers (-3,384 and -3,154,
respectively).

Impact of September 11 Attacks

   After the attacks of September 11, BLS added a new code for "reason for
the layoff," "non-natural disaster," for use in the reporting of extended
mass layoffs (those lasting more than 30 days).  This allows for the
identification of workers separated from companies as a direct or indirect
effect of situations such as the September 11 attacks.  Layoffs indirectly
attributed to the September 11 disasters include those in establishments
outside of the immediate areas in and around the World Trade Center in New
York City (for example, airlines and hotels and motels).

                                  - 7 -

   Preliminary reports for the weeks ended September 15 through December 29
show that there were 408 events involving 114,711 workers directly or
indirectly attributed to the attacks.  Thirty-three states reported
extended mass layoff activity related in some way to the September 11
incidents.  Fifty-four percent of these events and 56 percent of these
separations occurred in just five states--California, Nevada, Illinois, New
York, and Texas.  Among the workers laid off because of the terrorist
attacks, 39 percent, or 44,756 workers, had been employed in the scheduled
air transportation industry.  An additional 28 percent, or 32,044 workers,
had been employed in hotels and motels.

   One-third of the employers indicated that they would likely recall at
least a portion of the laid-off workers within three months.  Although 
one-third of the September 11-related layoff events involved fewer than 100
workers, nearly two-fifths of the separated workers were in layoffs of
1,000 or more workers.

Note

   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.  Approximately 30 days after a mass layoff is
triggered at an establishment, the employer is contacted for additional
information.  Data for the fourth 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.  For additional
information about the program, see the Technical Note.
                      ______________________________

   The report on Mass Layoffs in January 2002 will be issued on Thursday,
February 28, 2002.

                                  - 8 -

    --------------------------------------------------------------------
   |             Change in Industry Classification System               |
   |                                                                    |
   |   Fourth-quarter 2001 data will be the last from the Mass Layoff   |
   | Statistics (MLS) program using the 1987 Standard Industrial        |
   | Classification (SIC) system.  Beginning with the release of monthly|
   | mass layoff data for January 2002 on February 28, 2002, the program|
   | will switch to the 2002 version of the North American Industry     |
   | Classification System (NAICS) as the basis for the assignment and  |
   | tabulation of economic data by industry.  NAICS is the product of  |
   | a cooperative effort on the part of the statistical agencies of the|
   | United States, Canada, and Mexico.  Due to differences in NAICS and|
   | SIC structures, data for 2002 will not be comparable to the SIC-   |
   | based data for earlier years.  However, the monthly mass layoff and|
   | quarterly extended mass layoff historical industry series through  |
   | 2001 will be available on both SIC and NAICS bases.                |
   |                                                                    |
   |   NAICS uses a production-oriented approach to categorize economic |
   | units.  Units with similar production processes are classified     |
   | in the same industry.  NAICS focuses on how products and services  |
   | are created, as opposed to the SIC focus on what is produced. This |
   | approach yields significantly different industry groupings than    |
   | those produced by the SIC approach.                                |
   |                                                                    |
   |   Users interested in more information about NAICS can access the  |
   | BLS Web page at http://www.bls.gov/bls/naics.htm or the Bureau of  |
   | the Census Web page at http://www.census.gov/epcd/www/naics.html.  |
    --------------------------------------------------------------------

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, 2000 and 2001


							      Layoff events            Separations           Initial claimants for
													     unemployment insurance
			 Industry                        
							     IV    III    IV       IV      III     IV       IV       III      IV
							    2000  2001r  2001p    2000r   2001r   2001p    2000r    2001r    2001p     

	 Total( 1 ) .....................................  2,005  1,816  2,538   427,070 384,115 486,406  376,588  364,548  358,067     

 Total, private .........................................  1,959  1,773  2,494   405,606 372,448 472,657  366,149  353,663  350,345     

   Agriculture  .........................................    349    142    302    75,988  40,932  70,345   48,561   23,567   32,486     
   Nonagriculture .......................................  1,604  1,630  2,189   328,129 331,456 402,034  316,063  329,654  317,606     
      Manufacturing  ....................................    633    734    919   130,751 131,816 167,279  146,560  140,378  149,484     
	 Durable goods  .................................    347    491    606    73,627  87,437 107,610   94,656  100,223  105,679     
	    Lumber and wood products ....................     38      7     40     5,486     937   4,134    6,404    1,270    6,419     
	    Furniture and fixtures ......................      8     23     35       795   3,176   5,336    1,324    4,140    4,434     
	    Stone, clay, and glass products .............     41      8     40     6,367   1,036   8,109    6,555    1,338    6,423     
	    Primary metal industries ....................     33     50     66     9,512   8,033  18,563    9,468   10,504   16,732     
	    Fabricated metal products ...................     49     51     50     7,299   6,913   6,286    9,102    7,846    6,028     
	    Industrial machinery and equipment ..........     36    109    105     7,376  20,632  15,621    8,128   20,919   19,121     
	    Electronic and other electrical equipment ...     36    149    140     8,090  28,904  22,240   12,811   32,230   21,803     
	    Transportation equipment ....................     79     55     91    25,499  10,762  19,386   37,663   14,947   18,907     
	    Instruments and related products ............      6     27     21       698   5,224   4,881      596    5,277    3,089     
	    Miscellaneous manufacturing industries ......     21     12     18     2,505   1,820   3,054    2,605    1,752    2,723     

	 Nondurable goods  ..............................    286    243    313    57,124  44,379  59,669   51,904   40,155   43,805     
	    Food and kindred products ...................    124     67    116    28,501  11,844  29,190   24,217   11,218   17,194                                                               
	    Tobacco products ............................  ( 2 )  ( 2 )  ( 2 )     ( 2 )   ( 2 )   ( 2 )    ( 2 )    ( 2 )    ( 2 )
	    Textile mill products .......................     23     36     29     5,254   6,786   5,464    4,696    7,867    4,444     
	    Apparel and other textile products ..........     44     52     52     7,232   8,745   8,282    7,361    8,711    6,731     
	    Paper and allied products ...................     23     22     25     3,594   4,346   3,594    3,623    3,583    2,769     
	    Printing and publishing .....................     14     18     20     1,958   4,925   2,418    1,903    2,414    1,591     
	    Chemicals and allied products ...............     10     22     13     1,246   3,989   1,182    1,256    2,849      970     
	    Petroleum and coal products .................     13  ( 2 )     14     1,693   ( 2 )   2,045    1,759    ( 2 )    1,736     
	    Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products ..     30     21     33     6,628   3,233   5,326    6,295    3,104    6,948     
	    Leather and leather products ................  ( 2 )  ( 2 )  ( 2 )     ( 2 )   ( 2 )   ( 2 )    ( 2 )    ( 2 )    ( 2 )

      Nonmanufacturing  .................................    971    896  1,270   197,378 199,640 234,755  169,503  189,276  168,122     
	 Mining  ........................................     21     11     33     2,772   3,054   5,421    2,545    2,440    4,834     
	 Construction ...................................    434     76    429    62,914   9,756  58,859   63,775   11,362   49,066     
	 Transportation and public utilities ............     70    180    179    11,456  60,051  39,689   12,944   49,725   30,417     
	 Wholesale and retail trade .....................    135    182    197    47,130  32,870  50,440   29,987   31,760   26,342     
	    Wholesale trade  ............................     43     59     57     6,147   6,918   7,516    5,008    7,287    6,223     
	    Retail trade  ...............................     92    123    140    40,983  25,952  42,924   24,979   24,473   20,119     
	 Finance, insurance, and real estate ............     32     59     56     5,704  12,800  10,019    4,619    9,605    6,494     
	 Services .......................................    279    388    376    67,402  81,109  70,327   55,633   84,384   50,969     

   Not identified  ......................................      6      1      3     1,489      60     278    1,525      442      253     

 Government .............................................     46     43     44    21,464  11,667  13,749   10,439   10,885    7,722     
	 Federal ........................................     13     14      8     2,991   3,955   1,555    3,667    3,538    1,539     
	 State ..........................................     13      6     18     4,088   1,021   5,628    2,523    1,253    3,381     
	 Local ..........................................     20     23     18    14,385   6,691   6,566    4,249    6,094    2,802     


   1 For the fourth quarter 2001, 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, 2000 and 2001


                                       Layoff events                 Separations               Initial claimants for                                                                           
                                                                                               unemployment insurance
        Reason for separation

                                     IV      III      IV        IV       III       IV          IV        III       IV
                                    2000    2001r    2001p     2000r    2001r     2001p       2000r     2001r     2001p     

    Total, all reasons( 1 )......  2,005   1,816    2,538    427,070   384,115   486,406     376,588   364,548   358,067      

 Automation .....................      -   ( 2 )    ( 2 )          -     ( 2 )     ( 2 )           -     ( 2 )     ( 2 )
 Bankruptcy .....................     46      62       68     21,845    17,171    24,203       9,828    11,569    14,892      
 Business ownership change ......     27      56       54     11,517    11,907    16,203       4,735    11,417     7,506      
 Contract cancellation ..........     25      48       48      4,482     8,805     7,575       5,188     8,409     7,118      
 Contract completed .............    200     123      137     42,787    19,554    27,474      46,733    22,038    18,187      
 Domestic relocation ............     18      25       21      2,771     4,564     4,005       2,024     4,061     2,253      
 Energy-related .................      7       5    ( 2 )      1,743       944     ( 2 )       1,216     1,692     ( 2 )
 Environment-related ............  ( 2 )       -    ( 2 )      ( 2 )         -     ( 2 )       ( 2 )         -     ( 2 )
 Financial difficulty ...........    103     183      172     24,511    45,755    37,919      18,168    35,608    28,000      
 Import competition .............     24      27       40      4,856     5,433     7,196       4,581     5,315     5,660      
 Labor dispute ..................      4       8        3      3,296     2,887       555       3,293     2,602       219      
 Material shortage ..............      -       4    ( 2 )          -       450     ( 2 )           -       421     ( 2 )

 Model changeover ...............  ( 2 )   ( 2 )      -        ( 2 )     ( 2 )         -       ( 2 )     ( 2 )         -
 Natural disaster ...............  ( 2 )   ( 2 )    ( 2 )      ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )       ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )
 Non-natural disaster ...........  ( 3 )       9        6      ( 3 )     2,185     1,336       ( 3 )     1,713       514      
 Overseas relocation ............     12      21       23      2,770     4,297     3,999       3,921     3,084     2,998      
 Plant or machine repair ........     10       8        3      1,403       785       364         846       943       827      
 Product line discontinued ......      9       6       11      1,224       732     1,718       2,329       557       936      
 Reorganization within company ..    104     185      179     22,184    37,547    29,721      20,868    34,508    22,654      
 Seasonal work ..................  1,034     303      953    214,220    76,218   195,956     160,359    53,842   114,689      
 Slack work .....................    226     530      631     38,222    97,105    96,033      62,947   120,975    99,730      
 Vacation period ................  ( 2 )      54    ( 2 )      ( 2 )    11,535     ( 2 )       ( 2 )     8,166     ( 2 )
 Weather-related ................     21       -       18      2,253         -     2,029       2,693         -     2,326      
 Other ..........................     47     103      111      7,655    25,762    19,575       8,105    24,984    18,385      
 Not reported ...................     82      52       50     18,203    10,103     9,139      17,706    10,710     9,726      


   1 See footnote 1, table 1. 
   2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards. 
   3 This reason for separation has been created for use effective with third quarter 2001 for work activity curtailed because of a human                                                                                                                                     
action resulting in a disaster, such as the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, or the threat of an attack.  Only mass layoff activity
directly related to the "non-natural disaster" is included.
   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, third and fourth quarters, 2001

                                                                                         Percent of total
                                                 Total
                           Layoff events        initial                             Hispanic                            
                                               claimants            Black            origin             Women       Persons age 55
                                                                                                                       and over 
          State
                            III     IV         III      IV        III    IV        III     IV        III     IV        III     IV
                           2001r   2001p      2001r    2001p     2001r  2001p     2001r   2001p     2001r   2001p     2001r   2001p 

     Total( 1 ) ........   1,816   2,538    364,548  358,067     13.0   11.6      19.4    19.0      45.5    35.5      12.9    12.4     

 Alabama ...............      24      28      3,684    4,834     34.6   24.1       2.0     4.2      40.1    24.6      14.9    14.0     
 Alaska ................       -       5          -      472        -    2.1         -     1.5         -    11.7         -    10.8     
 Arizona ...............      26       6      3,895    1,043      6.0    5.1      28.0    21.0      47.3    35.3      14.1    12.1     
 Arkansas ..............       5       6      1,341      648     18.4   31.9        .3      .5      34.8    57.6      10.8    10.5     
 California ............     465     581     78,931   65,953      5.4    4.0      46.8    58.6      45.0    40.5      11.2    11.1     
 Colorado ..............      20      48      4,451    6,101      5.5    4.0      12.7    22.8      52.2    37.0       8.6    11.5     
 Connecticut ...........       7      18      1,048    1,515     24.8   10.6      15.9     4.3      57.8    39.5      12.0    16.9     
 Delaware ..............       3   ( 2 )        445    ( 2 )     32.6   21.7       2.9     1.4      44.9    20.8       9.0     8.7     
 District of Columbia ..   ( 2 )   ( 2 )      ( 2 )    ( 2 )     33.5   19.1       6.4     2.1      51.9    28.7       8.6    21.3     
 Florida ...............     145      92     27,823   11,438     23.6   22.8      22.4    29.2      44.9    51.1      16.0    16.0     
 Georgia ...............      19      18      2,660    2,830     62.2   47.4        .3      -       61.1    50.6      13.9    13.6     
 Hawaii ................      22      13      5,551    1,906      1.0    1.8      29.0    28.4      53.7    48.6      12.0    11.1     
 Idaho .................       6      10        851      966      1.1     .4        .8     5.1      48.5    17.6       9.5    14.6     

 Illinois ..............     127     254     29,008   34,938     20.7   17.6       9.9    16.7      43.4    30.5      11.3    11.8     
 Indiana ...............      33      72      7,165   13,575     15.2    9.9       3.4     5.2      44.8    30.0      11.7    14.1     
 Iowa ..................      15      45      2,766    7,560      2.9    1.1       1.9     2.1      40.6    30.0      14.1    12.0     
 Kansas ................       6       8        712    2,134      6.2    7.9       2.4     4.5      43.7    38.5      14.6     9.9     
 Kentucky ..............      18      32      3,765    5,183     13.7    8.9       1.2      .8      62.3    54.7      16.6    15.4     
 Louisiana .............      15      27      2,621    2,969     57.6   41.4       2.5     3.8      41.0    25.8       7.2    12.4     
 Maine .................       8      15        814    1,975       .1     .4        -       -       31.0    28.7      12.3    14.1     
 Maryland ..............       5      19        469    2,171     45.6   47.8        -       .5      52.9    45.1      28.8    13.3     
 Massachusetts .........      59      77     10,503   11,609      7.4    6.8       5.3     3.9      48.5    44.7      15.0    13.1     
 Michigan ..............      42     110      7,825   16,664     21.3   12.2       5.2     7.9      51.7    32.6       9.1    10.2     
 Minnesota .............      22      87      6,264   10,378      2.1    1.1       3.1     5.3      52.6    16.9      12.7    12.1     
 Mississippi ...........       7      17      1,017    1,844     70.2   48.7        .4     1.2      38.3    58.5      13.2    12.8     
 Missouri ..............      30      45      5,624    4,958     13.4   12.8       3.7     1.2      53.7    40.3      13.8    17.4     

 Montana ...............   ( 2 )       7      ( 2 )      950        -     .3        .9     2.1      30.2    19.9      11.8    13.2     
 Nebraska ..............   ( 2 )   ( 2 )      ( 2 )    ( 2 )      5.4    6.9       2.9     5.2      48.2    29.3       7.2     5.2     
 Nevada ................      34      27     16,343    3,327      9.2    8.5      27.4    21.6      53.6    48.4      12.4    15.7     
 New Hampshire .........       7       6      1,163    1,344       .5     .9        .9     1.9      23.8    44.1      15.6    13.2     
 New Jersey ............      53      49     10,347    7,346     22.3   16.0      13.9    22.7      53.6    47.5      21.5    18.6     
 New Mexico ............       5   ( 2 )      1,275    ( 2 )      2.3    2.0      59.6    67.5      55.8    40.6      11.8    13.6     
 New York ..............     139     118     26,393   14,965      8.0    4.5       5.8     4.2      49.0    41.8      15.9    12.7     
 North Carolina ........      45      63      8,435    9,641     34.9   33.6       2.6     2.8      46.2    43.8      10.8    10.1     
 North Dakota ..........   ( 2 )       9      ( 2 )    1,139       .4     .1       2.7     2.0      52.7    18.1       9.2     8.3     
 Ohio ..................      44     138      7,273   18,525     13.2   11.1       1.0     3.5      30.1    20.2      13.8    13.5     
 Oklahoma ..............      11      10      3,456    2,908     13.5    7.4       4.1     3.0      21.2    27.4      25.4     7.4     
 Oregon ................      30      39      4,445    6,787      2.5    1.8       9.2    15.1      40.4    34.5      15.0    12.9     
 Pennsylvania ..........      96      76     26,166   16,399      6.1    4.2       1.9     1.3      37.8    22.0      15.2    14.0     

 Rhode Island ..........       4       4        361      313      4.4    8.0      25.2    31.0      50.1    59.4      15.5     9.3     
 South Carolina ........      13      13      2,881    4,387     42.9   62.8        .1      .2      46.2    40.3       2.3      .7     
 South Dakota ..........       -       -          -        -        -      -         -       -         -       -         -       -
 Tennessee .............      24      25      3,444    2,432     20.6   21.8        .1      .1      46.8    38.2      11.1    12.8     
 Texas .................      69     103     23,383   18,002     13.8   17.5      33.9    25.3      44.4    42.7       9.9     9.8     
 Utah ..................       8      21      1,708    3,700      3.2     .9      16.0     7.0      45.6    30.7       6.3    12.7     
 Vermont ...............   ( 2 )   ( 2 )      ( 2 )    ( 2 )        -     .6         -       -      25.3    27.5       6.5    15.5     
 Virginia ..............      18      30      3,502    6,049     23.9   37.0        .9     1.6      35.0    34.4      15.7    14.8     
 Washington ............      43      61      5,747    9,458      4.2    3.8      20.3    20.2      47.6    35.3      11.9    13.3     
 West Virginia .........       3       -        238        -        -      -         -       -      39.5       -       7.6       -
 Wisconsin .............      33      94      6,272   15,587      6.3    2.4       2.6    10.9      43.5    26.5      10.7    13.9     
 Wyoming ...............       -   ( 2 )          -    ( 2 )        -    1.4         -     1.4         -    50.0         -    43.1     

 Puerto Rico ...........      17      23      3,240    3,015    ( 3 )  ( 3 )     ( 3 )   ( 3 )      68.2    57.6       9.7     7.2     

     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, 2000 and 2001



												      Initial claimants for
				    Layoff events                     Separations                     unemployment insurance
 Census region and division

				  IV      III      IV            IV        III       IV            IV         III        IV
				 2000    2001r    2001p         2000r     2001r     2001p         2000r      2001r      2001p     

	 United States( 1 )..   2,005   1,816     2,538       427,070   384,115   486,406       376,588    364,548    358,067     

 Northeast ..................     204     374       366        44,197    70,433    65,305        43,219     76,949     55,782     

     New England ............      61      86       123        18,909    13,982    24,374         9,996     14,043     17,072     
     Middle Atlantic ........     143     288       243        25,288    56,451    40,931        33,223     62,906     38,710     

 South ......................     365     426       487        63,782    86,458    88,769        68,652     90,119     75,637     

     South Atlantic .........     180     253       239        31,530    41,159    46,566        32,134     47,408     36,817     
     East South Central .....      79      73       102        12,999    14,533    19,132        12,103     11,910     14,293     
     West South Central .....     106     100       146        19,253    30,766    23,071        24,415     30,801     24,527     

 Midwest ....................     754     355       863       153,348    85,697   154,367       154,389     73,750    125,516     

     East North Central .....     622     279       668       133,741    67,808   124,229       134,468     57,543     99,289     
     West North Central .....     132      76       195        19,607    17,889    30,138        19,921     16,207     26,227     

 West .......................     682     661       822       165,743   141,527   177,965       110,328    123,730    101,132     

     Mountain ...............      75     101       123        13,274    27,722    26,612        10,855     29,056     16,556     
     Pacific ................     607     560       699       152,469   113,805   151,353        99,473     94,674     84,576     


      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, 2000 and 2001

												       Initial claimants for
				  Layoff events                      Separations                       unemployment insurance
												       
	    State
			     IV       III        IV           IV         III        IV             IV          III          IV
			    2000     2001r      2001p        2000r      2001r      2001p          2000r       2001r       2001p 

     Total( 1 ) .........  2,005     1,816      2,538       427,070    384,115    486,406        376,588     364,548     358,067     

 Alabama ................     13        24         28         2,658      4,599      6,754          2,334       3,684       4,834     
 Alaska .................     12         -          5         2,395          -      1,047          1,401           -         472     
 Arizona ................     16        26          6         1,963      4,290        741          2,595       3,895       1,043     
 Arkansas ...............      5         5          6         1,351      1,222      1,758          1,799       1,341         648     
 California .............    508       465        581       130,287     98,806    121,981         81,810      78,931      65,953     
 Colorado ...............     17        20         48         2,493      4,780      7,093          2,116       4,451       6,101     
 Connecticut ............     11         7         18         2,874      1,796      3,317          1,817       1,048       1,515     
 Delaware ...............  ( 2 )         3      ( 2 )         ( 2 )        455      ( 2 )          ( 2 )         445       ( 2 )
 District of Columbia ...  ( 2 )     ( 2 )      ( 2 )         ( 2 )      ( 2 )      ( 2 )          ( 2 )       ( 2 )       ( 2 )
 Florida ................     81       145         92        12,433     23,002     11,508         13,997      27,823      11,438     
 Georgia ................     15        19         18         2,837      2,686      8,759          2,333       2,660       2,830     
 Hawaii .................      3        22         13           328      3,185      1,734            362       5,551       1,906     
 Idaho ..................     14         6         10         2,136      1,249      1,675          1,645         851         966     

 Illinois ...............    204       127        254        48,385     41,015     54,348         36,355      29,008      34,938     
 Indiana ................     44        33         72         7,815      7,014     12,389         10,590       7,165      13,575     
 Iowa ...................     36        15         45         4,704      2,701      5,850          6,189       2,766       7,560     
 Kansas .................     10         6          8         1,375        804      3,195          1,486         712       2,134     
 Kentucky ...............     29        18         32         5,363      4,479      6,175          3,932       3,765       5,183     
 Louisiana ..............     11        15         27         1,219      2,416      4,245          1,219       2,621       2,969     
 Maine ..................      5         8         15         6,811      1,160      4,932            995         814       1,975     
 Maryland ...............      9         5         19         1,249        829      3,644            911         469       2,171     
 Massachusetts ..........     37        59         77         8,060      9,256     13,222          6,106      10,503      11,609     
 Michigan ...............    157        42        110        25,145      6,407     12,885         31,527       7,825      16,664     
 Minnesota ..............     76        22         87        12,327      7,113     13,132         11,130       6,264      10,378     
 Mississippi ............     20         7         17         2,785      1,789      2,316          2,014       1,017       1,844     
 Missouri ...............      8        30         45           964      6,469      6,695            879       5,624       4,958     

 Montana ................      7     ( 2 )          7         1,176      ( 2 )      2,118          1,220       ( 2 )         950     
 Nebraska ...............      -     ( 2 )      ( 2 )             -      ( 2 )      ( 2 )              -       ( 2 )       ( 2 )
 Nevada .................      7        34         27         1,567     14,114      7,067          1,159      16,343       3,327     
 New Hampshire ..........  ( 2 )         7          6         ( 2 )      1,270      1,945          ( 2 )       1,163       1,344     
 New Jersey .............     33        53         49         6,527      9,516      8,036          6,745      10,347       7,346     
 New Mexico .............      3         5      ( 2 )         1,158      1,275      ( 2 )            442       1,275       ( 2 )
 New York ...............     65       139        118        11,482     32,254     20,863         10,547      26,393      14,965     
 North Carolina .........     39        45         63         8,996      9,221     14,342          7,167       8,435       9,641     
 North Dakota ...........  ( 2 )     ( 2 )          9         ( 2 )      ( 2 )      1,208          ( 2 )       ( 2 )       1,139     
 Ohio ...................    130        44        138        24,183      6,843     21,713         32,212       7,273      18,525     
 Oklahoma ...............      5        11         10         2,175      1,371      1,910          2,175       3,456       2,908     
 Oregon .................     30        30         39         7,447      4,491      7,642          7,447       4,445       6,787     
 Pennsylvania ...........     45        96         76         7,279     14,681     12,032         15,931      26,166      16,399     

 Rhode Island ...........      5         4          4           765        387        642            712         361         313     
 South Carolina .........      6        13         13           776      1,332      1,275          1,419       2,881       4,387     
 South Dakota ...........      -         -          -             -          -          -              -           -           -
 Tennessee ..............     17        24         25         2,193      3,666      3,887          3,823       3,444       2,432     
 Texas ..................     85        69        103        14,508     25,757     15,158         19,222      23,383      18,002     
 Utah ...................     11         8         21         2,781      1,854      5,713          1,678       1,708       3,700     
 Vermont ................  ( 2 )     ( 2 )      ( 2 )         ( 2 )      ( 2 )      ( 2 )          ( 2 )       ( 2 )       ( 2 )
 Virginia ...............     24        18         30         3,947      2,247      6,737          5,015       3,502       6,049     
 Washington .............     54        43         61        12,012      7,323     18,949          8,453       5,747       9,458     
 West Virginia ..........      3         3         -            186        432         -             186         238          -
 Wisconsin ..............     87        33         94        28,213      6,529     22,894         23,784       6,272      15,587     
 Wyoming ................      -         -      ( 2 )             -          -      ( 2 )              -           -       ( 2 )

 Puerto Rico ............     13        17         23         3,505      4,987      4,691          3,064       3,240       3,015     


   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.