Technical information:  (202) 691-6392       USDL 03-394 
http://www.bls.gov/mls/

                                             For release: 10:00 A.M. EDT
Media contact:                691-5902       Thursday, July 24, 2003


                         MASS LAYOFFS IN JUNE 2003
                                     
                                     
   Employers initiated 1,691 mass layoff actions in June 2003, as measured
by new filings for unemployment insurance benefits during the month, accord-
ing to data from the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics.  
Each action involved at least 50 persons from a single establishment, and the 
number of workers involved totaled 157,595.  (See table 1.)  Elementary and 
secondary schools, with 17,369 claims, accounted for over 11 percent of all 
initial claims in June.  (See table A.)  Compared with June 2002, the number 
of layoff events increased, while the number of workers involved declined.  
June 2003 marks the 13th consecutive month in which mass-layoff initial claims 
declined over the year.  Through the first half of 2003, the total number of 
events, at 9,850, was higher than for the same period a year ago; in contrast, 
the number of initial claims, at 955,780, was lower.  (See table B.)

   The monthly data series in this release cover mass layoffs of 50 or more
workers beginning in a given month, regardless of the duration of the layoffs.  
Information on the length of the layoff is obtained later and issued in a 
quarterly release that reports on mass layoffs lasting more than 30 days 
(referred to as "extended mass layoffs").  That quarterly release provides 
more information on the industry classification and location of the establish-
ment and on the demographics of the laid-off workers.  Because monthly figures 
include short-term layoffs of 30 days or less, the sum of the figures for the 
3 months in a quarter will be higher than the quarterly figure for mass lay-
offs of more than 30 days.  (See table 1.)  See the Technical Note for more 
detailed definitions.

Industry Distribution

   The manufacturing sector accounted for 23 percent of all mass layoff 
events and 26 percent of all initial claims filed in June, little changed 
from a year ago (21 and 26 percent, respectively).  Within manufacturing, the 
number of claimants was highest in transportation equipment (6,367, mainly 
automotive-related), followed by food production (5,829, mostly in fruit and 
vegetable processing).  (See table 2.)

   The administrative and waste services sector accounted for 10 percent of
events and initial claims filed in June, with layoffs mostly in temporary
help services.  Layoffs in temporary help services this June, at 8,936, were 
exceeded only in June 2000 (13,815).  (The series began in 1995.)  Transpor-
tation and warehousing accounted for 8 percent of events and 10 percent of 
initial claims during the month, almost entirely in school and employee bus 
transportation. Seven percent of the events and initial claims were from the 
healthcare and social assistance sector, largely child daycare services.  Five 
percent of all layoff events and 6 percent of initial claims filed during this 
June were in accommodations and food services, primarily among food service 
contractors.  An additional 6 percent of events and initial claims were from 
the retail trade sector, mostly from general merchandise stores.

                                  - 2 -

Table A.  Industries with largest mass layoff initial claims in June 2003p
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                         |        |        June peak
                Industry                 |Initial |------------------------
                                         | claims |  Year  | Initial claims
-----------------------------------------|--------|--------|----------------
                                         |        |        |
Elementary and secondary schools ........| 17,369 |   2003 |     17,369
School and employee bus transportation ..| 12,716 |   2002 |     15,668
Temporary help services..................|  8,936 |   2000 |     13,815
Food service contractors.................|  6,208 |   1999 |      6,410
Child day care services .................|  6,129 |   1995 |      8,779
Motion picture and video production......|  3,057 |   2000 |      9,435
Tire manufacturing, except retreading....|  2,260 |   2001 |      3,555
Executive and legislative offices........|  2,224 |   2003 |      2,224
Professional employer organizations......|  2,165 |   2001 |      3,358
Other social advocacy organizations......|  2,057 |   2000 |      3,815
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
     p=preliminary.

   Government establishments accounted for 17 percent of events and 16 percent 
of initial claims filed during the month, particularly in educational services, 
as the school year ended.  The 25,376 initial claims in this sector were the
most for any June since the series began in 1995.
   
   Compared with June 2002, the largest decreases in initial claims were re-
ported in professional and technical services (-5,545), transit and ground 
passenger transportation (-3,647), and electrical equipment and appliance 
manufacturing (-3,193).  The largest over-the-year increase in initial claims 
was reported in educational services (+5,370).

Geographic Distribution

   Among the four regions, the highest number of initial claims in June due 
to mass layoffs was reported in the West, 53,725.  (See table 3.)  Educational 
services and administrative and support services accounted for 36 percent of 
all initial claims in that region during the month.  The South followed, with 
41,019 initial claims, then the Midwest, with 33,819, and the Northeast, with 
29,032.

   The number of initial claimants in mass layoffs declined over the year in 
three of the four regions, with the largest decrease in the West (-3,998).  
The South had the only over-the-year increase (+3,460).  Five of the nine geo-
graphic divisions had over-the-year decreases in the number of initial claims 
associated with mass layoffs, with the largest declines in the East North 
Central (-3,341) and Pacific (-2,795).  The East South Central (+1,560) and 
South Atlantic (+1,256) divisions had the largest increases.
   
   California recorded the largest number of initial claims filed in mass lay-
off events this June, 42,918, mostly in educational services and in administra-
tive and support services.  Pennsylvania reported 9,665 initial claims, fol-
lowed by New Jersey (9,441), Florida (8,488), Texas (8,462), and Ohio (8,361).  
These six states accounted for 58 percent of all layoff events and 55 percent 
of initial claims for unemployment insurance.  (See table 4.)
   
   Wisconsin reported the largest over-the-year decrease in the number of 
initial claims (-2,435).  The largest over-the-year increase occurred in Ohio
(+3,114).

                                  - 3 -

Table B.  Number of mass layoff events and initial claimants for
unemployment insurance, January-June 1996-2003
--------------------------------------------------------------------
                           |               |
            Year           | Layoff events | Initial claimants for
                           |               | unemployment insurance
---------------------------|---------------|------------------------
1996.......................|      6,600    |         653,184
1997.......................|      7,336    |         735,181
1998.......................|      7,733    |         838,886
1999.......................|      7,810    |         779,259
2000.......................|      7,470    |         819,545
2001.......................|      9,541    |       1,134,173
2002.......................|      9,802    |       1,071,937
2003p......................|      9,850    |         955,780
--------------------------------------------------------------------
    p=preliminary.

Review of January through June 2003

    During the first half of 2003, the nation experienced 9,850 mass layoff 
events, resulting in 955,780 initial claims filings for unemployment insurance.  
The number of events was the highest for any January-June period since such 
data became available in 1996.  The number of initial claimants during January-
June 2003 was lower than it had been in 2001 and 2002.  (See table B.)
     
     Manufacturing accounted for 31 percent of all mass layoff events and 
36 percent of initial claims filed thus far this year, about the same as a 
year earlier.  Initial claim filings within manufacturing were most numerous 
in transportation equipment (62,831), followed by food production (43,142), 
computer and electronic products (28,622), and machinery (27,539).
     
     The number of mass-layoff initial claims filed in January-June 2003 was 
higher in the West (317,281) than in any other region.  Layoffs in administra-
tive and support services and in motion picture and sound recording accounted 
for 25 percent of the claims in the West.  The fewest number of mass-layoff 
initial claims was reported in the Northeast region (169,912).  Over the year, 
the largest decreases in mass-layoff initial claims occurred in the West 
(-47,372), followed closely by the Midwest (-41,648).  The Northeast reported 
the only over-the-year increase (+5,567).
     
     Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, California had the 
largest number of initial claims filed in mass layoff events for the first 
half of the year (279,240) and accounted for 26 percent of the national total.
California reported the largest over-the-year decrease in initial claims 
(-31,383), followed by Illinois (-18,500). New York had the largest over-the-
year increase (+18,192).
                    
                    
                    _______________________________
                       

   The report on Extended Mass Layoffs in the Second Quarter of 2003 will be 
issued on Wednesday, August 20, 2003.



Technical Note
 
 
 
 The Mass Layoff Statistics (MLS) program is a federal-state program that
uses a standardized, automated approach to identifying, describing, and
tracking the effects of major job cutbacks, using data from each state's
unemployment insurance database.  Each month, states report on
establishments which have at least 50 initial claims filed against them
during a consecutive 5-week period.  These establishments then are
contacted by the state agency to determine whether these separations lasted
31 days or longer, and, if so, other information concerning the layoff is
collected.  States report on layoffs lasting more than 1 month on a
quarterly basis.
 
 A given month contains an aggregation of the weekly unemployment
insurance claims filings for the Sunday through Saturday weeks in that
month.  All weeks are included for the particular month, except if the
first day of the month falls on Saturday.  In this case, the week is
included in the prior month's tabulations.  This means that some months
will contain 4 weeks and others 5 weeks, and the number of weeks in a given
month may be different from year to year.  Therefore, analysis of over-the-
month and over-the-year change should take this calendar effect into
consideration.
 
 The MLS program resumed operations in April 1995 after it had been
terminated in November 1992 due to lack of funding.  Prior to April 1995,
monthly layoff statistics were not available.
 
 Information in this release will be made available to sensory
impaired individuals upon request.  Voice phone: 202-691-5200; 
TDD message referral phone number:  1-800-877-8339.
 
Definitions
 
 Initial claimant.  A person who files any notice of unemployment to
initiate a request either for a determination of entitlement to and
eligibility for compensation, or for a subsequent period of unemployment
within a benefit year or period of eligibility.
 
 Mass layoff event.  Fifty or more initial claims for unemployment
insurance benefits filed against an establishment during a 5-week period,
regardless of duration.
  
  

Table 1. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance, April 2001 to June 2003
                            
                                                            Extended mass layoffs 
                                Total mass layoffs        lasting more than 30 days        Realization rates(1)
             Date           

                                           Initial                        Initial                      Initial
                                Events    claimants       Events         claimants         Events     claimants
                            
             2001           

April ......................     1,450     176,265
May ........................     1,434     159,365
June .......................     2,107     253,826

Second Quarter .............     4,991     589,456         2,072          401,270           41.5         68.1

July .......................     2,117     273,807
August .....................     1,490     166,148
September ..................     1,327     160,402

Third Quarter ..............     4,934     600,357         1,815          370,942           36.8         61.8

October ....................     1,831     215,483
November ...................     2,721     295,956
December ...................     2,440     268,893

Fourth Quarter .............     6,992     780,332         2,698          502,724           38.6         64.4

             2002           

January ....................     2,146     263,821
February ...................     1,383     138,984
March ......................     1,460     161,336

First Quarter ..............     4,989     564,141         1,747          315,781           35.0         56.0

April ......................     1,507     165,861
May ........................     1,726     180,007
June .......................     1,580     161,928

Second Quarter .............     4,813     507,796         1,905          352,807           39.6         69.5

July .......................     2,041     245,211
August .....................     1,247     128,080
September ..................     1,062     124,512

Third Quarter ..............     4,350     497,803         1,382          278,483           31.8         55.9

October ....................     1,497     171,088
November ...................     2,150     240,028
December ...................     2,470     263,775

Fourth Quarter .............     6,117     674,891         2,259          421,669           36.9         62.5

             2003           

January ....................     2,315     225,415
February ...................     1,363     124,977
March ......................     1,206     112,914

First Quarter ..............     4,884     463,306   (2)(p)1,508    (2)(p)210,674        (p)30.9      (p)45.5

April  (3) .................     1,576     161,095
May  (3)(p) ................     1,699     173,784
June (p) ...................     1,691     157,595

Second Quarter (3)(p) ......     4,966     492,474


    1 The event realization rate is the percentage of total mass layoff events lasting more than 30 days. The
initial claimant realization rate is the percentage of total mass-layoff initial claimants associated with
layoffs lasting more than 30 days. 
    2 These quarterly numbers are provisional and will increase as more data on these layoffs become avaliable.
Recent experience suggests that the number of extended mass layoff events is generally revised upwards by less
than 10 percent and the number of initial claimants associated with such events increases by 25-40 percent. 
    3 For April and May 2003, data were reported by all states and the District of Columbia, except Wyoming. 
    p = preliminary. 
        
  

Table 2. Industry distribution: Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance
                                                 
                                                                                                    Initial claimants for          
                                                             Mass layoff events                     unemployment insurance         
                     Industry                    

                                                     June     April     May     June        June       April       May       June  
                                                     2002     2003     2003p    2003p       2002       2003       2003p      2003p 


     Total (1) ..................................    1,580    1,576    1,699    1,691      161,928    161,095    173,784    157,595

Total, private ..................................    1,356    1,529    1,587    1,397      142,567    157,244    163,626    132,219

  Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting ....       92       64       53       61        6,256      4,624      3,299      4,442
  Mining ........................................        8    ( 2 )        9        4        1,210      ( 2 )      1,749        602
  Utilities .....................................        3        5        7        3          303        326        529        315
  Construction ..................................       84      150      159       95        5,809     10,042     13,279      6,238
  Manufacturing .................................      336      500      497      389       42,117     62,429     61,174     40,845
      Food ......................................       49       85       69       59        5,851      8,468      7,592      5,829
      Beverage and tobacco products .............        6        7        5    ( 2 )          452        450        548      ( 2 )
      Textile mills .............................       10       17       21       18        1,118      2,725      2,204      1,970
      Textile product mills .....................        5        9       10       10          663        697        948      1,581
      Apparel ...................................       15       19       31       19        1,363      2,385      3,705      1,584
      Leather and allied products ...............    ( 2 )        5        7        6        ( 2 )        398        544        692
      Wood products .............................       18       30       24        9        2,359      2,858      2,361        711
      Paper .....................................        8       14       15        9        1,078      1,083      1,072      1,202
      Printing and related support activities ...       13        8       16       14        1,057        848      1,249      1,053
      Petroleum and coal products ...............    ( 2 )        -        3    ( 2 )        ( 2 )          -        190      ( 2 )

      Chemicals .................................        6        6        8        9          606      1,752        930        878
      Plastics and rubber products ..............       10       24       21       19          898      3,789      1,439      3,233
      Nonmetallic mineral products ..............        8       14       13       10          754      1,190      1,080        828
      Primary metals ............................       18       27       27       29        2,681      3,195      3,920      2,226
      Fabricated metal products .................       20       35       34       23        2,103      2,478      2,957      1,728
      Machinery .................................       27       35       39       30        4,543      4,368      6,179      3,062
      Computer and electronic products ..........       36       53       46       35        2,959      4,985      4,029      3,464
      Electrical equipment and appliances .......       25       17       20       13        5,281      1,836      3,665      2,088
      Transportation equipment ..................       34       67       52       51        5,594     15,454     13,288      6,367
      Furniture and related products ............       17       22       21       15        2,005      2,829      1,985      1,363
      Miscellaneous manufacturing ...............        7        6       15        6          527        641      1,289        572

  Wholesale trade ...............................       23       31       31       25        2,165      2,425      2,431      1,597
  Retail trade ..................................       83      121      118      100        7,257     11,656     12,190      9,640
  Transportation and warehousing ................      141      132       80      135       18,068     14,386      7,755     15,035
  Information ...................................       42       51       63       54        4,210     11,131      8,819      5,954
  Finance and insurance .........................       35       34       31       23        2,431      2,061      2,414      1,730
  Real estate and rental and leasing ............        7       10        5        7          602        569        478        485
  Professional and technical services ...........       36       60       65       36        8,902      5,852      5,542      3,357
  Management of companies and enterprises .......        3    ( 2 )        5        4          621      ( 2 )        369        725
  Administrative and waste services .............      165      186      203      175       14,236     16,593     19,518     15,596
  Educational services ..........................       18        6        8       12        1,128        463        536        961
  Health care and social assistance .............      117       24       83      123       10,987      1,695      6,948     10,245
  Arts, entertainment, and recreation ...........       29       33       32       25        1,983      2,551      2,293      1,383
  Accommodation and food services ...............       80       95       98       83        9,966      8,014     10,068      9,979
  Other services, except public administration ..       49       17       38       41        3,976      1,504      4,090      2,937

  Unclassified ..................................        5        5        2        2          340        389        145        153

Government ......................................      224       47      112      294       19,361      3,851     10,158     25,376
  Federal .......................................       13        4       14        9        1,791        318      1,736        841
  State .........................................       16       13       17       22        1,665      1,470      1,454      1,699
  Local .........................................      195       30       81      263       15,905      2,063      6,968     22,836


    1 For April and May 2003, data were reported by all states and the District of Columbia, except Wyoming. 
    2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards. 
    p = preliminary.
    NOTE:  Industry data reflect the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), 2002. Dash represents zero. 

       

Table 3. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance by census region and division
                           
                                                                                      Initial claimants for            
                                          Mass layoff events                          unemployment insurance           
 Census region and division

                               June       April       May       June         June        April        May        June  
                               2002       2003       2003p      2003p        2002        2003        2003p       2003p 

      United States (1) ...    1,580      1,576      1,699      1,691       161,928     161,095     173,784     157,595

Northeast .................      258        326        274        275        30,153      30,892      27,071      29,032

  New England .............       57         59         32         55         6,746       6,214       2,888       5,732
  Middle Atlantic .........      201        267        242        220        23,407      24,678      24,183      23,300

South .....................      380        323        446        461        37,559      34,922      48,321      41,019

  South Atlantic ..........      197        151        214        243        17,657      14,851      21,217      18,913
  East South Central ......       67         74         74         78         7,935       9,550       7,645       9,495
  West South Central ......      116         98        158        140        11,967      10,521      19,459      12,611

Midwest ...................      311        334        373        310        36,493      43,466      46,401      33,819

  East North Central ......      238        271        271        238        27,739      36,974      34,240      24,398
  West North Central ......       73         63        102         72         8,754       6,492      12,161       9,421

West (1) ..................      631        593        606        645        57,723      51,815      51,991      53,725

  Mountain (1) ............       59         68         58         68         7,073       6,109       5,684       5,870
  Pacific .................      572        525        548        577        50,650      45,706      46,307      47,855


    1 See footnote 1, table 2.
    p = preliminary.
    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 4. State distribution: Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance
                         
                                                                                       Initial claimants for            
                                         Mass layoff events                            unemployment insurance           
           State         

                             June        April        May        June         June        April        May        June  
                             2002        2003        2003p       2003p        2002        2003        2003p       2003p 

   Total (1) ............    1,580       1,576       1,699       1,691       161,928     161,095     173,784     157,595

Alabama .................       24          24          21          21         3,415       4,048       1,996       3,882
Alaska ..................        4           6       ( 2 )           4           401         489       ( 2 )         439
Arizona .................       23          22          19          17         2,576       2,193       1,846       1,282
Arkansas ................        3           3           4           9           210         326         266         653
California ..............      507         455         502         526        43,520      39,040      41,857      42,918
Colorado ................        3          14           7          11           277       1,318         721         884
Connecticut .............       14           3           5           9         2,018         206         403       1,296
Delaware ................    ( 2 )           3       ( 2 )           4         ( 2 )         180       ( 2 )         266
District of Columbia ....    ( 2 )           -       ( 2 )       ( 2 )         ( 2 )           -       ( 2 )       ( 2 )
Florida .................      104          64         100         117         7,222       4,451       8,078       8,488
Georgia .................       20          31          38          43         2,966       4,299       3,807       3,641
Hawaii ..................    ( 2 )           8           6           7         ( 2 )         621         554         525
Idaho ...................        7           8          11           8         1,571         778       1,444         629

Illinois ................       58          64          70          44         6,074       7,210       9,525       4,231
Indiana .................       27          37          34          36         4,628       6,826       4,685       3,912
Iowa ....................       13          13          27          10         1,615       1,249       4,582       1,186
Kansas ..................        4           5           7          11           439         406         811       2,198
Kentucky ................       20          29          25          28         2,252       4,186       3,100       3,087
Louisiana ...............       28          20          22          28         2,757       2,777       2,005       2,308
Maine ...................        4           6           4           6           225         575         265         388
Maryland ................       10           9           8          11         1,095         859         969         950
Massachusetts ...........       23          29          16          32         1,851       3,307       1,734       3,230
Michigan ................       50          32          36          39         5,002       4,704       6,599       3,541
Minnesota ...............       19          21          22          20         2,900       2,848       2,119       1,898
Mississippi .............        6           9          10           7           405         547         717         547
Missouri ................       26          18          28          25         2,665       1,441       3,044       3,730

Montana .................    ( 2 )           4           3           8         ( 2 )         443         236         528
Nebraska ................        5           4           9           4           429         348         702         267
Nevada ..................       15          13          14          14         1,933         961       1,099       1,597
New Hampshire ...........        5           3       ( 2 )           3         1,229         205       ( 2 )         296
New Jersey ..............       57          47          22          69         9,137       4,523       1,915       9,441
New Mexico ..............        3           3       ( 2 )           6           168         178       ( 2 )         648
New York ................       40          91         110          46         3,072       9,151      11,375       4,194
North Carolina ..........       18          21          27          24         1,771       1,990       2,790       1,918
North Dakota ............        5       ( 2 )           5           -           644       ( 2 )         349           -
Ohio ....................       46          62          68          72         5,247      10,704       7,098       8,361
Oklahoma ................        7           6          23          13           450       1,070       4,653       1,188
Oregon ..................       30          22          22          20         3,446       2,238       2,151       2,022
Pennsylvania ............      104         129         110         105        11,198      11,004      10,893       9,665

Rhode Island ............        8           9       ( 2 )       ( 2 )         1,246       1,137       ( 2 )       ( 2 )
South Carolina ..........       19           8          11          12         1,848       1,228       1,436       1,039
South Dakota ............    ( 2 )       ( 2 )           4       ( 2 )         ( 2 )       ( 2 )         554       ( 2 )
Tennessee ...............       17          12          18          22         1,863         769       1,832       1,979
Texas ...................       78          69         109          90         8,550       6,348      12,535       8,462
Utah ....................        6           4       ( 2 )           4           422         238       ( 2 )         302
Vermont .................        3           9           4       ( 2 )           177         784         315       ( 2 )
Virginia ................       20          13          26          27         2,193       1,719       2,967       2,189
Washington ..............       29          34          17          20         3,163       3,318       1,684       1,951
West Virginia ...........    ( 2 )       ( 2 )       ( 2 )       ( 2 )         ( 2 )       ( 2 )       ( 2 )       ( 2 )
Wisconsin ...............       57          76          63          47         6,788       7,530       6,333       4,353
Wyoming .................        -       ( 1 )       ( 1 )           -             -       ( 1 )       ( 1 )           -

Puerto Rico .............        9          13           7           8           998       1,833       1,098         702


    1 See footnote 1, table 2.
    2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards. 
    p = preliminary.
    NOTE:  Dash represents zero.