Technical information:  (202) 691-6392      USDL 05-264
http://www.bls.gov/mls/

                                            For release: 10:00 A.M. EST
Media contact:                691-5902      Wednesday, February 16, 2005
                                     
                                     
            EXTENDED MASS LAYOFFS IN THE FOURTH QUARTER OF 2004
                       AND ANNUAL AVERAGES FOR 2004
   
   In the fourth quarter of 2004, 1,295 mass layoff actions were taken
by employers that resulted in the separation of 236,637 workers from their
jobs for at least 31 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 sharply lower
than in October-December 2003, with separations at its lowest level for any
fourth quarter since the program began in 1995.  (See table A.)  The
declines over the year were most notable in food and beverage stores,
administrative and support services, heavy and civil engineering
construction, and transportation equipment manufacturing.  Extended mass
layoffs that involve the movement of work within the same company or to a
different company, domestically or outside the U.S., occurred in about 11
percent of the nonseasonal layoff events and accounted for about 14 percent
of the worker separations in nonseasonal events.  (See table B.)  Forty-
eight percent of the employers anticipating a recall expected to extend the
offer to all laid-off workers, the highest proportion for a fourth quarter
since 2000.
    
    -------------------------------------------------------------------
   |    NOTE:  With this release, BLS resumes quarterly publication    |
   | of data on worker separations specifically associated with the    |
   | movement of work within the same company or to other companies,   |
   | domestically or outside the U.S.  Such instances of movement of   |
   | work are referred to as "actions," and, along with actions where  |
   | movement of work does not occur, are components of layoff events. |
   | BLS first issued movement of work information on June 10, 2004,   |
   | with data for the first quarter of 2004.  Data collected for      |
   | subsequent quarters included responses where employers could not  |
   | disaggregate separations due to movement of work within or out    |
   | of the country.  BLS suspended publication of such information,   |
   | pending review to determine if the quantity and quality of data   |
   | available from employers were sufficient to meet the Bureau's     |
   | statistical publication criteria.                                 |
   |                                                                   |
   |    After completing this review, BLS decided that the data        |
   | collected on this topic meet sufficient statistical standards     |
   | for publication.  Beginning with this release, BLS will publish   |
   | a range for separations associated with movement of work each     |
   | quarter.  The data provided by respondents on the number of       |
   | separations associated with specific movement of work actions     |
   | establish a lower bound (12,152 in the fourth quarter of 2004).   |
   | The upper bound is the total number of separations in extended    |
   | mass layoff events where there was some movement of work (16,361  |
   | in the fourth quarter).  (See Table B.)  The difference between   |
   | the lower and upper bounds includes an unknown number of separa-  |
   | tions that were not due to movement of work and an unknown number |
   | of separations from movement of work actions where employers      |
   | could not provide detail.                                         |
   |                                                                   |
   |    Table 11 of this release contains data, published for the      |
   | first time for the second, third, and fourth quarters of 2004,    |
   | on separations associated with specific movement of work actions. |
   | The figures in Table 11 are only for those movement of work ac-   |
   | tions where specific counts of separations were known.  See the   |
   | Technical Note later in this news release for information on      |
   | movement of work concepts and definitions.                        |
   |                                                                   |
    -------------------------------------------------------------------


                               - 2 -

Table A.  Selected measures of extended mass layoff activity
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Period          | Layoff events|  Separations | Initial claimants
-------------------------|--------------|--------------|-------------------
          2000           |              |              |
January-March............|     1,081    |    202,500   |     180,205
April-June...............|     1,055    |    205,861   |     186,759
July-September...........|       817    |    174,628   |     158,394
October-December.........|     1,638    |    332,973   |     320,909
          2001           |              |              |
January-March............|     1,546    |    304,171   |     306,535
April-June...............|     1,828    |    430,499   |     358,611
July-September...........|     1,629    |    330,391   |     336,298
October-December.........|     2,372    |    459,771   |     456,068
          2002           |              |              |
January-March............|     1,611    |    299,266   |     292,998
April-June...............|     1,624    |    344,606   |     299,598
July-September...........|     1,186    |    255,152   |     254,955
October-December.........|     1,916    |    373,307   |     370,592
          2003           |              |              |
January-March............|     1,502    |    286,947   |     297,608
April-June...............|     1,799    |    368,273   |     348,966
July-September...........|     1,190    |    236,333   |     227,909
October-December.........|     1,690    |    325,333   |     326,328
          2004           |              |              |
January-March(r).........|     1,339    |    276,448   |     238,305
April-June(r)............|     1,358    |    278,380   |     253,231
July-September(r)........|       887    |    164,822   |     145,889
October-December(p)......|     1,295    |    236,637   |     178,834
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
  r = revised.
  p = preliminary.


   In the fourth quarter of 2004, the national unemployment rate was 5.1
percent, not seasonally adjusted; a year earlier it was 5.5 percent.
Private nonfarm payroll employment, not seasonally adjusted, increased by
1.8 percent or about 2 million jobs from October-December 2003 to October-
December 2004.
   
   The completion of seasonal work accounted for 47 percent of all events
and resulted in 118,684 separations during the period--the lowest level
for any fourth quarter since 1999.  Layoffs due to internal company
restructuring (bankruptcy, business ownership change, financial difficulty,
and reorganization) represented 15 percent of events and resulted in 36,266
separations, the lowest level for a fourth quarter since 1995.  Permanent
closure of worksites occurred in 12 percent of all events and affected
32,733 workers, the fewest number of workers for any fourth quarter.
   
   For all of 2004, the total of extended mass layoff events was 4,879 and
the total number of worker separations was 956,327.  These annual totals
were significantly lower than in 2003 (6,181 and 1,216,886, respectively).
Since reaching a peak in 2001, the annual number of extended layoff events
has fallen by 2,496, or 34 percent, and the number of separations has
declined by 568,505, or 37 percent.  Additional information on the annual
data is available starting on page 8 of this release.

                                  - 3 -

Industry Distribution of Extended Layoffs
   
   Extended mass layoff separations occurred in 356 of the 1,197 detailed
industries for which data are available for the fourth quarter 2004.  This
is the fewest number of industries to have at least one extended mass
layoff event in a fourth quarter since 1995.                           

   Manufacturing industries accounted for 31 percent of private nonfarm
layoff events and 30 percent of separations during October-December 2004.
(See table 1.)  The 69,922 worker separations in manufacturing were the
fewest for manufacturing for any fourth quarter since the series began in
1995.  In the fourth quarter of 2004, layoff activity in this sector was
concentrated in food manufacturing (23,882) followed by transportation
equipment manufacturing (7,939) and computer and electronic products
manufacturing (4,679).
   
   The construction sector had 29 percent of events and 23 percent of
separations, mostly in heavy and civil engineering construction.
Administrative and waste services accounted for 11 percent of private
nonfarm layoff events and separations, primarily in temporary help
services.  Layoffs in the retail trade sector comprised 4 percent of events
and 8 percent of separations, mostly among general merchandise stores and
nonstore retailers.  Layoffs in accommodation and food services accounted
for 6 percent of events and 8 percent of separations, mainly in hotels and
motels, except casino hotels.
   
   Information technology-producing industries (communication equipment,
communications services, computer hardware, and software and computer
services) accounted for 4 percent of layoff events and 7,857 worker
separations in the fourth quarter of 2004.  A year earlier these industries
accounted for 4 percent of layoff events and 15,318 separations.  (See
table 6.)  This also marked the fewest number of separations in this
industry grouping for a fourth quarter since 1999.  Layoffs in the
information technology-producing industries were most numerous in
communications services with 3,082 separations, followed by the computer
hardware industry.
   
   
Reasons for Extended Layoff
   
   Layoffs due to the completion of seasonal work accounted for 47 percent
of the extended layoff events and resulted in 118,684 separations in the
fourth quarter, 50 percent of the total.  This marked the first time that
as much as half of the separations were due to seasonal layoffs.  (See
table 2.)  Seasonal layoffs were most numerous among workers in heavy and
civil engineering construction, in food manufacturing, and in general
merchandise stores.
   
   Internal company restructuring (due to bankruptcy, business ownership
change, financial difficulty, and reorganization) accounted for 15 percent
of layoff events and resulted in 36,266 separations.  These layoffs were
mostly among workers in credit intermediation and related activities,
transportation equipment manufacturing, and food manufacturing.  Over half
of both the internal company restructuring layoff events and separations
were due to reorganization within the company.

                                  - 4 -

Table B.  Extended mass layoff events and separations, selected
measures, fourth quarter 2004p
----------------------------------------------------------------------             
                                  |                 |
               Action             |  Layoff events  |   Separations
                                  |                 |                       
----------------------------------|-----------------|-----------------                
                                  |                 |                               
 Total private nonfarm............|      1,295      |     236,637          
                                  |                 |  
   Total, excluding seasonal      |                 |             
     and vacation events(1).......|        690      |     117,953
                                  |                 |       
     Total events with move-      |                 |
      ment of work(2).............|         74      |      16,361
                                  |                 |
                                  |                 |
      Movement of work actions....|        124      |       (3)
       With separations reported..|         88      |      12,152
       With separations unknown...|         36      |       (3)
----------------------------------------------------------------------                                                                

   1 The questions on movement of work were not asked of employers
when the reason for layoff was either seasonal work or vacation
period.
   2 A layoff event can involve more than one action.
   3 Data not available.
   p = preliminary.


Movement of Work
   
   Between October and December of 2004, 74 extended mass layoff events
involved the movement of work; this was about 11 percent of total extended
mass layoff events, excluding those for seasonal and vacation reasons.
(See table B.)  These movements of work were to other U.S. locations or to
locations outside of the U.S., and they occurred either within the same
company or to other companies.  The extended mass layoff events involving
movement of work were associated with the separation of 16,361 workers,
about 14 percent of all separations resulting from nonseasonal/nonvacation
mass layoff events.  Revised data from the third quarter of 2004 show that
there were 84 extended mass layoff events and 17,400 separations involving
the movement of work.  (See table 10.)  The first quarter of 2004 marked
the initial reporting of job loss data relating to the movement of work in
the Bureau's Mass Layoff Statistics program.
   
   Among the 74 extended mass layoff events with reported relocation of
work in the fourth quarter of 2004, 74 percent were permanent closures of
worksites, which affected 12,623 workers.  In comparison, for the 1,295
total layoff events reported for the fourth quarter of 2004, only 12 per-
cent involved the permanent closure of worksites.

   Of the layoffs involving the movement of work, 70 percent of the events
and 72 percent of the laid-off workers were from manufacturing industries
during the fourth quarter of 2004.  (See table 7.)  Among all private
nonfarm extended layoffs, manufacturing accounted for 31 percent of the
events and 30 percent of the separations.

                                  - 5 -

Table C.  Movement of work actions by type of separation where the
number of separations is known by employers, fourth quarter 2004p
--------------------------------------------------------------------
                          |                    |    
          Action          |  Layoff events (1) |    Separations
                          |                    |                
--------------------------------------------------------------------         
                          |                    |
With separations reported.|         88         |       12,152  
                          |                    |             
        By location       |                    |             
                          |                    |             
  Out of country..........|         31         |        5,134          
    Within company........|         28         |        4,701          
    Different company.....|          3         |          433        
                          |                    |             
  Domestic relocations....|         57         |        7,018          
    Within company .......|         50         |        6,310          
    Different company.....|          7         |          708        
                          |                    |             
        By company        |                    |             
                          |                    |             
  Within company..........|         78         |       11,011            
    Domestic..............|         50         |        6,310           
    Out of country........|         28         |        4,701    
                          |                    |             
  Different company.......|         10         |        1,141     
    Domestic..............|          7         |          708     
    Out of country........|          3         |          433     
--------------------------------------------------------------------           
   1 Only actions for which separations associated with the movement
of work were reported are shown.
   p = preliminary.


   Internal company restructuring (bankruptcy, business ownership change,
financial difficulty, and reorganization) accounted for 68 percent of
layoff events associated with work relocation and resulted in 10,369
separations during the fourth quarter.  (See table 8.)  Most of these were
due to reorganization within the company.  In contrast, only 15 percent of
the layoff events in the total private nonfarm economy were because of
internal company restructuring.
   
   Among the regions, the South accounted for the largest proportion of
workers in extended mass layoffs associated with the movement of work
(42 percent) in the fourth quarter of 2004, followed by the Midwest
(22 percent), the Northeast (19 percent), and the West (17 percent).
(See table 9.)
   
   As noted in table B, the 74 extended layoff events for tht fourth quarter
of 2004 discussed above involve 124 identifiable relocations of work.  (An
identifiable relocation of work occurs when the employer provides sufficient
information on the new location of work and/or the number of workers affected
by the movement.  Some extended mass layoff events involve more than one
relocation of work action.  For example, an extended mass layoff event at
an establishment may involve job loss due to movement of work to both another
domestic location of the company and a location out of the country.  This
would be counted as two relocation of work actions.)  Of the 124 relocations,
employers were able to provide information on the specific separations
(12,152 workers) associated with the movement of work component of the layoff
in 88 actions, or 71 percent of the total actions for the fourth quarter of
2004.  Thus, a range of 12,152 (separations in movement of work actions where
the employer was able to provide specific detail) to 16,361 (total separations
in all layoff events that included movement of work) is established for
separations due to the movement of work in the fourth quarter.  (See table 10
for similar data for earlier quarters.)
   
   In the 88 actions where employers were able to provide more complete
separation information, 9 in 10 worker separations associated with the
movement of work (11,011 out of 12,152) occurred among establishments
within the same company.  (See table C.)  In 57 percent of these
separations, the work activities were reassigned to places elsewhere in the
U.S.  Just over one-third of the movement-of-work situations involved out-
of-country moves (31 out of 88).  The separation of 5,134 workers was
associated with out-of-country relocations--slightly more than two-fifths
of all separations related to the movement of work and about 4 percent of
all nonseasonal/nonvacation extended mass layoff separations.  Domestic
relocation of work--both within the company and to other companies--
affected 7,018 workers.  (See table 11.)

                                  - 6 -

Table D.  Summary of employer expectations of a recall from
extended layoff, fourth quarter 2003-fourth quarter 2004
---------------------------------------------------------------
                     |          Percentage of events
 Nature of the recall|-----------------------------------------
                     |   IV  |   I   |   II  |   III  |  IV
                     |  2003 |  2004 |  2004r|  2004r | 2004p
---------------------|-------|-------|-------|--------|--------
                     |       |       |       |        |
Anticipate a recall..|  58.2 |  39.6 |  55.2 |  41.0  |  65.1
                     |       |       |       |        |
      Timeframe      |       |       |       |        |
                     |       |       |       |        |
Within 6 months......|  85.5 |  82.5 |  84.6 |  84.1  |  84.3
  Within 3 months....|  37.3 |  48.7 |  55.5 |  66.8  |  33.0
                     |       |       |       |        |
        Size         |       |       |       |        |
                     |       |       |       |        |
At least half........|  91.7 |  86.4 |  91.3 |  86.0  |  93.1
  All workers........|  45.0 |  35.3 |  52.3 |  46.7  |  48.2
---------------------------------------------------------------
  r = revised.
  p = preliminary.


Recall Expectations
   
   Sixty-five percent of employers reporting an extended layoff in the
fourth quarter of 2004 indicated they anticipated some type of recall.
This compares with 58 percent of the employers anticipating a recall a
year earlier and is the highest proportion for a fourth quarter since
1997.  (See table D.)  Most of the employers not expecting a recall
were in administrative and support services, transportation equipment
manufacturing, and computer and electronic product manufacturing.
   
   Among establishments expecting a recall, most employers expected to
recall over one-half of the separated employees and to do so within 6
months.  Forty-eight percent of the employers expected to extend the offer
to all laid-off workers, the highest proportion for a fourth quarter since
2000.

   Excluding layoff events due to seasonal work and vacation period (in
which 98 percent of the employers expected a recall), employers expected to
recall laid-off workers in 36 percent of the events.  A year earlier, 29
percent of employers expected a recall in nonseasonal and nonvacation
events.  In layoff events due to internal company restructuring, employers
anticipated a recall in only 4 percent of the events.
   
Size of Extended Layoff
   
   Layoff events during the fourth quarter continued to be concentrated at
the lower end of the extended layoff-size spectrum, with 61 percent
involving fewer than 150 workers.  These events, however, accounted for
only 30 percent of all separations.  (See table E.)  Separations involving
500 or more workers accounted for 25 percent of all separations, not very
different from a year earlier.  The average size of layoffs (as measured by
separations per layoff event) differed widely by industry, ranging from a
low of 93 separations in chemical manufacturing to a high of 781 in
nonstore retailers.
   
                                  - 7 -

Table E.  Distribution of extended layoff events by size of layoff,
October-December 2004p
-------------------------------------------------------------------
                 |      Layoff events     |       Separations
      Size       |------------------------|------------------------
                 |   Number  |   Percent  |  Number  |   Percent
-----------------|-----------|------------|----------|-------------
    Total........|   1,295   |    100.0   |  236,637 |    100.0
                 |           |            |          |
50-99............|     478   |     36.9   |   34,696 |     14.7
100-149..........|     307   |     23.7   |   36,536 |     15.4
150-199..........|     157   |     12.1   |   26,765 |     11.3
200-299..........|     187   |     14.4   |   43,874 |     18.5
300-499..........|      99   |      7.6   |   35,480 |     15.0
500-999..........|      50   |      3.9   |   31,697 |     13.4
1,000 or more....|      17   |      1.3   |   27,589 |     11.7
-------------------------------------------------------------------
  p = preliminary.


Initial Claimant Characteristics
   
   A total of 178,834 initial claimants for unemployment insurance were
associated with extended mass layoffs in the fourth quarter of 2004.  Of
these claimants, 11 percent were black, 17 percent were Hispanic, 34
percent were women, and 16 percent were 55 years of age or older.  (See
table 3.)  Thirty-eight percent of claimants were 30 to 44 years of age.
Among the civilian labor force for the same period, 11 percent were black,
13 percent were Hispanic, 46 percent were women, and 16 percent were 55
years of age or older.  Thirty-six percent of the civilian labor force were
ages 30 to 44.
   
Geographic Distribution

   In the fourth quarter, the number of separations due to extended mass
layoff events was highest in the Midwest (94,478), followed by the West
(61,731), the South (41,776), and the Northeast (38,652).  (See table 4.)
Extended mass layoffs in the Midwest were mainly in heavy and civil
engineering construction, administrative and support services, and
specialty trade contractors.
   
   All four regions reported over-the-year decreases in separations, with
the largest decrease occurring in the Midwest (-36,520), followed by the
West (-32,741), the Northeast (-10,638), and the South (-8,797).  Seven of
the nine geographic divisions reported over-the-year declines in laid-off
workers, with the largest declines occurring in the East North Central
(-32,937) and Pacific divisions (-32,454).  The over-the-year increases were
in the East South Central (+2,753) and West South Central (+908) divisions.
   
   Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, the largest number of
worker separations occurred in California (37,864), followed by Illinois
(36,232) and Florida (16,463).  These three states accounted for 29 percent
of total layoff events and 38 percent of the separations during the fourth
quarter of 2004.  They were followed by Minnesota (12,433), New York
(11,525), Pennsylvania (11,182), Michigan (10,912), and Ohio (10,740).
(See table 5.)  After excluding the substantial impact of seasonal work,
Illinois reported the most laid-off workers (17,429), largely due to
layoffs in administrative and support services.
   
   Over the year, California reported the greatest decrease in workers laid
off during the fourth quarter (-26,539), followed by Wisconsin (-13,063),
Michigan (-8,740), and Ohio (-7,354).  The largest increases occurred in
Tennessee (+1,530) and Pennsylvania (+1,455).
   
                                  - 8 -

Table F.  Mass layoff events and separations, selected metropolitan areas
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           |     Events    |   Separations
            Metropolitan area              |---------------|------------------
                                           |   IV  |  IV   |   IV    |  IV
                                           |  2003 | 2004p |  2003   | 2004p
-------------------------------------------|-------|------ |---------|--------
Total, nonmetropolitan areas...............|  260  |  194  |  42,481 |  32,774
                                           |       |       |         |
Total, 331 metropolitan areas..............|  862  |  732  | 153,539 | 126,274
                                           |       |       |         |
   Chicago, Ill. ..........................|   90  |   84  |  17,613 |  17,159
   Detroit, Mich. .........................|   36  |   36  |   4,537 |   5,060
   Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.-Wis. .......|   41  |   33  |   5,413 |   4,794
   Los Angeles-Long Beach, Calif. .........|   28  |   15  |  10,275 |   4,649
   New York, N.Y. .........................|   28  |   22  |   4,999 |   3,685
   San Francisco, Calif. ..................|    6  |   11  |   1,253 |   2,866
   Philadelphia, Pa.-N.J. .................|   11  |   19  |   1,610 |   2,663
   Fresno, Calif. .........................|   13  |    7  |   2,399 |   2,095 
   Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, Wash. ........|   10  |    7  |   1,228 |   2,085
   Rockford, Ill. .........................|    6  |    7  |   1,112 |   1,928
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  p = preliminary.


   Fifty-seven percent of events and 53 percent of separations occurred in
metropolitan areas in the fourth quarter of 2004, compared to 51 percent of
events and 47 percent of separations during the fourth quarter of 2003.
Among the 331 metropolitan areas, Chicago, Ill., reported the highest
number of separations, 17,159.  Next were Detroit, Mich., with 5,060
separations, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.-Wis., with 4,794, and Los Angeles-
Long Beach, Calif., with 4,649.  (See table F.)  Employers located in
nonmetropolitan areas separated 32,774 workers in mass layoffs, down from
42,481 workers in the fourth quarter of 2003.
   
Review of 2004
   
   For all of 2004, employers reported 4,879 extended mass layoff actions,
affecting 956,327 workers.  These totals were down from 6,181 events and
1,216,886 separations in 2003.  Compared with their peak levels in 2001,
the number of events was down by 34 percent and the number of separations
was down by 37 percent.  (See table G.)  The annual average national
unemployment rate decreased from 6.0 percent in 2003 to 5.5 percent in
2004, while private nonfarm payroll employment increased by 1.3 percent,
or 1,447,000 jobs.
   
   Fifteen percent of extended events in 2004 were permanent closures,
accounting for 157,512 worker separations.  When compared with 2003, the
number of permanent closures declined by 20 percent, resulting in 53,391
fewer separations.  Since 2001, when permanent closures were at their
highest, the number of closures was down by 41 percent and the number of
associated separations was down by 58 percent.  During 2004, permanent
closures were most numerous in the manufacturing sector, primarily in food
manufacturing.  Reorganization within the company was most often cited as
the reason for closures in manufacturing during 2004, accounting for 34
percent of the total.
   
   In 2004, employers expected a recall in 51 percent of the mass layoff
actions, higher than a year earlier when employers expected a recall
in 43 percent of events.  In 6 of the past 9 years, a recall had been
expected in about 50 percent of all layoff events.  Employers in arts,
entertainment, and recreation (82 percent), construction (76 percent),
mining (76 percent), and health care and social assistance (70 percent),
were more likely to have some type of recall than were those in other
industries.  Employers in the finance and insurance sector had the lowest
percentage of recall expectation (5 percent), followed by those in
information (12 percent).  Manufacturing industries accounted for 34
percent of events and 27 percent of separations for which the employer did
not expect to have a recall.  These occurred primarily in transportation
equipment, computer and electronic products, and food manufacturing.

                                  - 9 -

Table G.  Selected measures of layoff activity, 1996-2004
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Period          | Layoff events|  Separations | Initial claimants
-------------------------|--------------|--------------|-------------------
                         |              |              |
1996.....................|     4,760    |    948,122   |     805,810
1997.....................|     4,671    |    947,843   |     879,831
1998.....................|     4,859    |    991,245   |   1,056,462 
1999.....................|     4,556    |    901,451   |     796,917
2000.....................|     4,591    |    915,962   |     846,267
2001.....................|     7,375    |  1,524,832   |   1,457,512
2002.....................|     6,337    |  1,272,331   |   1,218,143
2003.....................|     6,181    |  1,216,886   |   1,200,811
2004(p)..................|     4,879    |    956,327   |     816,259
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
  p = preliminary.


   Industry.  Manufacturing had the largest share of extended events and
separations in 2004--29 and 25 percent, respectively.  However, these were
the smallest shares on record for this industry group.  Since reaching a
peak in 2001, the number of manufacturing events has declined by 56 percent
and the number of separations has declined by 62 percent.  In 2004, within
manufacturing, separations were most numerous in food manufacturing
(61,459), transportation equipment (36,759), and computer and electronic
products (14,867).  Compared with 2003, 17 of the 21 manufacturing
subgroups had declines in the number of separations, with the largest
occurring in computer and electronic products (-27,503) and transportation
equipment (-21,969).  Plastics and rubber products manufacturing had the
largest increase (+1,265).
   
   Reason.  In 2004, seasonal work continued to be the most frequently
cited reason for layoff, accounting for 33 percent of all layoff events and
34 percent of all separations.  A year earlier, seasonal layoffs accounted
for 26 percent of events and 27 percent of separations.  The seasonal
layoffs in 2004 occurred primarily in establishments engaged in food
manufacturing, heavy and civil engineering construction, and in transit and
ground passenger transportation.
   
   Layoff activity due to internal company restructuring occurred largely
among general credit intermediation and related activities, food
manufacturing, and telecommunications.  Employers cited this reason in 967
events (20 percent of the total), resulting in the separation of 192,784
workers (20 percent of the total).
   
   Movement of work.  In 2004, there were 357 extended mass layoff events
that involved movement of work, either within the same company or to a
different company, domestically or out of the U.S.  The events involving
movement of work were associated with the separation of 69,979 workers,
about 11 percent of all separations resulting from nonseasonal/nonvacation
mass layoff events.  Sixty-two percent of events with movement of work
involved the permanent closure of a worksite, affecting 48,144 workers.
About two-thirds of the events and separations were in manufacturing
industries, mostly in computer and electronic products and in transpor-
tation equipment.  Employers citing internal company restructuring
(bankruptcy, business ownership change, financial difficulty, and
reorganization) accounted for over two-thirds of the movement-of-work
events and separations.  Among the regions, the Midwest accounted for
the largest proportion of laid-off workers associated with the movement
of work (34 percent), followed by the South (32 percent), the West
(21 percent), and the Northeast (14 percent).

                                  - 10 -

   As part of the 357 layoff events involving movement of work, 466 spe-
cific movement-of-work actions were taken by employers.  Employers were
able to provide information on specific separations (53,923 laid-off workers)
associated with the movement of work component of the layoff in 375 of the
466 actions.  Thus, the number of separations due to the movement of work
ranges between 53,923 (separations in movement-of-work actions where the
employer was able to provide specific detail) up to 69,979 (total separa-
tions in all layoff events that included movement of work) for 2004.
   
   Of the 375 movement-of-work actions for which complete information is
available, 7 in 10 relocations were to other locations within the U.S., and
more than 8 in 10 involved moving work within the company.  The separation
of 16,073 of the 53,923 workers was associated with out-of-country relo-
cations, accounting for 30 percent of the separations related to the
movement of work and 3 percent of all separations in nonseasonal/nonva-
cation extended mass layoff events.  In out-of-country relocations, Mexico
and China were cited 52 percent of the time as the destination to which
work moved.  Domestic relocation of work--both within the company and to
other companies--affected 35,171 workers.  California and North Carolina
led the list of states to which work was being moved.
   
   Geographic distribution.  Among all private-sector nonfarm employers,
those in the Midwest reported more laid-off workers in 2004 than any other
region, 295,454.  Layoffs in the Midwest were mainly in administrative and
support services and heavy and civil engineering construction and were
primarily attributed to seasonal factors.  The Northeast region continued
to report the lowest annual number of separations (177,013).  The largest
decline occurred in the West (-92,253).
   
   Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, California continued
to report the largest number of separated workers in 2004 (204,298).  After
California were Illinois (107,071), Florida (82,637), and New York (68,166).
These four states accounted for 39 percent of events and 48 percent of sep-
arations in 2004 for the year.  California (-60,878) had the largest over-
the-year decline in the number of separations; Ohio recorded the largest
over-the-year increase (+5,563).
   
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 estab-
lishment filing initial claims for unemployment insurance during a con-
secutive 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 2005 is scheduled to be released
on Thursday, February 24, 2005.
                                     




                                  - 11 -

Technical Note
 

   The  Mass Layoff Statistics (MLS) program is a federal-state program 
which identifies, describes, and tracks the effects of major job cutbacks, 
using data from each state's unemployment insurance database.  Establish-
ments 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, gender, 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.

Definitions
   
   Establishment.  A unit at a single physical location at which predomi-
nantly 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.
   
   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 complete 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.

                                  - 12 -

Movement of work concepts and questions
   
   Because of the employer interview component, the BLS decided to use 
the MLS program as a vehicle for collecting additional information on
offshoring and outsourcing associated with job loss, by adding questions
that address movement of work.  The term "moving work" means that the
company experiencing the layoff has reassigned work activities that were
performed at a worksite by the company's employees (1) to another work-
site within the company; (2) to another company under formal arrangements 
at the same worksite; or (3) to another company under formal arrangements 
at another worksite.  The type of work activities subject to movement can
include accounting, customer service, cleaning, warehousing, etc.
   
   "Overseas relocation" is the movement of work from within the U.S. to
locations outside of the U.S. "Overseas relocation" can occur within the
same company and involve movement of work to a different location of that
company outside of the U.S., or to a different company altogether.

   "Domestic relocation" is the movement of work to other locations inside 
the U.S., either within the same company or to a different company.
  
   "Overseas relocation" and "domestic relocation" are no longer used in the
same way as they were in earlier extended mass layoff news releases.  There-
fore, the data presented in this news release are not comparable to those 
that were presented in earlier news releases.
   
   Questions on movement of work and location are asked for all identified
layoff events when the reason for separation is other than "seasonal work"
or "vacation period."  Seasonal and vacation layoff events were excluded
because movement of work appears unlikely.
   
   Questions on movement of work are asked after the analyst verifies that 
a layoff in fact occurred and lasted more than 30 days, and obtained the
total number of workers separated from jobs, the date the layoff began, and
the economic reason for the layoff.  If the reason for layoff is other than
seasonal or vacation, the employer was asked the following:
  
   (1) "Did this layoff include your company moving work from this lo-
cation(s) to a different geographic location(s) within your company?"
  
   (2) "Did this layoff include your company moving work that was performed
in-house by your employees to a different company, through contractual ar-
rangements?"
  
   A "yes" response to either question is followed by:
  
   "Is the location inside or outside of the U.S.?" and "How many of the
layoffs were a result of this relocation?"
  
   Layoff actions are classified as "overseas relocation" if the employer
responds "yes" to questions 1 and/or 2, and indicates that the location(s)
was outside of the U.S.  Domestic relocation is determined if the employer
responds "yes" to questions 1 and/or 2 and indicates that the location(s)
was within the U.S.
  
   After asking the movement of work questions, the employer interview
continues and responses are obtained for questions on recall expectations
and open/closed status of the worksite.

                                  - 13 - 
Reliability of the data
   
   The identification of establishments and layoff events in the MLS 
program and associated characteristics of claimants is based on admin-
istrative data on covered establishments an unemployment insurance claims, 
and, therefore, is not subject to issues associated with sampling error.
Nonsampling errors such as typographical errors may occur but are not
likely to be significant.  While the MLS establishments and layoff events
are not subject to sampling error, and all such employers are asked the
employer interview questions, the employer responses are subject to non-
sampling error.  Nonsampling error can occur for many reasons, including
the inability to obtain information for all respondents, inability or
unwillingness of respondents to provide correct information, and errors
made in the collection or processing of the data.  For the fourth quarter
of 2004, outright refusal to participate in the employer interview accounted 
for 2.1 percent of all private nonfarm events.  Although included in the 
total number of relocations involving the movement of work, for the fourth
quarter, employers in 36 relocations were unable to provide the number of 
separations specifically associated with the movement of work, 13 of which 
involved out-of-country moves.
 
Other information
   
   Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired
individuals upon request.  Voice phone: 202-691-5200; TDD message referral
phone: 1-800-877-8339.

    
 
 

Table 1. Industry distribution: Extended mass layoff events, separations, and initial claimants for unemployment insurance,
private nonfarm sector, selected quarters, 2003 and 2004

                                                                                                           Initial claimants for   
                                                        Layoff events               Separations            unemployment insurance  
                      Industry                    
                                                     IV      III     IV        IV       III      IV         IV       III      IV   
                                                    2003    2004r   2004p     2003     2004r    2004p      2003     2004r    2004p 


      Total, private nonfarm (1) .................  1,690     887   1,295    325,333  164,822  236,637    326,328  145,889  178,834
    
    Mining .......................................     20       -      22      2,479        -    3,588      2,893        -    2,704
    Utilities ....................................      5       -       4        859        -    1,840        861        -    1,324
    Construction .................................    473      83     376     69,124   10,962   53,421     74,936   12,954   45,872
    Manufacturing ................................    532     305     398    100,175   52,223   69,922    107,344   48,662   58,392
         Food ....................................    121      54     101     28,315   12,587   23,882     22,682   10,997   17,155
         Beverage and tobacco products ...........     16   ( 2 )       7      2,459    ( 2 )    1,486      2,358    ( 2 )      753
         Textile mills ...........................     18       7       7      3,230    1,206      874      3,291    1,372    1,687
         Textile product mills ...................      8       7       3        931      812      341      1,135    1,232      321
         Apparel .................................     27      19      15      4,426    2,925    3,534      3,760    2,276    2,020
         Leather and allied products .............      3   ( 2 )       3        423    ( 2 )      386        306    ( 2 )      469
         Wood products ...........................     23       5       7      2,906      450      704      3,887      608    1,120
         Paper ...................................     10       6      11      1,039    1,079    1,344      1,026      886    1,040
         Printing and related support activities .      9       8       4      1,473    1,260      611      1,991    1,298      492
         Petroleum and coal products .............     14       -      15      2,280        -    2,263      2,299        -    1,927

         Chemicals  ..............................     12       9       7      1,762    1,134      653      1,579    1,108      662
         Plastics and rubber products ............     23      25      17      2,746    3,602    1,592      3,168    3,008    1,743
         Nonmetallic mineral products ............     52      12      28      7,722    2,503    4,265      9,103    2,240    3,597
         Primary metals ..........................     24      10      13      4,582    1,085    2,063      6,128    1,076    1,325
         Fabricated metal products ...............     31      31      21      3,794    4,135    2,969      3,925    4,125    2,700
         Machinery ...............................     23      11      15      4,544    2,199    1,997      5,627    1,386    2,429
         Computer and electronic products ........     32      19      27      5,922    2,967    4,679      5,396    2,825    3,339
         Electrical equipment and appliances .....     12       9      17      3,067    2,219    3,263      2,745    3,074    3,757
         Transportation equipment ................     48      50      48     14,041    8,402    7,939     22,792    8,234    7,543
         Furniture and related products ..........     13      12      23      2,201    2,217    3,540      1,928    1,688    2,876
         Miscellaneous manufacturing .............     13       7       9      2,312    1,102    1,537      2,218      880    1,437

    Wholesale trade ..............................     41      24      15      9,780    3,222    3,771      6,650    2,780    2,067
    Retail trade .................................     85      62      49     32,092   14,910   19,964     33,944   12,944    7,468
    Transportation and warehousing ...............     45      66      32      9,546   10,127    5,430      9,626    9,050    5,026
    Information ..................................     50      27      42     14,588    6,717    6,974     15,938    5,730    6,948
    Finance and insurance ........................     47      36      28      7,319   11,272    5,443      8,394    7,904    3,583
    Real estate and rental and leasing ...........      5       3   ( 2 )        903      844    ( 2 )        422      852    ( 2 )
    Professional and technical services ..........     42      26      25      8,369    5,792    4,996      7,235    4,601    3,641
    Management of companies and enterprises ......      6       4   ( 2 )      1,384      547    ( 2 )      1,314      449    ( 2 )
    Administrative and waste services ............    192     112     145     37,051   26,174   24,954     34,490   23,640   19,427
    Educational services .........................      -       8       -          -      693        -          -      792        -
    Health care and social assistance ............     33      60      29      4,039    9,893    5,439      4,050    5,979    3,762
    Arts, entertainment, and recreation ..........     35      20      39     11,377    2,605    8,122      4,793    2,649    4,048
    Accommodation and food services ..............     62      42      75     13,441    7,801   18,242     11,101    6,000   11,934
    Other services, except public administration .     16       9       9      2,562    1,040    2,275      2,260      903    1,299

    Unclassified .................................      1       -       2        245        -      399         77        -      104
          

    1 For the fourth quarter of 2004, data on layoffs were reported by employers in all states and the District of Columbia. Due to
budget constraints in the MLS program, beginning with data for the first quarter of 2004, the scope of quarterly extended mass
layoffs and plant closings has been redefined to cover only the private nonfarm economy. Quarterly information on layoff events in
agriculture and government are no longer being collected. However, the monthly reporting of the MLS program in the release, Mass
Layoffs, which is based only on administrative data, will be unaffected and will continue to cover the total economy. 
    2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
    r = revised.
    p = preliminary.
    NOTE: Dash represents zero. 






Table 2. Reason for layoff: Extended mass layoff events, separations, and initial claimants for unemployment insurance,
private nonfarm sector, selected quarters, 2003 and 2004

                                                                                                      Initial claimants for     
                                          Layoff events                     Separations               unemployment insurance    
         Reason for layoff        
                                      IV        III       IV          IV        III       IV           IV        III       IV   
                                     2003      2004r     2004p       2003      2004r     2004p        2003      2004r     2004p 


   Total, private nonfarm (1) ....   1,690       887     1,295      325,333   164,822   236,637      326,328   145,889   178,834

Automation .......................   ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )        ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )        ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )
Bankruptcy .......................      26        19        24        4,347     3,620     3,885        2,860     2,601     2,412
Business ownership change ........      25        38        21        6,346    12,840     3,300        3,345     6,329     2,320
Contract cancellation ............      23        26        20        4,211     4,301     3,493        2,169     3,356     1,980
Contract completed ...............     207       164       174       38,782    29,340    31,001       44,500    32,468    27,027
Domestic relocation ..............      18     ( 3 )     ( 3 )        3,130     ( 3 )     ( 3 )        4,768     ( 3 )     ( 3 )
Environment-related ..............   ( 2 )         -     ( 2 )        ( 2 )         -     ( 2 )        ( 2 )         -     ( 2 )
Financial difficulty .............      56        45        42       12,769     9,619     7,637        9,799     6,441     5,791
Import competition ...............      28        14        11        4,910     3,240     1,398        5,507     2,744       969
Labor dispute ....................       7     ( 2 )        12       10,568     ( 2 )     4,424        8,524     ( 2 )     4,155
Material shortage ................   ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )        ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )        ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )

Model changeover .................   ( 2 )     ( 2 )         -        ( 2 )     ( 2 )         -        ( 2 )     ( 2 )         -
Natural disaster .................       3     ( 2 )         -          741     ( 2 )         -          603     ( 2 )         -
Non-natural disaster .............       -     ( 2 )     ( 2 )            -     ( 2 )     ( 2 )            -     ( 2 )     ( 2 )
Overseas relocation ..............       9     ( 3 )     ( 3 )          901     ( 3 )     ( 3 )          989     ( 3 )     ( 3 )
Plant or machine repair ..........       6         4         5          815       633       600          689       496       540
Product line discontinued ........       5         9         5          507     1,551     1,276          600     1,369       976
Reorganization within company ....     161       122       107       34,711    27,587    21,444       38,049    23,588    16,819
Seasonal work ....................     726       177       605      138,558    29,774   118,684      123,079    24,883    75,821
Slack work .......................     190       118       159       25,900    14,501    19,879       40,686    19,334    24,920
Vacation period ..................       7        14         -        1,293     1,512         -        1,586     1,378         -
Weather-related ..................      28        13        28        3,508     1,864     3,494        4,312     1,869     2,541
Other ............................      35        35        35        4,755     9,438     7,933        6,494     4,380     5,159
Not reported .....................     124        79        42       27,958    13,393     7,104       27,263    12,970     6,901


    1 See footnote 1, table 1.
    2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
    3 Beginning with data for 2004, these reasons for layoff are no longer used. 
    r = revised.
    p = preliminary.
    NOTE: Dash represents zero. 




Table 3. State and selected claimant characteristics: Extended mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance,
private nonfarm sector, third and fourth quarters, 2004

                                                        Total                                        Percent of total                        
                                                       initial                             Hispanic                        Persons age 55
                                  Layoff events       claimants             Black           origin            Women           and over   
           State         
                                   III     IV         III      IV         III    IV        III    IV        III     IV       III     IV 
                                  2004r   2004p      2004r    2004p      2004r  2004p     2004r  2004p     2004r  2004p     2004r  2004p

  Total, private nonfarm (1) ...    887   1,295     145,889  178,834      16.6   11.4      16.8   16.9      48.5   33.8      16.6   16.0

Alabama ........................      3       4         422      586      72.0   57.7       4.0    2.9      73.7   58.7      14.0   16.4
Alaska .........................      3      10         370    1,415       1.4    3.4      24.1   22.3      27.8   28.1      18.4   14.0
Arizona ........................      4       6         606      915       6.3    5.7      45.7   22.2      53.0   49.8      13.2   16.0
Arkansas .......................      -       4           -      307         -   15.6         -     .3         -   30.0         -   17.9
California .....................    108     123      19,851   18,938      10.0    5.8      42.7   43.2      55.0   48.9      16.0   17.9
Colorado .......................  ( 2 )      21       ( 2 )    2,043      17.2    5.3      21.1   32.7      49.7   28.7       7.5   15.7
Connecticut ....................      7       6       1,040      669      19.2    7.3       8.8    7.8      61.0   17.8      21.0   17.6
Delaware .......................      -       -           -        -         -      -         -      -         -      -         -      -
District of Columbia ...........  ( 2 )       -       ( 2 )        -      79.1      -         -      -      90.1      -       3.3      -
Florida ........................    115     101      20,327   12,202      16.5   13.6      32.2   30.4      52.2   48.2      16.5   16.0
Georgia ........................     13      13       1,847    1,722      52.1   61.0       2.6    1.8      47.6   53.1      14.4   16.6
Hawaii .........................  ( 2 )       5       ( 2 )      414       2.0    2.9      22.6   26.8      37.2   19.6       7.0   12.3
Idaho ..........................      7       5       1,070      927        .5     .3      27.4   24.7      58.2   45.4      21.4   18.1

Illinois .......................     77     155      13,556   22,391      25.9   14.8      11.0   21.2      44.6   23.8      14.7   13.1
Indiana ........................     22      34       4,572    4,139       7.9    5.2       1.5    2.3      50.8   26.7      19.5   15.8
Iowa ...........................      9      28       1,445    4,232       6.2    1.4       8.1    4.3      51.1   20.9      13.5   15.2
Kansas .........................      5       9         808    1,281      13.5   14.5       2.5    8.0      48.8   33.8      13.2   12.4
Kentucky .......................     17      24       1,674    2,362       8.2    9.0        .1     .2      54.3   22.7      16.5   15.0
Louisiana ......................     12      14       1,173    1,398      52.6   51.6       1.4    1.6      36.4   28.0      11.0   13.8
Maine ..........................  ( 2 )       7       ( 2 )      956        .7     .5         -     .4      10.8   22.4      13.7   13.7
Maryland .......................  ( 2 )   ( 2 )       ( 2 )    ( 2 )      39.8   28.4       1.6    1.9      49.9   45.4       9.4   14.1
Massachusetts ..................     22      22       3,828    2,513       9.0    5.1       6.6    3.0      46.4   43.1      15.1   16.2
Michigan .......................     56      91       7,500   11,477      18.8   11.2       3.9   10.0      47.4   31.9      13.7   11.8
Minnesota ......................      7      80         775    9,546      10.6    2.9       2.7   11.8      39.1   17.4      23.6   15.5
Mississippi ....................      4       4         589      261      75.4   53.3        .3     .8      58.9   62.1      14.9   11.1
Missouri .......................     12      19       2,384    2,661      22.8    8.6        .7     .6      61.1   38.7      24.1   29.1

Montana ........................      -       5           -      428         -     .2         -    2.3         -   15.0         -   18.7
Nebraska .......................      5      10         695      780      10.1    2.8       2.9   19.5      36.7   12.6      15.3   18.7
Nevada .........................      -       4           -      326         -   20.6         -   18.7         -   39.9         -   14.7
New Hampshire ..................      4       5         434      484       1.6    1.0       4.6    1.9      61.8   25.6      18.0   22.3
New Jersey .....................     34      44       4,769    5,888      26.0   12.1      14.1    9.6      62.1   32.9      25.0   21.2
New Mexico .....................  ( 2 )   ( 2 )       ( 2 )    ( 2 )       6.1    3.9      69.2   56.3      57.7   66.0       7.2   12.6
New York .......................     97      78      14,402   10,901      15.9    9.6       9.2    7.0      47.6   31.5      20.0   17.2
North Carolina .................     15      18       1,924    1,923      41.8   41.4       3.3    8.8      52.1   52.0      15.8   18.2
North Dakota ...................      -       8           -      925         -     .3         -    3.0         -    5.9         -   14.4
Ohio ...........................     48      80       6,848    9,887      11.5   10.7       1.7    2.9      40.3   20.2      16.0   11.5
Oklahoma .......................  ( 2 )       4       ( 2 )      570      22.3    7.5       2.6   44.9      40.5   36.0      19.7   11.1
Oregon .........................      8      20       1,397    3,540       1.6    1.0      26.9   36.5      58.7   47.3      24.5   17.8
Pennsylvania ...................     66      77      12,860   14,679       7.6   10.1       2.1    2.0      36.0   41.2      18.5   21.5

Rhode Island ...................      4       6         389      554       1.5    4.2      49.9    8.3      51.7   42.6      17.0   20.0
South Carolina .................     10       3       1,224      515      40.3   64.3        .2     .2      57.6   60.8       3.1    1.2
South Dakota ...................      -       -           -        -         -      -         -      -         -      -         -      -
Tennessee ......................     12       8       1,293    1,041      13.5   32.0         -      -      36.5   39.2      20.6   17.2
Texas ..........................     26      32       5,704    6,376      18.8   19.1      39.1   37.3      34.5   34.7      11.0   11.5
Utah ...........................  ( 2 )       3       ( 2 )      275       1.6    5.8       4.8   16.7      76.2   28.0       4.8    7.6
Vermont ........................      -       3           -      183         -     .5         -    1.1         -   27.3         -   23.5
Virginia .......................     11      12       2,389    2,312      40.3   59.3       6.4    3.2      53.1   64.6      13.6   16.8
Washington .....................     13      30       2,309    4,317       6.2    4.8      16.1   38.1      44.8   38.2      16.6   13.7
West Virginia ..................  ( 2 )       8       ( 2 )    1,004        .4     .7         -      -      46.7   36.4       7.6   13.9
Wisconsin ......................     17      47       3,340    7,891       9.2    3.3       6.1   12.5      54.9   19.6      13.1   16.4
Wyoming ........................      -   ( 2 )           -    ( 2 )         -     .8         -     .4         -   40.5         -   38.3

Puerto Rico ....................     14       4       3,709      904     ( 3 )  ( 3 )     ( 3 )  ( 3 )      60.1   56.0       6.8    3.7


    1 See footnote 1, table 1.
    2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
    3 Data are not available. 
    r = revised.
    p = preliminary.
    NOTE: Dash represents zero. 




Table 4. Census region and division: Extended mass layoff events, separations, and initial claimants for unemployment insurance,
private nonfarm sector, selected quarters, 2003 and 2004

                                                                                                   Initial claimants for   
                                       Layoff events                     Separations               unemployment insurance  
   Census region and division  
                                   IV         III      IV          IV        III       IV           IV       III      IV   
                                  2003       2004r    2004p       2003      2004r     2004p        2003     2004r    2004p 

        United States (1) .....   1,690       887     1,295      325,333   164,822   236,637      326,328  145,889  178,834

Northeast .....................     296       235       248       49,290    33,570    38,652       56,760   37,861   36,827

    New England ...............      61        38        49       10,237     4,560     9,285        9,919    5,830    5,359
    Middle Atlantic ...........     235       197       199       39,053    29,010    29,367       46,841   32,031   31,468

South .........................     283       245       251       50,573    42,324    41,776       48,029   39,653   32,892

    South Atlantic ............     202       169       157       39,475    31,692    27,017       34,188   28,452   19,991
    East South Central ........      22        36        40        3,032     5,137     5,785        2,308    3,978    4,250
    West South Central ........      59        40        54        8,066     5,495     8,974       11,533    7,223    8,651

Midwest .......................     713       258       561      130,998    49,416    94,478      140,254   41,923   75,210

    East North Central ........     547       220       407      103,955    41,397    71,018      116,233   35,816   55,785
    West North Central ........     166        38       154       27,043     8,019    23,460       24,021    6,107   19,425

West ..........................     398       149       235       94,472    39,512    61,731       81,285   26,452   33,905

    Mountain ..................      60        15        47       12,697     2,640    12,410       10,471    2,326    5,281
    Pacific ...................     338       134       188       81,775    36,872    49,321       70,814   24,126   28,624


    1 See footnote 1, table 1.
    r = revised.
    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 5. State distribution: Extended mass layoff events, separations, and initial claimants for unemployment insurance,
private nonfarm sector, selected quarters, 2003 and 2004

                                                                                                       Initial claimants for     
                                          Layoff events                      Separations               unemployment insurance    
           State         
                                       IV        III       IV          IV        III       IV           IV        III       IV   
                                      2003      2004r     2004p       2003      2004r     2004p        2003      2004r     2004p 

  Total, private nonfarm (1) ...     1,690       887     1,295      325,333   164,822   236,637      326,328   145,889   178,834

Alabama ........................         4         3         4          513       350       586          498       422       586
Alaska .........................        10         3        10        1,419       370     1,415        1,419       370     1,415
Arizona ........................         9         4         6        1,232       548     1,604        1,278       606       915
Arkansas .......................     ( 2 )         -         4        ( 2 )         -       651        ( 2 )         -       307
California .....................       251       108       123       64,403    33,308    37,864       54,183    19,851    18,938
Colorado .......................        21     ( 2 )        21        4,526     ( 2 )     5,073        3,092     ( 2 )     2,043
Connecticut ....................        16         7         6        2,987     1,312     1,498        2,181     1,040       669
Delaware .......................         -         -         -            -         -         -            -         -         -
District of Columbia ...........         4     ( 2 )         -          486     ( 2 )         -          486     ( 2 )         -
Florida ........................       107       115       101       21,341    22,124    16,463       17,867    20,327    12,202
Georgia ........................        21        13        13        4,193     2,267     1,236        3,909     1,847     1,722
Hawaii .........................         6     ( 2 )         5          776     ( 2 )       487          670     ( 2 )       414
Idaho ..........................        11         7         5        2,104     1,120       790        3,094     1,070       927

Illinois .......................       184        77       155       38,846    16,086    36,232       33,037    13,556    22,391
Indiana ........................        49        22        34        6,187     6,921     5,021       13,209     4,572     4,139
Iowa ...........................        28         9        28        4,120       908     3,625        4,022     1,445     4,232
Kansas .........................        10         5         9        2,231     1,659     1,780        2,119       808     1,281
Kentucky .......................         9        17        24        1,554     2,345     2,813        1,024     1,674     2,362
Louisiana ......................        15        12        14        1,966     1,538     2,915        1,502     1,173     1,398
Maine ..........................        12     ( 2 )         7        2,263     ( 2 )     3,558        2,108     ( 2 )       956
Maryland .......................     ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )        ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )        ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )
Massachusetts ..................        19        22        22        3,634     2,364     2,886        4,168     3,828     2,513
Michigan .......................        97        56        91       19,652     8,545    10,912       27,027     7,500    11,477
Minnesota ......................        89         7        80       12,600       856    12,433       11,509       775     9,546
Mississippi ....................         4         4         4          374       593       265          266       589       261
Missouri .......................        25        12        19        5,658     2,345     3,675        4,084     2,384     2,661

Montana ........................         7         -         5        1,615         -       647        1,163         -       428
Nebraska .......................         8         5        10        1,315     2,251     1,022        1,187       695       780
Nevada .........................         4         -         4        1,058         -       410          900         -       326
New Hampshire ..................         5         4         5          513       434       484          513       434       484
New Jersey .....................        62        34        44       11,677     4,266     6,660       12,067     4,769     5,888
New Mexico .....................         3     ( 2 )     ( 2 )          172     ( 2 )     ( 2 )          172     ( 2 )     ( 2 )
New York .......................        93        97        78       17,649    16,712    11,525       16,549    14,402    10,901
North Carolina .................        34        15        18        5,735     2,196     3,133        4,919     1,924     1,923
North Dakota ...................         6         -         8        1,119         -       925        1,100         -       925
Ohio ...........................       114        48        80       18,094     7,527    10,740       20,962     6,848     9,887
Oklahoma .......................         5     ( 2 )         4          435     ( 2 )       407          602     ( 2 )       570
Oregon .........................        26         8        20        4,027     1,722     4,138        5,392     1,397     3,540
Pennsylvania ...................        80        66        77        9,727     8,032    11,182       18,225    12,860    14,679

Rhode Island ...................         8         4         6          737       395       676          846       389       554
South Carolina .................         4        10         3          512     1,527       466          564     1,224       515
South Dakota ...................         -         -         -            -         -         -            -         -         -
Tennessee ......................         5        12         8          591     1,849     2,121          520     1,293     1,041
Texas ..........................        37        26        32        5,040     3,609     5,001        9,083     5,704     6,376
Utah ...........................         4     ( 2 )         3        1,190     ( 2 )       433          630     ( 2 )       275
Vermont ........................     ( 2 )         -         3        ( 2 )         -       183        ( 2 )         -       183
Virginia .......................        25        11        12        5,947     2,843     3,198        5,177     2,389     2,312
Washington .....................        45        13        30       11,150     1,260     5,417        9,150     2,309     4,317
West Virginia ..................         6     ( 2 )         8        1,137     ( 2 )     1,756        1,206     ( 2 )     1,004
Wisconsin ......................       103        17        47       21,176     2,318     8,113       21,998     3,340     7,891
Wyoming ........................     ( 2 )         -     ( 2 )        ( 2 )         -     ( 2 )        ( 2 )         -     ( 2 )

Puerto Rico ....................         6        14         4          516     1,350       284        1,361     3,709       904


    1 See footnote 1, table 1.
    2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
    r = revised. 
    p = preliminary.
    NOTE: Dash represents zero. 




Table 6. Information technology-producing industries: Extended mass layoff events and separations, private nonfarm sector, 1996-2004

                                                              Information technology-producing industries(1)                      
                       Total extended   
       Year             mass layoffs           Computer             Software and          Communications        Communications
                                              hardware(2)        computer services(3)      equipment(4)           services(5)    

                     Layoff                 Layoff                Layoff                 Layoff                 Layoff              
                     events   Separations   events  Separations   events    Separations  events   Separations   events  Separations                    
 
       1996       

First quarter ....    1,263      246,820       27        6,377        11         9,008        6          900       15        3,541
Second quarter ...    1,130      209,688       23        4,475     ( 6 )         ( 6 )       10        1,359        4          615
Third quarter ....      847      181,569       28        3,818     ( 6 )         ( 6 )        8        1,710        5        1,290
Fourth quarter ...    1,520      310,045       22        3,214     ( 6 )         ( 6 )        8        1,354        9        1,166

    Total ........    4,760      948,122      100       17,884        20        10,724       32        5,323       33        6,612

       1997     

First quarter ....    1,141      226,735       15        2,644         7           899        7          504        9        1,602
Second quarter ...    1,303      280,255       16        2,532         8           863        4          553    ( 6 )        ( 6 )
Third quarter ....      851      172,392       15        3,091         6           682        6          983    ( 6 )        ( 6 )
Fourth quarter ...    1,376      268,461       18        3,667         4           762        6          475        4          819

    Total ........    4,671      947,843       64       11,934        25         3,206       23        2,515       18        3,237

       1998     

First quarter ....    1,115      178,251       29        5,212         8         1,550        7          725        9        1,685
Second quarter ...    1,333      336,536       37        8,455         5           357        7        1,317        5          650
Third quarter ....    1,028      201,186       63       11,066         5         1,175       12        3,031        5        1,051
Fourth quarter ...    1,383      275,272       37       11,336         5           974        7        1,898        6          764

    Total ........    4,859      991,245      166       36,069        23         4,056       33        6,971       25        4,150

       1999     

First quarter ....    1,262      230,711       35        4,363        10         1,796       10        1,600        6        1,002
Second quarter ...    1,194      246,251       28        3,891         7         1,731        8        1,097    ( 6 )        ( 6 )
Third quarter ....      898      184,429       22       11,546         7         1,141        5          840    ( 6 )        ( 6 )
Fourth quarter ...    1,202      240,060       18        2,757         5           526        4          807        6        1,430

    Total ........    4,556      901,451      103       22,557        29         5,194       27        4,344       18        3,930

       2000     

First quarter ....    1,081      202,500       22        5,195        14         2,717        9        1,402        4          771
Second quarter ...    1,055      205,861       18        8,862        22         9,114        7          805        7          977
Third quarter ....      817      174,628       10        1,678        12         1,422        4        1,465        6        1,280
Fourth quarter ...    1,638      332,973       16        3,070        22         3,521        5          946        7        1,020

    Total ........    4,591      915,962       66       18,805        70        16,774       25        4,618       24        4,048

       2001     

First quarter ....    1,546      304,171       91       20,991        44         7,963       22        4,441       24        5,312
Second quarter ...    1,828      430,499      161       38,986        87        12,943       36       12,109       28        6,386
Third quarter ....    1,629      330,391      142       24,813        55         6,820       39        8,200       36        7,134
Fourth quarter ...    2,372      459,771      109       17,797        56         8,290       43       10,124       48       11,252

    Total ........    7,375    1,524,832      503      102,587       242        36,016      140       34,874      136       30,084

       2002     

First quarter ....    1,611      299,266       84       18,574        39         4,442       32        8,192       42        6,664
Second quarter ...    1,624      344,606       69       11,764        49         5,454       27        4,870       53        8,538
Third quarter ....    1,186      255,152       76       15,017        42         5,415       34        6,529       42        7,945
Fourth quarter ...    1,916      373,307       74       14,298        32         7,071       19        3,645       39        8,987

    Total ........    6,337    1,272,331      303       59,653       162        22,382      112       23,236      176       32,134

       2003     

First quarter ....    1,502      286,947       71       11,900        33         5,689       23        4,402       41        6,591
Second quarter ...    1,799      368,273       54        9,221        27         4,124       21        3,098       29        5,891
Third quarter ....    1,190      236,333       46        6,488        26         4,433        9        1,289       15        2,604
Fourth quarter ...    1,690      325,333       25        5,080        14         1,984        9        1,619       28        6,635

    Total ........    6,181    1,216,886      196       32,689       100        16,230       62       10,408      113       21,721

       2004     

First quarter ....    1,339   (r)276,488       27        3,222        16         2,992        8          894       23        4,197
Second quarter ... (r)1,358   (r)278,380       18        2,959        21         3,576        -            -       22        5,295
Third quarter ....   (r)887   (r)164,822    (r)13     (r)2,288     (r)15      (r)1,617        4          430    (r)13     (r)4,317
Fourth quarter(p).    1,295      236,637       18        2,943         8         1,269        4          563       21        3,082

    Total(p)......    4,879      956,327       76       11,412        60         9,454       16        1,887       79       16,891



    1 Information technology-producing industries are defined in Digital Economy 2003, Economics and Statistics Administration,
U.S. Department of Commerce. 
    2 The industries included in this grouping, based on the 2002 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), are:
semiconductor machinery manufacturing; office machinery manufacturing; electronic computer manufacturing; computer storage 
device manufacturing; computer terminal manufacturing; other computer peripheral equipment mfg.; electron tube manufacturing; 
bare printed circuit board manufacturing; semiconductors and related device mfg.; electronic capacitor manufacturing; 
electronic resistor manufacturing; electronic coils, transformers, and inductors; electronic connector manufacturing; 
printed circuit assembly manufacturing; other electronic component manufacturing; industrial process variable instruments; 
electricity and signal testing instruments; analytical laboratory instrument mfg.; computer and software merchant wholesalers;  
and computer and software stores.
    3 The industries included in this grouping, based on the 2002 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), are:
software publishers; internet service providers; web search portals; data processing and related services; computer and 
software merchant wholesalers; computer and software stores; custom computer programming services; computer systems design 
services; computer facilities management services; other computer related services; office equipment rental and leasing; 
and computer and office machine repair. 
    4 The industries included in this grouping, based on the 2002 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), are:
telephone apparatus manufacturing; audio and video equipment manufacturing; broadcast and wireless communications equip.; 
fiber optic cable manufacturing; software reproducing; and magnetic and optical recording media mfg. 
    5 The industries included in this grouping, based on the 2002 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), are: 
wired telecommunications carriers; cellular and other wireless carriers; telecommunications resellers; cable and other 
program distribution; satellite telecommunications; other telecommunications; and communication equipment repair. 
    6 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
    NOTE: Dash represents zero.
    r = revised.
    p = preliminary. 




Table 7. Industry distribution:  Extended mass layoff events and separations associated with the 
movement of work, 2004

                                                     	           Layoff events                              Separations
                     Industry                    
                                                                     
                                                        I       II      III      IV        I          II         III        IV 
                                                      2004     2004    2004r    2004p     2004       2004       2004r      2004p
  							  
  
         Total, private nonfarm (1) .............      113       86       84       74     19,978     16,240     17,400     16,361

  Mining ........................................        -        -        -        -          -          -          -          -
  Utilities .....................................    ( 2 )        -        -        -      ( 2 )          -          -          -
  Construction ..................................        -    ( 2 )        -        -          -      ( 2 )          -          -
  Manufacturing .................................       75       57       58       52     12,827     10,999     11,575     11,778
      Food ......................................        8    ( 2 )        4        4      1,478      ( 2 )        924      1,221
      Beverage and tobacco products .............    ( 2 )        -    ( 2 )        -      ( 2 )          -      ( 2 )          -
      Textile mills .............................        3        4        -    ( 2 )        810        537          -      ( 2 )
      Textile product mills .....................    ( 2 )        4    ( 2 )        -      ( 2 )        874      ( 2 )          -
      Apparel ...................................        5        4        4        3      1,237        847        613      1,405
      Leather and allied products ...............    ( 2 )        -        -    ( 2 )      ( 2 )          -          -      ( 2 )
      Wood products .............................    ( 2 )        -    ( 2 )    ( 2 )      ( 2 )          -      ( 2 )      ( 2 )
      Paper .....................................        4        3        4        3        295        453        761        380
      Printing and related support activities ...        3    ( 2 )    ( 2 )    ( 2 )        264      ( 2 )      ( 2 )      ( 2 )
      Petroleum and coal products ...............        -        -        -        -          -          -          -          -

      Chemicals .................................        4    ( 2 )    ( 2 )        -        634      ( 2 )      ( 2 )          -
      Plastics and rubber products ..............        5        5        7    ( 2 )      1,134        632      1,235      ( 2 )
      Nonmetallic mineral products ..............        -        -        3        -          -          -        467          -
      Primary metal .............................    ( 2 )    ( 2 )        -    ( 2 )      ( 2 )      ( 2 )          -      ( 2 )
      Fabricated metal products .................    ( 2 )        5        4    ( 2 )      ( 2 )      1,010        755      ( 2 )
      Machinery .................................        6    ( 2 )    ( 2 )    ( 2 )        870      ( 2 )      ( 2 )      ( 2 )
      Computer and electronic products ..........        7        7        6        7        785      1,975      1,331      2,390
      Electrical equipment and appliance ........        6    ( 2 )        4        4      1,079      ( 2 )      1,660        960
      Transportation equipment ..................        8        4        7        8      1,977      1,013      1,793      1,440
      Furniture and related products ............        4        8    ( 2 )        8        497      1,026      ( 2 )      1,863
      Miscellaneous manufacturing ...............        4    ( 2 )        3        3        739      ( 2 )        540        692

  Wholesale trade ...............................        3        4        5    ( 2 )        675        410        704      ( 2 )
  Retail trade ..................................        4        6       11    ( 2 )        540      1,039      2,290      ( 2 )
  Transportation and warehousing ................        5    ( 2 )        -        3      1,152      ( 2 )          -        619
  Information ...................................        8        4    ( 2 )    ( 2 )      1,780        771      ( 2 )      ( 2 )
  Finance and insurance .........................        5    ( 2 )        5        6        684      ( 2 )        735        699
  Real estate and rental and leasing ............        -        -        -    ( 2 )          -          -          -      ( 2 )
  Professional and technical services ...........    ( 2 )    ( 2 )    ( 2 )    ( 2 )      ( 2 )      ( 2 )      ( 2 )      ( 2 )
  Management of companies and enterprises .......    ( 2 )        -        -        -      ( 2 )          -          -          -
  Administrative and waste services .............        4        5        -        4        647      1,372          -        513
  Educational services ..........................        -        -        -        -          -          -          -          -
  Health care and social assistance .............    ( 2 )        -    ( 2 )        -      ( 2 )          -      ( 2 )          -
  Arts, entertainment, and recreation ...........        -        -        -        -          -          -          -          -
  Accommodation and food services ...............        -        -        -    ( 2 )          -          -          -      ( 2 )
  Other services, except public administration ..        3        -        -        -        311          -          -          -

  Unknown .......................................        -        -        -        -          -          -          -          -
   
   
   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 8. Reason for layoff:  Extended mass layoff events and separations associated with the movement 
of work, 2004


                                                  Layoff events                           Separations
         Reason for layoff        
                                        I      II      III     IV             I         II         III        IV
                                      2004    2004    2004r   2004p         2004       2004       2004r      2004p
   
   Total, private nonfarm (1) ....     113      86      84      74         19,978     16,240     17,400     16,361


Automation .......................   ( 2 )       -       -   ( 2 )          ( 2 )          -          -      ( 2 )
Bankruptcy .......................       -       -       -       -              -          -          -          -
Business ownership change ........       6       7       9   ( 2 )            669      1,380      1,391      ( 2 )
Contract cancellation ............   ( 2 )       3   ( 2 )       3          ( 2 )        493      ( 2 )        424
Contract completed ...............   ( 2 )       4       -       -          ( 2 )        571          -          -
Environment-related ..............       -       -       -       -              -          -          -          -
Financial difficulty .............      13   ( 2 )       5   ( 2 )          3,492      ( 2 )        882      ( 2 )
Import competition ...............   ( 2 )       4       4       4          ( 2 )        913      1,296        515
Labor dispute ....................       -       -       -       -              -          -          -          -
Material shortage ................       -       -       -       -              -          -          -          -
Model changeover .................       -   ( 2 )       -       -              -      ( 2 )          -          -

Natural disaster .................       -       -       -       -              -          -          -          -
Plant or machine repair ..........       -       -       -       -              -          -          -          -
Product line discontinued ........   ( 2 )       3   ( 2 )       3          ( 2 )        373      ( 2 )      1,033
Reorganization within company ....      58      49      44      47          9,759      8,717     10,491      9,859
Seasonal work ....................   ( 3 )   ( 3 )   ( 3 )   ( 3 )          ( 3 )      ( 3 )      ( 3 )      ( 3 )
Slack work .......................       5       4       4       3            735      1,260        887        515
Vacation period ..................   ( 3 )   ( 3 )   ( 3 )   ( 3 )          ( 3 )      ( 3 )      ( 3 )      ( 3 )
Weather-related ..................       -       -       -       -              -          -          -          -      
Other ............................      23       9      13      10          4,191      1,798      2,102      3,217
Not reported .....................       -       -       -       -              -          -          -          -

     
    1 See footnote 1, table 1.
    2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
    3 The questions on movement of work were not asked of employers  when the reason for layoff was either seasonal
work or vacation period. 
    p = preliminary.
    r = revised.
    NOTE: Dash represents zero. 




Table 9. Census region and division:  Extended mass layoff events and separations associated with the 
movement of work, 2004


                                        Layoff events                             Separations
   Region and division               
                                I        II      III      IV           I         II         III	       IV
                              2004      2004    2004r    2004p       2004       2004       2004r      2004p

                                              
        United States (1)..    113       86       84       74       19,978     16,240     17,400     16,361

Northeast .................     14       10       11       14        2,691      1,342      2,366      3,126            
    
    New England ...........      3        4        3        5          508        613        932      1,211
    Middle Atlantic .......     11        6        8        9        2,183        729      1,434      1,915

South .....................     30       35       19       23        5,889      6,421      3,116      6,830
    
    South Atlantic ........     18       18       11       17        3,172      3,251      1,853      4,276
    East South Central ....      5       12        8    ( 2 )          956      2,253      1,263      ( 2 )
    West South Central ....      7        5        -    ( 2 )        1,761        917          -      ( 2 )

Midwest ...................     37       22       40       20        6,442      4,503      9,224      3,679
    
    East North Central ....     31       19       36    ( 2 )        5,165      3,427      8,043      ( 2 )
    West North Central ....      6        3        4    ( 2 )        1,277      1,076      1,181      ( 2 )

West ......................     32       19       14       17        4,956      3,974      2,694      2,726
    
    Mountain ..............  ( 2 )    ( 2 )    ( 2 )        4        ( 2 )      ( 2 )      ( 2 )        514
    Pacific ...............  ( 2 )    ( 2 )    ( 2 )       13        ( 2 )      ( 2 )      ( 2 )      2,212
     

    1 See footnote 1, table 1.
    2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
    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: Iliinois, 
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 10. Extended mass layoff events and separations, selected measures, 2004 


                                                 Layoff events                             Separations
           Measure               
                                          I      II       III      IV            I        II        III       IV
                                        2004    2004r    2004r    2004p        2004r     2004r     2004r     2004p

                                              
Total, private nonfarm (1) .........   1,339    1,358     887     1,295       276,488   278,380   164,822   236,637

  Total, excluding seasonal             
    and vacation events (2) ........     980      787     696       690       213,016   151,010   133,536   117,953
    
    Total, movement of work (3).....     113       86      84        74        19,978    16,240    17,400    16,361

      Movement of work actions .....     127      112     103       124         ( 4 )     ( 4 )     ( 4 )     ( 4 )
        With separations reported ..     117       82      88        88        16,674    11,098    13,999    12,152
        With separations unknown ...      10       30      15        36         ( 4 )     ( 4 )     ( 4 )     ( 4 )
    
    
    1 See footnote 1, table 1.
    2 The questions on movement of work were not asked of employers when the reason for layoff 
was either seasonal work or vacation period.
    3 Movement of work can involve more than one action.
    4 Data are not available.
    p = preliminary.
    r = revised.
    




Table 11. Movement of work actions by type of separations where the number of separations is known by 
employers, 2004

                                          Layoff events (1)                           Separations
         Actions        
                                     I       II     III     IV             I        II        III        IV
                                   2004     2004   2004r   2004p         2004      2004      2004       2004p
   
With separations reported (2)..     117      82      88      88         16,674    11,098    13,999    12,152

        By location

  Out-of-country relocations...      34      19      18      31          4,906     2,415     3,618     5,134
    Within company.............      21      13      13      28          2,976     1,882     3,222     4,701
    Different company .........      13       6       5       3          1,930       533       396       433

  Domestic relocations ........      80      59      68      57      	10,815     8,257     9,081     7,018
    Within company.............      64      46      63      50		 8,671     5,982     8,831     6,310
    Different company .........      16      13       5       7		 2,144     2,275       250       708

  Unable to assign place of ...     
    relocation ................       3       4       2       -    	   953       426     1,300         -
   

        By company

  Within company ..............      87      63      78      78   	11,947     8,290    13,353    11,011
    Domestic ..................      64      46      63      50   	 8,671     5,982     8,831     6,310
    Out of country ............      21      13      13      28   	 2,976     1,882     3,222     4,701
    Unable to assign ..........       2       4       2       -   	   300       426     1,300         -  

  Different company ...........      30      19      10      10   	 4,727     2,808       646     1,141
    Domestic ..................      16      13       5       7   	 2,144     2,275       250       708
    Out of country ............      13       6       5       3   	 1,930       533       396       433
    Unable to assign...........       1       -       -       -            653         -         -         -
   

    1 Only actions for which separations associated with the movement of work were reported are shown.
    2 See footnote 1, table 1.
    r = revised.
    p = preliminary.
    NOTE: Dash represents zero.