Internet address:  http://stats.bls.gov/newsrels.htm
Technical information:  (202) 606-6396     USDL 99-141


                                           For release: 10:00 A.M. EDT
Media contact:                606-5902     Thursday, May 20, 1999

                        MASS LAYOFFS IN MARCH 1999

   In March 1999, there were 799 mass layoff actions by employers as
measured by new filings for unemployment insurance benefits during the
month, according to data from the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of
Labor Statistics.  Each action involved at least 50 persons from a single
establishment, and the number of workers involved totaled 84,719.  Both
the number of layoff events and the number of initial claimants for
unemployment insurance were somewhat higher in March 1999 than in March
1998. (See table 1.)
   
   The monthly series in this release covers mass layoffs of 50 or more
workers beginning in a given month, regardless of the duration of the
layoffs.  Information on the length of the layoff is obtained later and
issued in a quarterly release that reports on mass layoffs lasting more
than 30 days (referred to as "extended mass layoffs") and provides more
information on the industry classification and location of the estab-
lishment and on the demographics of the laid-off workers.  Because
monthly figures include short-term layoffs of 30 days or less, the sum of
the figures for the 3 months in a quarter will be higher than the quarterly
figure for mass layoffs of more than 30 days.  (See table 1.)  See the
Technical Note for more detailed definitions.
   
Industry Distribution
   
   In March 1999, manufacturing industries accounted for 36 percent of
all mass layoff events and 35 percent of the initial claims filed.
Manufacturing industries that had the highest numbers of initial claimants
were food products (5,380), primarily in canned and frozen fruits and
vegetables; industrial machinery and equipment (4,024), mostly in farm
machinery and equipment; and transportation equipment (3,125), particularly
in motor vehicles and car bodies.  (See table 2.)
   
   In nonmanufacturing industries, services accounted for 19 percent of
all mass layoff events and 23 percent of all initial claims filed.  The
layoffs were predominantly in business services (particularly in help
supply services) and motion pictures (mostly in motion picture and video-
tape production).  Layoffs in the help supply and motion picture services
industries are more likely than in most other industries to last less than
30 days.  Retail trade accounted for 12 percent of layoff events and
15 percent of initial claimants during the month, concentrated primarily in
general merchandise stores and in eating and drinking places.  Agriculture
accounted for 11 percent of layoff events and 7 percent of initial claimants
during the month, largely in agricultural services.
   
   Compared with March 1998, the largest increases in initial claims
occurred in business services (3,437) and general merchandise stores
(3,059).  The largest over-the-year decreases in initial claims occurred
in motion pictures (-2,915) and apparel and other textile products (-1,599).

                                  - 2 -      

Geographic Distribution
   
   In March, the number of initial claims due to mass layoffs was higher in
the West (38,113) than in any of the other regions; a year earlier, the
West also had the largest number of initial claimants involved in mass
layoffs.  (See table 3.)  The business services, agricultural services, and
motion picture industries contributed to the layoffs in the West.  The
lowest number of mass layoff initial claims was reported in the Northeast
region (11,481).
   
   The largest over-the-year increase in mass layoff-related initial claims
(2,399) occurred in the Northeast, followed closely by the Midwest (2,391).
Higher levels of initial claims this year were reported mainly in the
Middle Atlantic and East North Central divisions, with more layoffs in
general merchandise stores and transportation equipment manufacturing.
   
   Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia reporting data for
March, California had the largest number of initial claims filed in mass
layoff events (32,560), primarily in business services, followed by Illinois
(5,705), Texas (5,615), and Pennsylvania (5,051).  These four states accounted
for about 56 percent of all layoff events and 58 percent of all initial
claimants for unemployment insurance.  (See table 4.)
   
   From March 1998 to March 1999, Illinois reported the largest over-the-
year rise in initial claims (3,613), primarily in transportation equipment,
followed by Kentucky (1,255).  Missouri had the largest over-the-year
decline in initial claims (-1,221), mostly in transportation equipment,
followed by Oregon (-1,205).
   
Technical Note
 
 
 
 The Mass Layoff Statistics (MLS) program is a federal-state program that
uses a standardized, automated approach to identifying, describing, and
tracking the effects of major job cutbacks, using data from each state's
unemployment insurance database.  Each month, states report on
establishments which have at least 50 initial claims filed against them
during a consecutive 5-week period.  These establishments then are
contacted by the state agency to determine whether these separations lasted
31 days or longer, and, if so, other information concerning the layoff is
collected.  States report on layoffs lasting more than 1 month on a
quarterly basis.
 
 A given month contains an aggregation of the weekly unemployment
insurance claims filings for the Sunday through Saturday weeks in that
month.  All weeks are included for the particular month, except if the
first day of the month falls on Saturday.  In this case, the week is
included in the prior month's tabulations.  This means that some months
will contain 4 weeks and others 5 weeks, and the number of weeks in a given
month may be different from year to year.  Therefore, analysis of over-the-
month and over-the-year change should take this calendar effect into
consideration.
 
 The MLS program resumed operations in April 1995 after it had been
terminated in November 1992 due to lack of funding.  Prior to April 1995,
monthly layoff statistics were not available.
 
 Information in this release will be made available to sensory
impaired individuals upon request.  Voice phone: 202-606-STAT; TDD
phone: 202-606-5897; TDD message referral phone number:  1-800-326-2577.
 
Definitions
 
 Initial claimant.  A person who files any notice of unemployment to
initiate a request either for a determination of entitlement to and
eligibility for compensation, or for a subsequent period of unemployment
within a benefit year or period of eligibility.
 
 Mass layoff event.  Fifty or more initial claims for unemployment
insurance benefits filed against an establishment during a 5-week period,
regardless of duration.
Table 1. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance, January 1997 to March 1999

  
                                                                      Extended mass layoffs 
                                                                    lasting more than 30 days
               Date                                                                                     
                                        Total mass layoffs                                         Event
                                                                                                 realization
                                                                                                   rate(1)
                                                    Initial                      Initial          
                                     Events        claimants       Events       claimants

                1997

 January ..........................    2,139        212,860     
 February .........................      755         63,352     
 March ............................      783         84,069     

 First Quarter ....................    3,677        360,281          1,317        253,221           35.8     

 April ............................    1,269        152,168     
 May ..............................    1,152        101,476     
 June .............................    1,238        121,256     

 Second Quarter ...................    3,659        374,900          1,574        318,417           43.0    

 July .............................    1,899        237,410     
 August ...........................      973         99,513     
 September ........................      548         59,062    

 Third Quarter ....................    3,420        395,985          1,077        216,844           31.5     

 October ..........................    1,414        139,297     
 November .........................    1,156        100,051     
 December .........................    1,634        172,029     

 Fourth Quarter ...................    4,204        411,377          1,677        314,387           39.9     

                1998

 January ..........................    2,360        255,203     
 February .........................      970         81,455     
 March ............................      762         78,210    

 First Quarter ....................    4,092        414,868          1,310        244,639           32.0     

 April ............................    1,253        132,476     
 May ..............................    1,180        107,952     
 June .............................    1,208        183,590  

 Second Quarter ...................    3,641        424,018          1,559        401,469           42.8    

 July .............................    2,221        286,097     
 August ...........................      617         53,665     
 September ........................      637         79,629     

 Third Quarter ....................    3,475        419,391          1,230        252,421           35.4    

 October ..........................    1,553        160,830     
 November .........................    1,276        137,402     
 December .........................    1,605        190,146    

 Fourth Quarter ...................    4,434        488,378          1,660        237,483           37.4   

                1999

 January ..........................    2,212        211,991                                               
 February .........................   (r)875      (r)80,018
 March ............................      799         84,719    

  1  The event realization rate is the percentage of total mass layoff events lasting more than 30 days.
  r  = revised.
 Table 2. Industry distribution: Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance,
 March 1998 and March 1999
                                                                                             Initial claimants for
                                                                 Mass layoff events          unemployment insurance
                           Industry
                                                                March          March          March          March
                                                                1998           1999           1998           1999

      Total(1) ............................................      762            799         78,210         84,719     

 Total, private ...........................................      749            775         77,220         82,371     

   Agriculture ............................................       74             85          5,878          6,133     
   Nonagriculture .........................................      663            676         70,167         75,312     
     Manufacturing ........................................      287            286         31,083         30,020     
       Durable goods ......................................      139            144         14,592         17,059     
         Lumber and wood products .........................       23             22          1,755          1,823     
         Furniture and fixtures ...........................        8              5          1,092            449     
         Stone, clay, and glass products ..................       13              9            994            800     
         Primary metal industries .........................        9             16          1,009          1,527     
         Fabricated metal products ........................       17             14          1,360          1,436     
         Industrial machinery and equipment ...............       18             28          1,987          4,024     
         Electronic and other electrical equipment ........       26             23          2,689          2,659     
         Transportation equipment .........................       15             16          2,884          3,125     
         Instruments and related products .................        5              6            337            616     
         Miscellaneous manufacturing industries ...........        5              5            485            600   

       Nondurable goods ...................................      148            142         16,491         12,961     
         Food and kindred products ........................       64             59          6,114          5,380     
         Tobacco products .................................        5              3            777            792     
         Textile mill products ............................       16             19          2,076          2,012     
         Apparel and other textile products ...............       26             33          4,298          2,699     
         Paper and allied products ........................        5              6            402            624     
         Printing and publishing ..........................       12              8            809            626     
         Chemicals and allied products ....................    ( 2 )              3          ( 2 )            212     
         Petroleum and coal products ......................    ( 2 )              -          ( 2 )             - 
	   Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products .......       13              8            924            452     
         Leather and leather products .....................    ( 2 )              3          ( 2 )            164  

     Nonmanufacturing .....................................      376            390         39,084         45,292     
       Mining .............................................        5             20            404          1,712     
       Construction .......................................       72             66          4,873          5,227     
       Transportation and public utilities ................       37             33          4,014          3,501     
       Wholesale and retail trade .........................      104            111         10,655         14,340     
          Wholesale trade .................................       15             18          1,034          1,241     
          Retail trade ....................................       89             93          9,621         13,099     
       Finance, insurance, and real estate ................       11             11            719            659     
       Services ...........................................      147            149         18,419         19,853

   Not identified .........................................       12             14          1,175            926 

 Government ...............................................       13             24            990          2,348     
   Federal ................................................        1              3             57            479     
   State ..................................................        3             12            227          1,083     
   Local ..................................................        9              9            706            786 

    1  Data were reported by all states and the District of Columbia.
    2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
 Table 3. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance by census region and 
 division, March 1998 and March 1999

                                         Mass layoff events           Initial claimants for
                                                                      unemployment insurance
      Census region and
         division                       March          March          March           March
                                         1998           1999           1998            1999

          United States .............    762             799          78,210          84,719       

    Northeast .......................    106             103           9,082          11,481       

       New England ..................     19              18           1,385           1,766       
       Middle Atlantic ..............     87              85           7,697           9,715     

    South ...........................    140             171          16,578          16,865    

      South Atlantic.................     69              72           6,690           7,146       
      East South Central.............     31              27           2,427           2,855       
      West South Central.............     40              72           7,461           6,864   

    Midwest .........................    146             154          15,869          18,260   

      East North Central.............    107             120           9,965          14,675       
      West North Central.............     39              34           5,904           3,585  

    West ............................    370             371          36,681          38,113   

      Mountain.......................     15              31           1,355           2,499       
      Pacific........................    355             340          35,326          35,614    

     NOTE:  The States (including the District of Columbia) that comprise the 
 various census divisions are: New England: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, 
 New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont; Middle Atlantic: New Jersey, New York, 
 and Pennsylvania; South Atlantic: Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia,
 Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia; East South 
 Central: Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee; West South Central: Arkansas, 
 Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas; East North Central: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, 
 and Wisconsin; West North Central: Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North
 Dakota, and South Dakota; Mountain: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New 
 Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming; and Pacific: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington.
 Table 4. State distribution: Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance,
 March 1998 and March 1999

                                                                                   Initial claimants for
                                                      Mass layoff events          unemployment insurance
                                                                      
                         State
                                                      March         March         March         March
                                                       1998          1999          1998          1999

    Total(1) ......................................     762           799        78,210        84,719  

 Alabama ..........................................       7             6           475           468
 Alaska ...........................................   ( 2 )             -         ( 2 )             -
 Arizona ..........................................       3             7           499           487
 Arkansas .........................................   ( 2 )             3         ( 2 )           182     
 California .......................................     310           308        31,341        32,560
 Colorado .........................................   ( 2 )             4         ( 2 )           324
 Connecticut ......................................   ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )
 Delaware .........................................       -         ( 2 )             -         ( 2 )
 District of Columbia .............................       -             -             -             -
 Florida ..........................................      27            26         2,733         1,636     
 Georgia ..........................................      11             5           990           462     
 Hawaii ...........................................       5             5           402           483     
 Idaho ............................................       4             8           199           714  

 Illinois .........................................      20            30         2,092         5,705     
 Indiana ..........................................      12            10         1,028         1,100     
 Iowa .............................................      10             7         1,604           894
 Kansas ...........................................       5         ( 2 )           333         ( 2 )
 Kentucky .........................................       5             9           382         1,637     
 Louisiana ........................................       3            10           226           658
 Maine ............................................   ( 2 )             3         ( 2 )           338
 Maryland .........................................      -          ( 2 )             -         ( 2 )
 Massachusetts ....................................      13             9           905           832     
 Michigan .........................................       9            22           831         2,021     
 Minnesota ........................................       7             4           718           339     
 Mississippi ......................................       7             3           393           178     
 Missouri .........................................      16            19         3,196         1,975

 Montana ..........................................   ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )
 Nebraska .........................................   ( 2 )             -         ( 2 )             -
 Nevada ...........................................   ( 2 )             8         ( 2 )           735     
 New Hampshire ....................................       -             -             -             -
 New Jersey .......................................      21            24         1,501         2,422
 New Mexico .......................................   ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )
 New York .........................................      16             8         1,369         2,242     
 North Carolina ...................................       7            14           652         1,751     
 North Dakota .....................................       -             -             -             -
 Ohio .............................................      22            23         1,824         2,156     
 Oklahoma .........................................       4             4           404           409     
 Oregon ...........................................      28            16         2,685         1,480     
 Pennsylvania .....................................      50            53         4,827         5,051 

 Rhode Island .....................................       3             3           272           194     
 South Carolina ...................................       9            14         1,059         1,757     
 South Dakota .....................................       -             3             -           322     
 Tennessee ........................................      12             9         1,177           572     
 Texas ............................................      32            55         6,766         5,615
 Utah .............................................   ( 2 )             -         ( 2 )             -
 Vermont ..........................................       -         ( 2 )             -         ( 2 )
 Virginia .........................................      14             9         1,196           939     
 Washington .......................................      11            11           832         1,091
 West Virginia ....................................   ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )
 Wisconsin ........................................      44            35         4,190         3,693
 Wyoming ..........................................       -         ( 2 )             -         ( 2 )

 Puerto Rico ......................................       5             5           343           682 


   1  Data were reported by all states and the District of Columbia.                                                                  
   2  Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
   Dash represents zero.