Internet address:  http://stats.bls.gov/newsrels.htm
Technical information:  (202) 691-6392          USDL 01-33


                                                For release: 10:00 A.M. EST
Media contact:                691-5902          Thursday, February 1, 2001

                                     
                       MASS LAYOFFS IN DECEMBER 2000


   In December 2000, there were 2,677 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; the number of workers involved totaled 326,743.  (See table 1.)
The number of layoff events and initial claims for unemployment insurance
were the highest for the month of December since the series began in 1995;
part of the increase was due to a calendar effect, since December 2000
contained 5 weeks that ended in the month compared with 4 weeks in each of
the prior four Decembers.

   The total of layoff events for all of 2000, at 15,738, and the total
number of initial claimants, at 1,835,592, were higher than in 1999 (14,909
and 1,572,399, respectively).  Additional information on the annual data is
provided in the Review of 2000 section on page 2 of this release.
   
   The monthly data series in this release cover mass layoffs of 50 or
more workers beginning in a given month, regardless of the duration of the
layoffs.  Information on the length of the layoff is obtained later and
issued in a quarterly release that reports on mass layoffs lasting more
than 30 days (referred to as "extended mass layoffs") and provides more
information on the industry classification and location of the establishment
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 December 2000, manufacturing industries accounted for 39 percent of
all mass layoff events and 50 percent of all initial claims filed.  The
highest number of initial claimants was in transportation equipment
(40,342), primarily in motor vehicles.  Other manufacturing industries with
high numbers of initial claimants were electronic and other electrical
equipment (15,035), industrial machinery and equipment (14,979), primary
metal industries (12,796), food and kindred products (11,932), and rubber
and miscellaneous plastic products (10,498).  (See table 2.)

                                  - 2 -

   Services accounted for 17 percent of events and 16 percent of initial
claimants during the month, mainly in business services (particularly help
supply services) and motion pictures.  Layoffs in these industries,
however, are more likely than those in most other industries to last less
than 30 days.
   
   Sixteen percent of events and 11 percent of initial claimants during
the month were in construction, mostly in heavy construction.  Retail trade
accounted for 7 percent of all mass layoff events and initial claimants
during the month, largely in eating and drinking places.  An additional
6 percent of events and 3 percent of initial claimants were reported in
agriculture, particularly in agricultural services (farm labor contractors).
   
   Compared with December 1999, the largest over-the-year increase in
initial claims occurred in transportation equipment (+32,700), followed by
business services (+11,411) and primary metal industries (+10,613).  The
largest decreases in initial claims occurred in coal mining (-1,094) and
wholesale trade in nondurable goods (-908).

Geographic Distribution
   
   In December, the number of initial claims due to mass layoffs was
higher in the Midwest (157,486) than in any other region and represented
almost half the claims for the month.  (See table 3.)  Layoffs in
transportation equipment accounted for 21 percent of the claims in the
Midwest.  The fewest number of mass-layoff initial claims was reported in
the Northeast region (40,688).
   
   Over-the-year increases in mass layoff-related initial claims were
reported in all four regions: Midwest (+89,681), South (+29,848), West
(+25,742), and Northeast (+19,091).  Each of the nine geographic divisions
reported over-the-year increases in initial claims associated with mass
layoff events, with the largest increase reported in the East North Central
division.
   
   Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, California accounted
for the largest number of initial claims filed in mass layoff events
(52,576), primarily in motion pictures and business services.  Other states
with large numbers of mass-layoff initial claims were Michigan (43,436),
Illinois (29,157), and Pennsylvania (20,719).  These four states accounted
for 45 percent of all layoff events and initial claims for unemployment
insurance.  (See table 4.)
   
   From December 1999 to December 2000, 44 states reported over-the-year
increases in initial claims, led by Michigan (+26,181).  Five states and
the District of Columbia reported over-the-year decreases in initial
claims, with Oklahoma reporting the largest decrease (-799).

                                  - 3 -

Review of 2000
   
   In all of 2000, there were 15,738 layoff events and 1,835,592 initial
claimants for unemployment insurance in the 50 states and the District of
Columbia.  Both the number of events and the number of initial claimants
were higher than in 1999.  (See table A.)
   
   In 2000, manufacturing accounted for 35 percent of all mass layoff
events and 42 percent of initial claims filed, essentially unchanged from
1999 (33 percent and 40 percent, respectively) and the same as in 1998.
Initial claim filings were most numerous in transportation equipment
(192,047), followed by food and kindred products (88,942) and industrial
machinery and equipment (73,215).  Compared with 1999, the largest increase
in initial claims occurred in transportation equipment (+93,301).  The
largest over-the-year decrease in initial claims occurred in industrial
machinery and equipment (-14,148).
   
   In 2000, the number of initial claims due to mass layoffs was higher in
the West (656,889) than any other region.  Layoffs in business services,
motion pictures, and agricultural services accounted for 43 percent of the
claims in the West.  The fewest number of mass-layoff initial claims was
reported in the Northeast region (235,083). Over-the-year increases in mass-
layoff initial claims occurred in each of the four regions, with the
largest in the Midwest (+109,158).  Among the 50 states and the District of
Columbia, California had the largest number of initial claims filed in mass
layoff events (536,673), which reflected an over-the-year increase of
66,859.  Texas reported the largest over-the-year decrease (-10,591).

Table A. Number of mass layoff events and initial
claimants for unemployment insurance, 1996-2000
---------------------------------------------------------
           |                    |
           |                    |   Initial claimants for
   Year    |    Layoff events   |  unemployment insurance
           |                    |
---------------------------------------------------------
 1996      |       14,111       |       1,437,628
 1997      |       14,960       |       1,542,543
 1998      |       15,904       |       1,771,069
 1999      |       14,909       |       1,572,399
 2000p     |       15,738       |       1,835,592
---------------------------------------------------------
 p=preliminary.
Technical Note
 
 
 
 The Mass Layoff Statistics (MLS) program is a federal-state program that
uses a standardized, automated approach to identifying, describing, and
tracking the effects of major job cutbacks, using data from each state's
unemployment insurance database.  Each month, states report on
establishments which have at least 50 initial claims filed against them
during a consecutive 5-week period.  These establishments then are
contacted by the state agency to determine whether these separations lasted
31 days or longer, and, if so, other information concerning the layoff is
collected.  States report on layoffs lasting more than 1 month on a
quarterly basis.
 
 A given month contains an aggregation of the weekly unemployment
insurance claims filings for the Sunday through Saturday weeks in that
month.  All weeks are included for the particular month, except if the
first day of the month falls on Saturday.  In this case, the week is
included in the prior month's tabulations.  This means that some months
will contain 4 weeks and others 5 weeks, and the number of weeks in a given
month may be different from year to year.  Therefore, analysis of over-the-
month and over-the-year change should take this calendar effect into
consideration.
 
 The MLS program resumed operations in April 1995 after it had been
terminated in November 1992 due to lack of funding.  Prior to April 1995,
monthly layoff statistics were not available.
 
 Information in this release will be made available to sensory
impaired individuals upon request.  Voice phone: 202-691-5200; 
TDD message referral phone number:  1-800-877-8339.
 
Definitions
 
 Initial claimant.  A person who files any notice of unemployment to
initiate a request either for a determination of entitlement to and
eligibility for compensation, or for a subsequent period of unemployment
within a benefit year or period of eligibility.
 
 Mass layoff event.  Fifty or more initial claims for unemployment
insurance benefits filed against an establishment during a 5-week period,
regardless of duration.
Table 1. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance, October 1998 to December 2000

  
                                                           Extended mass layoffs 
                                                         lasting more than 30 days
             Date                                                                               
                                 Total mass layoffs                                      Event
                                                                                      realization
                                                                                        rate(1)
                                            Initial                    Initial          
                               Events      claimants       Events      claimants



             1998

 October ....................   1,553       160,830     
 November ...................   1,368       144,343     
 December ...................   1,776       207,661     

 Fourth Quarter .............   4,697       512,834         1,734       325,990          36.9     

             1999

 January ....................   2,421       226,995     
 February ...................   1,067        89,800     
 March ......................     880        91,890     

 First Quarter ..............   4,368       408,685         1,509       252,122          34.5     

 April ......................   1,270       136,885     
 May ........................   1,032       102,738     
 June .......................   1,140       130,951     

 Second Quarter .............   3,442       370,574         1,444       242,464          42.0     

 July .......................   1,741       221,334     
 August .....................     698        75,691     
 September ..................     717        75,288     

 Third Quarter ..............   3,156       372,313         1,097       189,973          34.8     

 October ....................   1,098       118,938     
 November ...................   1,336       139,508     
 December ...................   1,509       162,381     

 Fourth Quarter .............   3,943       420,827         1,625       287,421          41.2     

             2000

 January ....................   1,934       223,322     
 February ...................   1,045       103,898     
 March ......................     986       106,748     

 First Quarter ..............   3,965       433,968         1,331       220,019          33.6     

 April ......................     924       101,359     
 May ........................     984        92,193     
 June .......................   1,597       192,025     

 Second Quarter .............   3,505       385,577         1,272       228,867          36.3     

 July .......................   1,333       164,978     
 August .....................     751        97,215     
 September ..................     936       106,842     

 Third Quarter ..............   3,020       369,035        (p)975    (p)142,269       (p)32.3

 October ....................     874       103,755     
 November(p).................   1,697       216,514     
 December(p).................   2,677       326,743 

   1 The event realization rate is the percentage of total mass layoff events lasting more than 30 days.
   p = preliminary.
Table 2. Industry distribution: Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance

                                                                                                     Initial claimants for
                                                                  Mass layoff events                 unemployment insurance
                           Industry

                                                         December October November December   December  October  November  December
                                                           1999     2000   2000(p)  2000(p)     1999      2000    2000(p)   2000(p)

      Total(1) ........................................   1,509      874    1,697    2,677    162,381   103,755   216,514   326,743     

 Total, private .......................................   1,458      826    1,651    2,605    157,932    98,349   212,318   320,875     

   Agriculture ........................................     120      145      254      152      8,730    13,631    21,916    11,007     
   Nonagriculture .....................................   1,314      670    1,374    2,388    146,160    82,285   186,788   301,367     
     Manufacturing ....................................     444      321      607    1,056     59,141    48,588    92,805   164,578     
       Durable goods ..................................     237      175      363      676     35,086    34,544    59,217   118,984     
         Lumber and wood products .....................      37       19       61       88      3,170     1,819     7,725     9,636     
         Furniture and fixtures .......................       9       10       20       43      1,076       944     2,576     5,735     
         Stone, clay, and glass products ..............      32    ( 2 )       26       56      3,817     ( 2 )     2,559     7,397     
         Primary metal industries .....................      15       20       35       75      2,183     2,857     4,643    12,796     
         Fabricated metal products ....................      16       20       44       89      1,290     1,737     4,332     9,500     
         Industrial machinery and equipment ...........      34       22       48       88      6,581     6,567     9,899    14,979     
         Electronic and other electrical equipment ....      24       14       32       65      6,477     1,865     7,218    15,035     
         Transportation equipment .....................      44       57       77      139      7,642    17,704    18,322    40,342     
         Instruments and related products .............       8        6        8       10        759       480       769     1,080     
         Miscellaneous manufacturing industries .......      18    ( 2 )       12       23      2,091     ( 2 )     1,174     2,484     

       Nondurable goods ...............................     207      146      244      380     24,055    14,044    33,588    45,594     
         Food and kindred products ....................      70       64       84       98      8,105     6,729     9,927    11,932     
         Tobacco products .............................       3        -        -        4        367         -         -       338     
         Textile mill products ........................      18       14       48       50      2,741     1,696     9,379     7,874     
         Apparel and other textile products ...........      42       30       37       66      4,193     2,281     4,147     6,395     
         Paper and allied products ....................       5        8       16       27        422       695     2,243     2,876     
         Printing and publishing ......................       8    ( 2 )        7       16        672     ( 2 )       585     1,788     
         Chemicals and allied products ................       4        6        6       14        227       438       420     1,201     
         Petroleum and coal products ..................      12    ( 2 )        6       14      1,208     ( 2 )       548     1,437     
         Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products ...      36       14       31       81      4,145     1,185     5,182    10,498     
         Leather and leather products .................       9    ( 2 )        9       10      1,975     ( 2 )     1,157     1,255     

     Nonmanufacturing .................................     870      349      767    1,332     87,019    33,697    93,983   136,789     
       Mining .........................................      19    ( 2 )        9       26      2,231     ( 2 )       984     2,379     
       Construction ...................................     269       58      241      433     23,467     4,929    22,983    37,175     
       Transportation and public utilities ............      77       29       45      152     11,644     3,116     4,811    17,514     
       Wholesale and retail trade .....................     200       87      139      247     20,806     7,815    15,743    26,324     
          Wholesale trade .............................      35       17       32       48      4,503     1,191     2,649     4,796     
          Retail trade ................................     165       70      107      199     16,303     6,624    13,094    21,528     
       Finance, insurance, and real estate ............      24    ( 2 )       18       26      1,804     ( 2 )     1,562     2,177     
       Services .......................................     281      155      315      448     27,067    15,842    47,900    51,220     

   Not identified .....................................      24       11       23       65      3,042     2,433     3,614     8,501     

 Government ...........................................      51       48       46       72      4,449     5,406     4,196     5,868     
   Federal ............................................       5       18       15        6        688     2,397     1,275       583     
   State ..............................................      18       12       20       20      1,761     1,355     2,002     1,705     
   Local ..............................................      28       18       11       46      2,000     1,654       919     3,580     


   1 Data were reported by all states and the District of Columbia.                         
   2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.                             
   p = preliminary.
   NOTE:  Dash represents zero. 
Table 3. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance by census region and division
                                                                                          
                                             Mass layoff events                              Initial claimants for
                                                                                             unemployment insurance
  Census region and division

                                 December   October    November   December       December    October     November      December
                                   1999       2000      2000(p)    2000(p)         1999        2000       2000(p)       2000(p)
 
        United States(1)  .....   1,509        874       1,697      2,677        162,381     103,755      216,514       326,743     

 Northeast ....................     197        110         187        397         21,597       9,040       21,489        40,688     

     New England ..............      41         16          30         95          4,598       1,293        2,926        10,739     
     Middle Atlantic ..........     156         94         157        302         16,999       7,747       18,563        29,949     

 South ........................     245        217         329        487         26,449      26,981       44,026        56,297     

     South Atlantic ...........     119         91         154        246         12,019      12,727       24,888        29,409     
     East South Central .......      36         42          68        119          3,652       3,868        7,936        14,617     
     West South Central .......      90         84         107        122         10,778      10,386       11,202        12,271     

 Midwest ......................     531        180         464      1,079         67,805      30,047       65,286       157,486     

     East North Central .......     385        144         361        837         47,465      24,434       52,987       125,559     
     West North Central .......     146         36         103        242         20,340       5,613       12,299        31,927     

 West .........................     536        367         717        714         46,530      37,687       85,713        72,272     

     Mountain .................      70         35          66         94          6,733       4,185        7,552         9,093     
     Pacific ..................     466        332         651        620         39,797      33,502       78,161        63,179     


      1 See footnote 1, table 2.                                                                                       
      p = preliminary.                                                   
      NOTE:  The States (including the District of Columbia) that comprise the census divisions are:  New England:  Connecticut, 
Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont; Middle  Atlantic:  New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania;                                                            
South Atlantic:  Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and 
West Virginia; East South Central:  Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee; West South Central: Arkansas, Louisiana, 
Oklahoma, and Texas; East North Central:  Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin; West North Central: Iowa, Kansas, 
Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota; Mountain:  Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico,
Utah, and Wyoming; and Pacific: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington.
Table 4. State distribution: Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance

                                                                                  Initial claimants for                
                                          Mass layoff events                     unemployment insurance
                                                                                           
              State       

                                December October  November   December    December  October  November  December
                                  1999     2000    2000(p)    2000(p)      1999      2000    2000(p)   2000(p)

    Total(1) .................   1,509      874     1,697      2,677     162,381   103,755   216,514   326,743     

 Alabama .....................       7        7        13         17         768       450     2,039     2,086     
 Alaska ......................   ( 2 )    ( 2 )         6          7       ( 2 )     ( 2 )       399       619     
 Arizona .....................       4        9         3          6         279       959       274       408     
 Arkansas ....................      17        5        13         14       2,187       558     1,254     1,765     
 California ..................     410      302       581        534      33,517    30,578    71,002    52,576     
 Colorado ....................      10        4         8         12         943       380       850       983     
 Connecticut .................   ( 2 )        3         3          7       ( 2 )       247       233       677     
 Delaware ....................   ( 2 )        -         3      ( 2 )       ( 2 )         -     2,368     ( 2 )
 District of Columbia ........       5    ( 2 )         -          3         590     ( 2 )         -       265     
 Florida .....................      34       32        34         66       2,504     2,880     2,240     4,956     
 Georgia .....................      18       14        19         29       1,378     1,233     2,187     2,965     
 Hawaii ......................       3        3         3      ( 2 )         342       174       285     ( 2 )
 Idaho .......................      13        6        14         17       1,202       801     1,795     2,201     

 Illinois ....................      98       39        70        157      12,107     5,692    16,382    29,157     
 Indiana .....................      37       11        48         95       7,911     1,216     6,698    17,391     
 Iowa ........................      37        9        25         67       4,931       736     4,355     9,619     
 Kansas ......................      10        3        13         19       1,023     2,488     1,212     1,949     
 Kentucky ....................      10       15        24         68         936     1,565     3,711     9,418     
 Louisiana ...................      12       13        24         20         801     1,299     2,214     1,345     
 Maine .......................       7        3     ( 2 )         10         494       171     ( 2 )     1,168     
 Maryland ....................       5        4         6          9         507       354       724       709     
 Massachusetts ...............      20        5        16         41       2,169       507     1,284     3,887     
 Michigan ....................     132       23        90        301      17,255     3,537     9,558    43,436     
 Minnesota ...................      41       10        45         55       5,209     1,104     4,711     7,140     
 Mississippi .................   ( 2 )       12        16         11       ( 2 )       950     1,041     1,110     
 Missouri ....................      55       13        17         93       8,654     1,122     1,730    12,435     
 
 Montana .....................   ( 2 )        -         4          4       ( 2 )         -       455       585     
 Nebraska ....................   ( 2 )    ( 2 )     ( 2 )          4       ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )       367     
 Nevada ......................      31       13        23         44       3,267     1,578     2,847     4,091     
 New Hampshire ...............   ( 2 )    ( 2 )     ( 2 )         10       ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )     1,445     
 New Jersey ..................      33       14        31         51       3,063     1,229     4,912     5,250     
 New Mexico ..................   ( 2 )        3         -          5       ( 2 )       467         -       292     
 New York ....................      33       12        22         41       2,750     1,020     2,287     3,980     
 North Carolina ..............      14       15        15         25       1,466     3,717     1,987     2,893     
 North Dakota ................   ( 2 )        -     ( 2 )      ( 2 )       ( 2 )         -     ( 2 )     ( 2 )
 Ohio ........................      57       34        53        142       4,852     9,611     6,756    18,623     
 Oklahoma ....................      10    ( 2 )         9         13       1,736     ( 2 )     2,155       937     
 Oregon ......................      33        7        30         42       4,052       638     3,293     5,545     
 Pennsylvania ................      90       68       104        210      11,186     5,498    11,364    20,719     

 Rhode Island ................       9    ( 2 )         5         19       1,413     ( 2 )       518     2,522     
 South Carolina ..............      20       11        46         51       1,944     2,812     9,339     8,404     
 South Dakota ................       -        -         -          3           -         -         -       362     
 Tennessee ...................      17        8        15         23       1,691       903     1,145     2,003     
 Texas .......................      51       65        61         75       6,054     8,477     5,579     8,224     
 Utah ........................       8        -        13          6         745        -      1,276       533     
 Vermont .....................       3        3         3          8         223       236       281     1,040     
 Virginia ....................      22       12        29         59       3,585     1,432     5,889     8,561     
 Washington ..................      18       18        31         36       1,674     1,968     3,182     4,379     
 West Virginia ...............       -    ( 2 )     ( 2 )      ( 2 )           -     ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )
 Wisconsin ...................      61       37       100        142       5,340     4,378    13,593    16,952     
 Wyoming .....................       -        -     ( 2 )          -           -         -     ( 2 )         -

 Puerto Rico .................      11        9         7         18       1,132     1,141       537     2,413     


    1 See footnote 1, table 2.                                              
    2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.  
    p = preliminary.
    NOTE:  Dash represents zero.