Internet address:  http://stats.bls.gov/newsrels.htm
Technical information:  (202) 691-6392  USDL 00-106


                                        For release: 10:00 A.M. EDT
Media contact:                691-5902  Tuesday, April 18, 2000

                                     
                       MASS LAYOFFS IN FEBRUARY 2000


   In February 2000, there were 1,045 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 103,898.  A year
earlier, the number of mass layoff-related initial claims was 89,800.  (See
table 1.)
   
   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 February 2000, manufacturing industries accounted for 25 percent of
all mass layoff events and 29 percent of all initial claims filed.
Manufacturing industries that had the highest numbers of initial claimants
were transportation equipment (7,438), primarily in aircraft; and food and
kindred products (6,490), mostly in canned and frozen fruits and
vegetables.  (See table 2.)
   
   Agriculture accounted for 23 percent of all mass layoff events and 20
percent of initial claimants during the month, largely in agricultural
services.  Services accounted for 17 percent of all layoffs and 22 percent
of initial claimants during the month, mainly in motion pictures and
business services (especially help supply services).  Layoffs in these two
industries, however, are more likely than those in most other industries to
last less than 30 days.  Construction accounted for 15 percent of all
layoff events and 12 percent of initial claimants during the month, mostly
in heavy construction and special trade contractors.
   
   Compared with February 1999, the largest over-the-year increases in
initial claims occurred in agricultural services (+4,758), transportation
equipment (+3,260), and agricultural production crops (+3,040).  The
largest decreases in initial claims occurred in primary metal industries
(-1,915).

                                  - 2 -

Geographic Distribution

   In February, the number of initial claims due to mass layoffs was
higher in the West (69,589) than in any other region.  (See table 3.)
Layoffs in agricultural services and motion pictures accounted for 34
percent of the claims in the West.  The fewest number of mass-layoff
initial claims continued to be reported in the Northeast region (8,920).
   
   An over-the-year increase in mass layoff-related initial claims was
reported only in the West (+22,272), while the other three regions
experienced moderate decreases: South (-4,706), Northeast (-1,959) and
Midwest (-1,509).  Among the divisions, higher levels of initial claims
over the year were reported mainly in the Pacific.  Seven of the nine
divisions reported over-the-year declines.
   
   Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia reporting data for
February, California had the largest number of initial claims filed in mass
layoff events (60,111), primarily in agricultural services and motion
pictures, followed by Washington (4,994) and Pennsylvania (4,095).
California accounted for 60 percent of all layoff events and 58 percent of
all initial claims for unemployment insurance.  (See table 4.)
   
   From February 1999 to February 2000, California reported the largest
over-the-year increase in initial claims (+17,226), mostly in agricultural
services.  Texas had the largest over-the-year decrease in initial claims
(-2,603).
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, January 1998 to February 2000

  
                                                                       Extended mass layoffs 
                                                                     lasting more than 30 days
               Date                                                                                    
                                      Total mass layoffs                                     Event
                                                                                          realization
                                                                                            rate(1)
                                                  Initial                    Initial          
                                     Events      claimants       Events     claimants



                1998

 January ..........................   2,360       255,203     
 February .........................     970        81,455     
 March ............................     762        78,210     

 First Quarter ....................   4,092       414,868         1,320       247,315          32.3     

 April ............................   1,253       132,476     
 May ..............................   1,180       107,952     
 June .............................   1,208       183,590     

 Second Quarter ...................   3,641       424,018         1,563       402,276          42.9     

 July .............................   2,220       286,055     
 August ...........................     617        53,665     
 September ........................     637        79,629     

 Third Quarter ....................   3,474       419,349         1,234       256,803          35.5     

 October ..........................   1,553       160,830     
 November .........................   1,368       144,343     
 December .........................   1,776       207,661     

 Fourth Quarter ...................   4,697       512,834         1,736       326,122          37.0     

                1999

 January ..........................   2,421       226,995     
 February .........................   1,067        89,800     
 March ............................     880        91,890     

 First Quarter ....................   4,368       408,685         1,509       252,060          34.5     

 April ............................   1,270       136,885     
 May ..............................   1,032       102,738     
 June .............................   1,140       130,951     

 Second Quarter ...................   3,442       370,574         1,445       242,197          42.0     

 July .............................   1,741       221,334     
 August ...........................     698        75,691     
 September ........................     717        75,288     

 Third Quarter ....................   3,156       372,313         1,099       189,366          34.8     

 October ..........................   1,098       118,938     
 November .........................   1,336       139,508     
 December .........................   1,509       162,381     

 Fourth Quarter ...................   3,943       420,827      (p)1,571    (p)212,196       (p)39.8

                2000

 January(p) .......................   1,934       223,322     
 February(p) ......................   1,045       103,898     


    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

                                                       February  December  January  February    February  December  January February
                                                         1999      1999    2000(p)   2000(p)      1999      1999    2000(p)  2000(p)

      Total(1) .......................................  1,067     1,509     1,934     1,045      89,800   162,381   223,322  103,898     

 Total, private ......................................  1,038     1,458     1,878     1,022      87,177   157,932   218,232  101,817     

   Agriculture .......................................    227       120        72       245      13,278     8,730     5,401   20,938     
   Nonagriculture ....................................    792     1,314     1,769       769      72,572   146,160   207,602   80,212     
     Manufacturing ...................................    295       444       737       260      28,782    59,141    97,271   29,907     
       Durable goods .................................    157       237       420       125      16,480    35,086    63,521   16,945     
         Lumber and wood products ....................     28        37        56        18       2,940     3,170     9,228    2,198     
         Furniture and fixtures ......................      7         9        37        10         399     1,076     4,536      856     
         Stone, clay, and glass products .............      8        32        39         7         540     3,817     3,378      382     
         Primary metal industries ....................     11        15        23         8       2,578     2,183     2,870      663     
         Fabricated metal products ...................     12        16        54        21         937     1,290     4,993    1,892     
         Industrial machinery and equipment ..........     28        34        45        17       1,979     6,581     8,281    1,724     
         Electronic and other electrical equipment ...     27        24        53        16       2,121     6,477     7,804    1,366     
         Transportation equipment ....................     25        44        75        23       4,178     7,642    18,923    7,438     
         Instruments and related products ............      8         8        17         5         625       759     1,272      426     
         Miscellaneous manufacturing industries ......      3        18        21         -         183     2,091     2,236        -

       Nondurable goods ..............................    138       207       317       135      12,302    24,055    33,750   12,962     
         Food and kindred products ...................     66        70        99        73       5,505     8,105    10,287    6,490     
         Tobacco products ............................      6         3     ( 2 )     ( 2 )         832       367     ( 2 )    ( 2 )
         Textile mill products .......................     13        18        46         9       1,111     2,741     7,157    1,502     
         Apparel and other textile products ..........     21        42        82        21       2,078     4,193     7,946    2,342     
         Paper and allied products ...................      6         5        19         5         825       422     1,814      317     
         Printing and publishing .....................     14         8        12         6       1,027       672       829      490     
         Chemicals and allied products ...............      4         4         7         7         336       227       752      508     
         Petroleum and coal products .................      -        12     ( 2 )     ( 2 )           -     1,208     ( 2 )    ( 2 )
         Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products ..      5        36        33         8         416     4,145     3,066      599     
         Leather and leather products ................      3         9        13     ( 2 )         172     1,975     1,315    ( 2 )

     Nonmanufacturing ................................    497       870     1,032       509      43,790    87,019   110,331   50,305     
       Mining ........................................     15        19        25         8       1,355     2,231     2,034      726     
       Construction ..................................    120       269       283       156       7,062    23,467    22,277   12,045     
       Transportation and public utilities ...........     29        77       129        31       2,247    11,644    11,228    2,957     
       Wholesale and retail trade ....................     91       200       204       114       7,154    20,806    24,006   10,081     
          Wholesale trade ............................     28        35        41        26       1,857     4,503     5,775    2,054     
          Retail trade ...............................     63       165       163        88       5,297    16,303    18,231    8,027     
       Finance, insurance, and real estate ...........     20        24        26        25       1,449     1,804     2,193    1,510     
       Services ......................................    222       281       365       175      24,523    27,067    48,593   22,986     

   Not identified ....................................     19        24        37         8       1,327     3,042     5,229      667     

 Government ..........................................     29        51        56        23       2,623     4,449     5,090    2,081     
   Federal ...........................................      7         5        16         4         690       688     1,561      242     
   State .............................................     11        18         8        12       1,243     1,761       633    1,120     
   Local .............................................     11        28        32         7         690     2,000     2,896      719     


   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

                                February   December   January   February      February    December    January   February
                                  1999       1999     2000(p)    2000(p)        1999        1999      2000(p)    2000(p)

         United States(1) ....   1,067      1,509      1,934      1,045        89,800     162,381     223,322    103,898     

 Northeast ...................     108        197        397        100        10,879      21,597      39,178      8,920     

     New England .............      26         41         78         14         2,672       4,598       8,146      1,665     
     Middle Atlantic .........      82        156        319         86         8,207      16,999      31,032      7,255     

 South .......................     193        245        369        135        17,124      26,449      43,938     12,418     

     South Atlantic ..........      80        119        185         58         7,060      12,019      25,391      5,754     
     East South Central ......      36         36         70         28         3,443       3,652       8,156      2,433     
     West South Central ......      77         90        114         49         6,621      10,778      10,391      4,231     

 Midwest .....................     144        531        601        127        14,480      67,805      73,753     12,971     

     East North Central ......     113        385        470        101        10,412      47,465      60,165     10,046     
     West North Central ......      31        146        131         26         4,068      20,340      13,588      2,925     

 West ........................     622        536        567        683        47,317      46,530      66,453     69,589     

     Mountain ................      28         70         75         34         2,384       6,733       6,378      3,237     
     Pacific .................     594        466        492        649        44,933      39,797      60,075     66,352     


      1 See footnote 1, table 2.                                                                                      
      p = preliminary.                          
      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

                                                                                          Initial claimants for                
                                             Mass layoff events                          unemployment insurance
                                                                                           
              State               February   December   January   February      February   December   January   February
                                    1999       1999     2000(p)    2000(p)        1999       1999     2000(p)    2000(p)

    Total(1) ...................   1,067      1,509      1,934      1,045        89,800    162,381    223,322    103,898     

 Alabama .......................       7          7          9          8           956        768        929        777     
 Alaska ........................       -      ( 2 )          3      ( 2 )             -      ( 2 )        212      ( 2 )                                 
 Arizona .......................   ( 2 )          4         11          4         ( 2 )        279        743        381     
 Arkansas ......................       3         17         10      ( 2 )           281      2,187        874      ( 2 )
 California ....................     569        410        426        627        42,885     33,517     54,083     60,111     
 Colorado ......................       4         10          8          3           311        943        755        286     
 Connecticut ...................   ( 2 )      ( 2 )         10          -         ( 2 )      ( 2 )      1,031          -
 Delaware ......................       -      ( 2 )          3          -             -      ( 2 )      1,710          -
 District of Columbia ..........   ( 2 )          5          3          -         ( 2 )        590        253          -
 Florida .......................      34         34         42         15         2,710      2,504      3,193      1,038     
 Georgia .......................      10         18          9         10           730      1,378        871      1,390     
 Hawaii ........................       3          3         12      ( 2 )           194        342      1,086      ( 2 )
 Idaho .........................       8         13         10         11           781      1,202        904      1,192     

 Illinois ......................      16         98         70         22         1,240     12,107     14,210      2,330     
 Indiana .......................      10         37         31         15         1,058      7,911      2,750      1,467     
 Iowa ..........................       6         37         46          6           402      4,931      5,832        555     
 Kansas ........................   ( 2 )         10         14          4         ( 2 )      1,023        989        301     
 Kentucky ......................       8         10         23         10           824        936      2,725        836     
 Louisiana .....................       7         12         21          5           465        801      1,558        242     
 Maine .........................       7          7          5      ( 2 )           722        494        618      ( 2 )
 Maryland ......................   ( 2 )          5         17          4         ( 2 )        507      1,156        254     
 Massachusetts .................      14         20         36          7         1,554      2,169      3,789        580     
 Michigan ......................      26        132        128         20         2,648     17,255     13,643      1,805     
 Minnesota .....................       5         41         21      ( 2 )           502      5,209      2,399      ( 2 )
 Mississippi ...................       5      ( 2 )         10          6           529      ( 2 )      1,659        468     
 Missouri ......................      16         55         37         14         2,904      8,654      3,281      1,888     

 Montana .......................       -      ( 2 )      ( 2 )      ( 2 )             -      ( 2 )      ( 2 )      ( 2 )
 Nebraska ......................   ( 2 )      ( 2 )         12          -         ( 2 )      ( 2 )        988          -
 Nevada ........................       9         31         35         10           709      3,267      3,263        923     
 New Hampshire .................   ( 2 )      ( 2 )          7         -          ( 2 )      ( 2 )        790          -
 New Jersey ....................      14         33         73         25         1,455      3,063      7,270      2,489     
 New Mexico ....................       4      ( 2 )          7      ( 2 )           260      ( 2 )        441      ( 2 )
 New York ......................       7         33         37          9         1,521      2,750      3,570        671     
 North Carolina ................      12         14         14         10         1,311      1,466      2,818        882     
 North Dakota ..................   ( 2 )      ( 2 )      ( 2 )          -         ( 2 )      ( 2 )      ( 2 )          -
 Ohio ..........................      22         57        118         18         1,873      4,852     16,153      1,604     
 Oklahoma ......................   ( 2 )         10          7          6         ( 2 )      1,736        536        652     
 Oregon ........................      14         33         39         12         1,251      4,052      3,816      1,029     
 Pennsylvania ..................      61         90        209         52         5,231     11,186     20,192      4,095     

 Rhode Island ..................   ( 2 )          9         18          5         ( 2 )      1,413      1,728        928     
 South Carolina ................       9         20         38          8           691      1,944      5,526      1,203     
 South Dakota ..................       -          -          -          -             -          -          -          -
 Tennessee .....................      16         17         28          4         1,134      1,691      2,843        352     
 Texas .........................      66         51         76         37         5,819      6,054      7,423      3,216     
 Utah ..........................   ( 2 )          8          3          4         ( 2 )        745        205        320     
 Vermont .......................       -          3      ( 2 )          -             -        223      ( 2 )          -
 Virginia ......................      12         22         55          7         1,350      3,585      9,568        504     
 Washington ....................       8         18         12          7           603      1,674        878      4,994     
 West Virginia .................       -          -          4          4             -          -        296        483     
 Wisconsin .....................      39         61        123         26         3,593      5,340     13,409      2,840     
 Wyoming .......................       -          -          -          -             -          -          -          -

 Puerto Rico ...................      14         11         14         13         1,201      1,132      1,055      1,105     


      1  See footnote 1, table 2.                                              
      2  Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.  
      p  = preliminary.
      NOTE:  Dash represents zero.