Internet address:  http://stats.bls.gov/newsrels.htm
Technical information:  (202) 606-6396   USDL 99-105


                                         For release: 10:00 A.M. EDT
Media contact:                606-5902   Friday, April 23, 1999


                       MASS LAYOFFS IN JANUARY 1999


   In January 1999, there were 2,209 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 211,796.  Both
the number of layoff events and the number of initial claimants for
unemployment insurance were lower in January 1999 than in January 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
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 January 1999, manufacturing industries accounted for 37 percent of
all mass layoff events and 43 percent of the initial claims filed.
Manufacturing industries that had the highest numbers of initial claimants
were food products (12,765), primarily in candy and other confectionery
products and canned fruits and vegetables; transportation equipment
(9,946), mostly in motor vehicle parts and accessories; and apparel and
other textile  products (8,173), particularly in women's and misses'
outerwear and men's and boys' trousers and slacks.  (See table 2.)
   
   In nonmanufacturing industries, services accounted for 17 percent of
all mass layoff events and 15 percent of all initial claims filed.  The
layoffs were predominantly in business services, particularly in help
supply services.  Layoffs in the help supply services industry are more
likely than most other industries to last less than 30 days.  Construction
accounted for 15 percent of layoff events and 12 percent of initial
claimants during the month, concentrated primarily in highway and street
construction.  Retail trade contributed 9 percent to both layoff events and
initial claims during the month, largely in general merchandise stores.
   
   Compared with January 1998, the largest increases in initial claims
occurred in industrial machinery and equipment (4,151) and heavy

                                  - 2 -

construction (3,538).  The largest over-the-year decreases in initial
claims occurred in transportation equipment (-15,033), business services
(-14,703), and motion pictures (-9,858).
   
Geographic Distribution
   
   In January, the number of initial claims due to mass layoffs was larger
in the Midwest (73,505) than in any of the other regions; a year earlier
the West had the largest number of initial claimants involved in mass
layoffs.  (See table 3.)  Contributing to layoffs in the Midwest were the
construction, transportation equipment, industrial machinery and equipment,
and business services industries.  The lowest number of mass layoff initial
claims was reported in the Northeast region (36,296).
   
   Mass layoff-related initial claims in the West declined by 41,904 over
the year to 54,149 in January 1999.  This reduction was almost entirely in
the Pacific division, where layoffs in services industries, especially
business services and motion pictures, predominated.
   
   Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia reporting data for
January, California had the largest number of initial claims filed in mass
layoff events (38,481), primarily in business services, followed by
Pennsylvania (17,948), Michigan (15,749), Ohio (13,726), and Wisconsin
(13,566).  These five states accounted for about 52 percent of all layoff
events and 47 percent of all initial claimants for unemployment insurance.
(See table 4.)
   
   From January 1998 to January 1999, Michigan reported the largest over-
the-year rise in initial claims (5,127), primarily in business services,
followed by Washington (4,991).  California had the largest over-the-year
decline in initial claims (-47,217), again mostly in business services,
followed by Ohio (-15,410).
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 January 1999
  
                                                                                                                                           
                                
                                                    
                                                   Extended mass layoffs          
            Date                                lasting more than 30 days  
                            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    (r)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    (r)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    (r)314,387        39.9     

             1998             

 January ................    2,360      255,203     
 February ...............      970       81,455     
 March ..................      762       78,210     

 First quarter ..........    4,092      414,868   (r)1,310    (r)244,639     (r)32.0     

 April ..................    1,253      132,476     
 May ....................    1,180      107,952     
 June ...................    1,208      183,590     

 Second quarter .........    3,641      424,018   (r)1,559    (r)401,469     (r)42.8     

 July ...................    2,221      286,097     
 August .................      617       53,665     
 September ..............      637       79,629     

 Third quarter ..........    3,475      419,391   (r)1,230    (r)252,421     (r)35.4

 October ................    1,553      160,830                         
 November ............... (r)1,276   (r)137,402           
 December ............... (r)1,605   (r)189,880

 Fourth quarter .........    4,434      488,112   (p)1,660    (p)237,483        37.4     

             1999             

 January ................    2,209      211,796  

  1  The event realization rate is the percentage of total mass layoff events lasting more than 30 days.                       
  r = revised.
  p = preliminary.
 Table 2. Industry distribution: Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance,
 January 1998 and January 1999


                                                                                  Initial claimants for
                                                           Mass layoff events     unemployment insurance
                          Industry                                               
                           
                                                           January    January     January      January
                                                             1998       1999        1998         1999

      Total(1) ............................................  2,360      2,209      255,203      211,796     

 Total, private ...........................................  2,254      2,132      244,729      204,881     

   Agriculture ............................................    131        112        9,021        7,376     
   Nonagriculture .........................................  2,067      1,942      231,063      186,349     
     Manufacturing ........................................    825        826      104,292       91,161     
       Durable goods ......................................    419        461       62,990       50,396     
         Lumber and wood products .........................     77         51       10,327        5,713     
         Furniture and fixtures ...........................     19         26        2,308        3,043     
         Stone, clay, and glass products ..................     34         50        2,898        4,003     
         Primary metal industries .........................     37         33        4,115        3,263     
         Fabricated metal products ........................     58         74        5,630        6,939     
         Industrial machinery and equipment ...............     36         56        3,929        8,080     
         Electronic and other electrical equipment ........     55         58        6,015        6,655     
         Transportation equipment .........................     72         80       24,979        9,946     
         Instruments and related products .................     12         16        1,005        1,296     
         Miscellaneous manufacturing industries ...........     19         17        1,784        1,458     

       Nondurable goods ...................................    406        365       41,302       40,765     
         Food and kindred products ........................    142        122       14,397       12,765
         Tobacco products .................................  ( 2 )          -        ( 2 )            -
         Textile mill products ............................     47         37        5,783        6,481     
         Apparel and other textile products ...............     95         83       10,234        8,173     
         Paper and allied products ........................     26         21        1,810        2,854     
         Printing and publishing ..........................     21         23        1,812        2,476     
         Chemicals and allied products ....................     11         12          769        1,404
         Petroleum and coal products ......................  ( 2 )          5        ( 2 )          366     
         Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products .......     48         41        5,035        4,331     
         Leather and leather products .....................     12         21        1,286        1,915     

     Nonmanufacturing .....................................  1,242      1,116      126,771       95,188     
       Mining .............................................     14         45          891        4,097     
       Construction .......................................    278        340       19,563       25,655     
       Transportation and public utilities ................    125         96       12,344        7,648     
       Wholesale and retail trade .........................    306        232       31,745       22,692     
          Wholesale trade .................................     41         38        3,574        3,635     
          Retail trade ....................................    265        194       28,171       19,057     
       Finance, insurance, and real estate ................     23         33        1,781        2,766     
       Services ...........................................    496        370       60,447       32,330     

   Not identified .........................................     56         78        4,645       11,156     

 Government ...............................................    106         77       10,474        6,915     
   Federal ................................................     24         23        2,916        2,488     
   State ..................................................     29         23        3,003        1,990     
   Local ..................................................     53         31        4,555        2,437     


    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.
 
Table 3. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance by census region and 
division, January 1998 and January 1999

                                                       
                               Mass layoff events      Initial claimants for
                                                       unemployment insurance
    Census region and 
         division                January    January      January       January
                                  1998       1999         1998          1999

          United States .........2,360      2,209       255,203       211,796     

    Northeast ...................  428        381        40,105        36,296     

       New England ..............   68         74         5,165         7,971     
       Middle Atlantic ..........  360        307        34,940        28,325     

    South .......................  426        436        43,147        47,846     

      South Atlantic.............  234        226        23,151        25,571     
      East South Central.........   60         65         6,332         6,807     
      West South Central.........  132        145        13,664        15,468     

    Midwest .....................  547        720        75,898        73,505     

      East North Central.........  442        566        65,453        58,106     
      West North Central.........  105        154        10,445        15,399     

    West ........................  959        672        96,053        54,149     

      Mountain...................   66         56         4,930         4,844     
      Pacific....................  893        616        91,123        49,305     


   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,
 January 1998 and January 1999

                                                             Initial claimants for
                                     Mass layoff events      unemployment insurance
                                                             
                 State
                                     January    January      January       January
                                       1998       1999         1998          1999

    Total(1) .......................  2,360      2,209       255,203       211,796     

 Alabama ...........................      7          6           822           451     
 Alaska ............................      9          9           769           787     
 Arizona ...........................      8         10           639         1,095     
 Arkansas ..........................      9         16         1,407         1,807     
 California ........................    829        512        85,698        38,481     
 Colorado ..........................     12          9           989           927     
 Connecticut .......................      8          7           568           682 
 Delaware ..........................  ( 2 )          3         ( 2 )           224     
 District of Columbia ..............      5          4           393           282     
 Florida ...........................     61         58         4,429         4,521     
 Georgia ...........................     22         22         1,988         2,054     
 Hawaii ............................      6          6           548           468     
 Idaho .............................     12         17           799         1,436     

 Illinois ..........................     73         93         9,329        11,518     
 Indiana ...........................     10         32           947         3,547     
 Iowa ..............................     29         49         3,122         5,789     
 Kansas ............................      6         12           778         1,232     
 Kentucky ..........................     19         35         2,957         4,332     
 Louisiana .........................     25         26         2,253         1,818     
 Maine .............................     24         14         1,753         1,643     
 Maryland ..........................     23         17         2,562         1,265     
 Massachusetts .....................     15         26         1,083         3,314     
 Michigan ..........................     74        181        10,622        15,749     
 Minnesota .........................     15         22         1,471         2,370     
 Mississippi .......................     12          3           890           310     
 Missouri ..........................     51         65         4,660         5,537     

 Montana ...........................  ( 2 )          -         ( 2 )             -
 Nebraska ..........................  ( 2 )          4         ( 2 )           314     
 Nevada ............................     21          9         1,661           576     
 New Hampshire .....................      9         10           778         1,029     
 New Jersey ........................     52         51         4,387         5,445     
 New Mexico ........................      9          9           500           659     
 New York ..........................     57         57         6,899         4,932     
 North Carolina ....................     21         16         2,063         3,573
 North Dakota ......................      -      ( 2 )             -         ( 2 )
 Ohio ..............................    150        136        29,136        13,726     
 Oklahoma ..........................     12         15           822         2,855     
 Oregon ............................     31         35         2,923         3,393     
 Pennsylvania ......................    251        199        23,654        17,948     

 Rhode Island ......................     11         16           837         1,244     
 South Carolina ....................     56         61         6,794         8,218
 South Dakota ......................  ( 2 )      ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )
 Tennessee .........................     22         21         1,663         1,714     
 Texas .............................     86         88         9,182         8,988
 Utah ..............................  ( 2 )      ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )
 Vermont ...........................  ( 2 )      ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )
 Virginia ..........................     42         43         4,630         5,323     
 Washington ........................     18         54         1,185         6,176     
 West Virginia .....................  ( 2 )       ( 2 )        ( 2 )         ( 2 )     
 Wisconsin .........................    135        124        15,419        13,566     
 Wyoming ...........................      -          -             -             -

 Puerto Rico .......................     17         17         1,952         1,706     


   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.