Internet address:  http://stats.bls.gov/newsrels.htm
Technical information:  (202) 691-6392   USDL 00-316

                                         For release: 10:00 A.M. EST
Media contact:                691-5902   Tuesday, October 31, 2000

                                     
                      MASS LAYOFFS IN SEPTEMBER 2000

   In September 2000, there were 936 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 106,842.  (See
table 1.)  The number of layoff events and initial claimants for
unemployment insurance were the highest for the month of September since
this series began in April 1995, due, in part, to a calendar effect.
(September 2000 contained 5 weeks that ended in the month compared with 4
weeks in each of the prior 4 Septembers.  See Technical Note.)  From
January through September 2000, the total number of layoff events (10,490)
was slightly lower than in January-September 1999, while the total number
of initial claims (1,188,580) was somewhat higher.
   
   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 September 2000, manufacturing industries accounted for 33 percent of
all mass layoff events and 44 percent of all initial claims filed.  The
highest number of initial claimants was in transportation equipment
(18,124), primarily in motor vehicles and car bodies.  Other manufacturing
industries with high numbers of initial claimants were industrial machinery
and equipment (5,816), food and kindred products (4,235), and apparel and
other textile products (2,762).  (See table 2.)
   
   Services accounted for 24 percent of all layoffs and 26 percent of
initial claimants during the month, mainly in business services
(particularly help supply services) and motion pictures.  Layoffs in these
two industries, however, are more likely than most other industries to last
less than 30 days.
   
   Thirteen percent of all layoff events and 7 percent of initial
claimants during the month were from agriculture, mostly in agricultural
services (farm labor contractors and crop preparation services).  Retail
trade accounted for 9 percent of all mass layoff events and 7 percent of
all initial claimants during the month, largely in general merchandise
stores (department stores).  An additional 6 percent of all events and 3
percent of all initial claimants were from construction, mostly in special
trade contractors.
   
   Compared with September 1999, the largest over-the-year increases in
initial claims occurred in transportation equipment (+12,464) and business
services (+6,659).  The largest decreases in initial claims occurred in
electronic and other electrical equipment (-2,843) and motion pictures
(-1,920).
   
Geographic Distribution

   In September, the number of initial claims due to mass layoffs was
higher in the West (50,214) than in any other region.  (See table 3.)
Layoffs in business services, motion pictures, and agricultural services
accounted for 46 percent of the claims in the West.  The fewest number of
mass-layoff initial claims was reported in the Northeast region (13,642).
   
   Over-the-year increases in mass layoff-related initial claims were
reported in all four regions: the West (+11,871), Midwest (+9,525),
Northeast (+5,478), and South (+4,680).  Among the nine geographic
divisions, eight reported over-the-year increases in initial claims
associated with mass layoff events, with the largest increases reported in
the Pacific, East North Central, and New England divisions.
   
   Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, California had the
largest number of initial claims filed in mass layoff events (43,042),
primarily in business services and motion pictures, followed by
Pennsylvania (5,814), Illinois (5,592), and Texas (5,529).  These four
states accounted for 62 percent of all layoff events and 56 percent of all
initial claims for unemployment insurance.  (See table 4.)
   
   From September 1999 to September 2000, California reported the largest
over-the-year increase in initial claims (+7,893), mostly in business
services.  Among the 11 states that reported over-the-year decreases in
initial claims, South Carolina had the largest decrease
(-1,975).
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, July 1998 to September 2000

  
                                                                Extended mass layoffs 
                                                              lasting more than 30 days
             Date                                                                                 
                                    Total mass layoffs                                          Event
                                                                                             realization
                                                                                               rate(1)
                                                Initial                       Initial          
                                  Events       claimants        Events       claimants

              1998

 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          1,734        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        189,948           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        287,078           41.2     

              2000

 January .......................   1,934        223,322     
 February ......................   1,045        103,898     
 March .........................     986        106,748     

 First Quarter .................   3,965        433,968          1,332        219,603           33.6     

 April .........................     924        101,359     
 May ...........................     984         92,193     
 June ..........................   1,597        192,025     

 Second Quarter ................   3,505        385,577       (p)1,187     (p)162,726        (p)33.9

 July ..........................   1,333        164,978     
 August(p)......................     751         97,215     
 September(p)...................     936        106,842     

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

                                                        September  July  August   September  September   July    August   September
                                                           1999    2000  2000(p)    2000(p)     1999     2000    2000(p)    2000(p)

      Total(1) ........................................     717   1,333     751      936       75,288  164,978   97,215    106,842     

 Total, private .......................................     681   1,252     717      885       71,307  158,672   93,717    101,134     

   Agriculture ........................................      90      91      38      119        6,432    6,038    2,898      7,747     
   Nonagriculture .....................................     581   1,136     668      754       64,016  149,693   89,554     92,220     
     Manufacturing ....................................     205     652     252      313       28,254   99,807   35,370     46,605     
       Durable goods ..................................     114     425     147      178       20,055   71,405   22,823     33,403     
         Lumber and wood products .....................       6      32      17       18          430    3,487    1,882      1,354     
         Furniture and fixtures .......................       7      25      12       10          746    3,955    1,853      1,439     
         Stone, clay, and glass products ..............       3      10   ( 2 )       11          156    1,158    ( 2 )        794     
         Primary metal industries .....................       9      35      16       20        1,989    4,230    3,118      2,082     
         Fabricated metal products ....................       6      70      11       12          361    8,797    1,098        844     
         Industrial machinery and equipment ...........      29      63      29       24        5,422    9,232    4,726      5,816     
         Electronic and other electrical equipment ....      18      38      20       17        4,313    5,839    3,284      1,470     
         Transportation equipment .....................      23     133      32       51        5,660   33,094    6,038     18,124     
         Instruments and related products .............       5       8       5        8          393      663      380        836     
         Miscellaneous manufacturing industries .......       8      11   ( 2 )        7          585      950    ( 2 )        644     

       Nondurable goods ...............................      91     227     105      135        8,199   28,402   12,547     13,202     
         Food and kindred products ....................      33      74      28       40        2,892    7,584    3,264      4,235     
         Tobacco products .............................   ( 2 )   ( 2 )       -        -        ( 2 )    ( 2 )        -          -
         Textile mill products ........................       8      22      17       18          912    2,970    2,656      2,294     
         Apparel and other textile products ...........      32      44      20       33        2,642    5,711    1,719      2,762     
         Paper and allied products ....................       6   ( 2 )      13       19          690    ( 2 )    2,019      1,899     
         Printing and publishing ......................   ( 2 )       9   ( 2 )        6        ( 2 )      631    ( 2 )        480     
         Chemicals and allied products ................   ( 2 )   ( 2 )       5        4        ( 2 )    ( 2 )      358        265     
         Petroleum and coal products ..................   ( 2 )       -   ( 2 )        -        ( 2 )        -    ( 2 )          -
         Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products ...       6      51      14       12          561    8,597    1,822        976     
         Leather and leather products .................       -      10       4        3            -      822      419        291     

     Nonmanufacturing .................................     376     484     416      441       35,762   49,886   54,184     45,615     
       Mining .........................................   ( 2 )   ( 2 )       3        -        ( 2 )    ( 2 )      311          -
       Construction ...................................      62      52      52       54        4,158    4,040    4,361      3,584     
       Transportation and public utilities ............      28      79      57       35        2,161    8,538    7,311      3,046     
       Wholesale and retail trade .....................      79     103     109       98        6,482    9,488   10,594      9,159     
          Wholesale trade .............................      13      30      14       16        1,196    3,055    1,562      1,773     
          Retail trade ................................      66      73      95       82        5,286    6,433    9,032      7,386     
       Finance, insurance, and real estate ............   ( 2 )   ( 2 )      17       27        ( 2 )    ( 2 )    1,649      1,801     
       Services .......................................     181     235     178      227       20,882   26,158   29,958     28,025     

   Not identified .....................................      10      25      11       12          859    2,941    1,265      1,167     

 Government ...........................................      36      81      34       51        3,981    6,306    3,498      5,708     
   Federal ............................................       6      16      14       22        1,467    1,851    1,646      2,983     
   State ..............................................      11      13       7       11        1,047    1,063      916        951     
   Local ..............................................      19      52      13       18        1,467    3,392      936      1,774     


   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

                                  September     July       August    September      September     July      August   September
                                    1999        2000       2000(p)     2000(p)        1999        2000      2000(p)    2000(p)

         United States(1) ......     717       1,333         751         936         75,288     164,978     97,215    106,842     

 Northeast .....................      91         176         112         106          8,164      18,226     18,394     13,642     

     New England ...............      12          36          13          17          1,081       3,953      7,882      5,979     
     Middle Atlantic ...........      79         140          99          89          7,083      14,273     10,512      7,663     

 South .........................     128         312         199         158         12,777      39,032     22,630     17,457     

     South Atlantic ............      66         166         110          67          7,195      22,269     12,435      6,375     
     East South Central ........      10          66          29          39            666       6,881      4,192      4,655     
     West South Central ........      52          80          60          52          4,916       9,882      6,003      6,427     

 Midwest .......................      81         481         139         179         16,004      71,049     18,187     25,529     

     East North Central ........      62         399         112         140         12,174      60,565     15,263     18,454     
     West North Central ........      19          82          27          39          3,830      10,484      2,924      7,075     

 West ..........................     417         364         301         493         38,343      36,671     38,004     50,214     

     Mountain ..................       7          36          44          31            932       4,374      5,623      2,727     
     Pacific ...................     410         328         257         462         37,411      32,297     32,381     47,487     


      
      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              

                                  September    July     August   September      September    July      August   September
                                    1999       2000     2000(p)    2000(p)        1999       2000      2000(p)    2000(p)

    Total(1) ...................     717      1,333       751        936         75,288    164,978     97,215    106,842     

 Alabama .......................       4          4         7          8            264        305      1,981        596     
 Alaska ........................   ( 2 )          -         -          3          ( 2 )          -          -        282     
 Arizona .......................       -          9         4          3             -         912        406        240     
 Arkansas ......................   ( 2 )         10         5          5          ( 2 )      1,158        356        548     
 California ....................     389        287       244        430         35,149     27,435     30,706     43,042     
 Colorado ......................       -          3         3      ( 2 )              -        234        333      ( 2 )
 Connecticut ...................   ( 2 )          5     ( 2 )          -          ( 2 )        490      ( 2 )          -
 Delaware ......................       -      ( 2 )     ( 2 )          -              -      ( 2 )      ( 2 )          -
 District of Columbia ..........       -      ( 2 )         -      ( 2 )              -      ( 2 )          -      ( 2 )
 Florida .......................      18         68        38         20          1,137      4,711      3,073      1,662     
 Georgia .......................       9          8        13          7            730        574      1,616        550     
 Hawaii ........................       3      ( 2 )     ( 2 )      ( 2 )            246      ( 2 )      ( 2 )      ( 2 )
 Idaho .........................       -          7        15      ( 2 )              -        824      2,404      ( 2 )

 Illinois ......................      17         54        33         39          3,072      5,981      6,582      5,592     
 Indiana .......................       7         50        14         10          3,086      9,562      1,359      1,411     
 Iowa ..........................       3         23         4          8            368      3,004        431      1,254     
 Kansas ........................   ( 2 )         10     ( 2 )          3          ( 2 )        836      ( 2 )        197     
 Kentucky ......................       3         40        12         17            233      4,888      1,450      2,988     
 Louisiana .....................       3         13        13      ( 2 )            207      1,236        844      ( 2 )
 Maine .........................   ( 2 )          6     ( 2 )          4          ( 2 )        457      ( 2 )      2,119     
 Maryland ......................   ( 2 )          7     ( 2 )          3          ( 2 )        896      ( 2 )        263     
 Massachusetts .................       9         15         5          9            835      1,472      6,527      3,229     
 Michigan ......................      10        138        12         28            964     17,197      1,235      3,804     
 Minnesota .....................       7         12         8          7            730      1,663        812      1,909     
 Mississippi ...................   ( 2 )         10         5          8          ( 2 )        757        301        643     
 Missouri ......................       6         33        13         20          2,204      4,614      1,442      3,659     

 Montana .......................       -          4         3          -              -        915        625          -
 Nebraska ......................       -      ( 2 )         -          -              -      ( 2 )          -          -
 Nevada ........................       6         10        16         20            648      1,290      1,533      1,837     
 New Hampshire .................       -          5     ( 2 )      ( 2 )              -        768      ( 2 )      ( 2 )
 New Jersey ....................      10         28        25         10          1,013      2,950      3,562        931     
 New Mexico ....................   ( 2 )      ( 2 )         -      ( 2 )          ( 2 )      ( 2 )          -      ( 2 )
 New York ......................      20         45        22         12          1,846      4,373      1,775        918     
 North Carolina ................       4         10        26          8            452      1,933      2,383        833     
 North Dakota ..................   ( 2 )      ( 2 )         -          -          ( 2 )      ( 2 )          -          -
 Ohio ..........................      16        104        28         33          3,693     20,416      2,992      4,669     
 Oklahoma ......................       -          5         3      ( 2 )              -        848        209      ( 2 )
 Oregon ........................      10         30         7         19            845      4,063      1,252      3,209     
 Pennsylvania ..................      49         67        52         67          4,224      6,950      5,175      5,814     

 Rhode Island ..................       -      ( 2 )         3      ( 2 )              -      ( 2 )        336      ( 2 )
 South Carolina ................      26         36        16         16          3,687      6,517      2,242      1,712     
 South Dakota ..................       -          -         -      ( 2 )              -          -          -      ( 2 )
 Tennessee .....................   ( 2 )         12         5          6          ( 2 )        931        460        428     
 Texas .........................      47         52        39         44          4,471      6,640      4,594      5,529     
 Utah ..........................       -      ( 2 )         3      ( 2 )              -      ( 2 )        322      ( 2 )
 Vermont .......................       -          4     ( 2 )      ( 2 )              -        688      ( 2 )      ( 2 )
 Virginia ......................       7         33        11         12            969      6,974      2,604      1,182     
 Washington ....................       6          9         5          9          1,002        649        322        865     
 West Virginia .................       -      ( 2 )         4          -              -      ( 2 )        272          -
 Wisconsin .....................      12         53        25         30          1,359      7,409      3,095      2,978     
 Wyoming .......................       -          -         -          -              -          -          -          -

 Puerto Rico ...................      10         17        10         11            903      1,909        879        863    



    1 See footnote 1, table 2.                                              
    2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.  
    p = preliminary.
    NOTE:  Dash represents zero.