Internet address:  http://stats.bls.gov/newsrels.htm
Technical information:  (202) 606-6392   USDL 99-299


                                         For release: 10:00 A.M. EDT
Media contact:                606-5902   Wednesday, October 20, 1999

                                     
                        MASS LAYOFFS IN AUGUST 1999
                                     
     
   In August 1999, there were 698 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 75,691.  Both the
number of layoff events and the number of initial claimants for
unemployment insurance were higher in August 1999 than in August 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 August 1999, manufacturing industries accounted for 35 percent of
all mass layoff events and 36 percent of all initial claims filed.
Manufacturing industries that had the highest numbers of initial claimants
were industrial machinery and equipment (5,330), primarily in construction
machinery and in refrigeration and heating equipment; food and kindred
products (4,461), mostly in frozen specialties and in candy and other
confectionary products; and transportation equipment (3,161), particularly
in shipbuilding and repairing.  (See table 2.)
   
   In nonmanufacturing industries, services accounted for 24 percent of
all mass layoff events and 29 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, however,
are more likely than those in most other industries to last less than 30
days.  Retail trade accounted for 12 percent of all layoffs and 11 percent
of initial claimants during the month, largely in general merchandise
stores.  Transportation and public utilities accounted for 7 percent of
layoff events and 6 percent of initial claims during the month, largely in
local and interurban passenger transit.  Agriculture accounted for 5
percent of all layoff events and 4 percent of initial claimants during the
month, concentrated primarily in the agricultural services.

                                  - 2 -

   Compared with August 1998, the largest increases in initial claims
occurred in business services (+10,355), followed by industrial machinery
and equipment (+1,784) and motion pictures (+1,742).  The largest over-the-
year decreases in initial claims occurred in communications (-1,988),
followed by electronic and other electrical equipment (-1,321).

Geographic Distribution

   In August, the number of initial claims due to mass layoffs was higher
in the West (34,156) than in any other region.  (See table 3.)  Job losses
in business services accounted for 35 percent of these claims in the West.
The lowest number of mass layoff initial claims was reported in the
Northeast region (9,930).
   
   Over-the-year increases in mass layoff-related initial claims were
reported by the West and Midwest regions, with the largest increase in the
West (+17,723).  Higher levels of initial claims this year were reported
mainly in the Pacific and East North Central divisions, with sharply higher
numbers of layoffs in business services.
   
   Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia reporting data for
August, California had the largest number of initial claims filed in mass
layoff events (30,870), primarily in business services and motion pictures,
followed by Texas (4,310), Pennsylvania (3,924), New York (3,923), and
Illinois (3,440).  These five states accounted for 60 percent of all layoff
events and 61 percent of all initial claimants for unemployment insurance.
(See table 4.)
   
   From August 1998 to August 1999, California reported the largest over-
the-year increase in initial claims (+19,491), mostly in business services.
Washington had the largest over-the-year decrease in initial claims 
(-1,239).
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, July 1997 to August 1999

  
                                                               Extended mass layoffs 
                                                             lasting more than 30 days
               Date                                                                                    
                                Total mass layoffs                                  Event
                                                                                 realization
                                                                                   rate(1)
                                           Initial                  Initial          
                              Events      claimants     Events     claimants
                1997

 July ......................   1,899        237,410     
 August ....................     973         99,513     
 September .................     548         59,062     

 Third Quarter .............   3,420        395,985       1,082       209,019          31.6     

 October ...................   1,414        139,297     
 November ..................   1,156        100,051     
 December ..................   1,634        172,029     

 Fourth Quarter ............   4,204        411,377       1,697       316,035          40.4     

                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       256,802          35.5     

 October ...................   1,557        256,658     
 November ..................   1,372        162,537     
 December ..................   1,644        193,072     

 Fourth Quarter ............   4,573        612,267       1,736       326,076          38.0     

                1999

 January ...................   2,415        296,404     
 February ..................   1,076        117,223     
 March .....................     850         90,958     

 First Quarter .............   4,341        504,585       1,509       255,015          34.8     

 April .....................   1,250        161,269     
 May .......................   1,033        102,815     
 June ......................   1,140        130,951     

 Second Quarter ............   3,423        395,035    (p)1,430    (p)192,291       (p)41.8     

 July ......................   1,742        221,605     
 August ....................     698         75,691     


   1  The event realization rate is the percentage of events lasting more than 30 days.                   
   p  = preliminary.
Table 2. Industry distribution: Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance,
August 1998 and August 1999
                                                                                        Initial claimants for
                                                               Mass layoff events       unemployment insurance
                           Industry

                                                              August        August       August        August
                                                               1998          1999         1998          1999

      Total(1) ............................................     617           698        53,665        75,691     

 Total, private ...........................................     599           675        52,329        73,042     

   Agriculture ............................................      36            36         1,955         2,668     
   Nonagriculture .........................................     555           624        49,749        69,178     
     Manufacturing ........................................     254           245        26,481        27,061     
       Durable goods ......................................     132           130        14,234        15,721     
         Lumber and wood products .........................       9             9           570           684     
         Furniture and fixtures ...........................       5             4           813           443     
         Stone, clay, and glass products ..................       3             3           189           231     
         Primary metal industries .........................      15             9         1,280           857     
         Fabricated metal products ........................      15            12         1,129         1,075     
         Industrial machinery and equipment ...............      25            27         3,546         5,330     
         Electronic and other electrical equipment ........      35            21         4,011         2,690     
         Transportation equipment .........................      13            29         1,897         3,161     
         Instruments and related products .................       8            10           399           817     
         Miscellaneous manufacturing industries ...........       4             6           400           433     

       Nondurable goods ...................................     122           115        12,247        11,340     
         Food and kindred products ........................      42            43         3,414         4,461     
         Tobacco products .................................   ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )
         Textile mill products ............................      16            18         2,468         2,250     
         Apparel and other textile products ...............      28            27         1,884         2,046     
         Paper and allied products ........................      11             8         1,462           800     
         Printing and publishing ..........................       8             7           681           693     
         Chemicals and allied products ....................   ( 2 )             3         ( 2 )           444     
         Petroleum and coal products ......................       -             -             -             -
         Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products .......       9             6         1,184           428     
         Leather and leather products .....................   ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )

     Nonmanufacturing .....................................     301           379        23,268        42,117     
       Mining .............................................       5             9           409         2,122     
       Construction .......................................      45            31         3,027         2,139     
       Transportation and public utilities ................      35            46         4,460         4,319     
       Wholesale and retail trade .........................      81           103         5,746         9,957     
          Wholesale trade .................................      19            21         1,194         1,641     
          Retail trade ....................................      62            82         4,552         8,316     
       Finance, insurance, and real estate ................       8            22           585         1,504     
       Services ...........................................     127           168         9,041        22,076     

   Not identified .........................................       8            15           625         1,196     

 Government ...............................................      18            23         1,336         2,649     
   Federal ................................................       3             9           341           928     
   State ..................................................       7             3           558           276     
   Local ..................................................       8            11           437         1,445     



      1  Data were reported by all states and the District of Columbia.  
      2  Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
      NOTE:  Dash represents zero.
Table 3. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance by census region and
division, August 1998 and August 1999

                                       Mass layoff events         Initial claimants for
                                                                  unemployment insurance
    Census region and division
                                      August         August        August         August
                                       1998           1999          1998           1999


         United States(1) ........      617            698         53,665         75,691       

 Northeast .......................      113            114         10,881          9,930       

     New England .................       17             11          2,102          1,045       
     Middle Atlantic .............       96            103          8,779          8,885       

 South ...........................      183            178         15,674         15,658       

     South Atlantic ..............       88             91          7,795          8,669       
     East South Central ..........       16             24          1,010          1,676       
     West South Central ..........       79             63          6,869          5,313       

 Midwest .........................       94            115         10,677         15,947       

     East North Central ..........       66             85          6,685         11,708       
     West North Central ..........       28             30          3,992          4,239       

 West ............................      227            291         16,433         34,156       

     Mountain ....................       20             16          1,802          1,259       
     Pacific .....................      207            275         14,631         32,897       


      1 See footnote 1, table 2.
      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,
August 1998 and August 1999

                                                       Initial claimants for
                                 Mass layoff events    unemployment insurance
                                                                      
               State
                                August       August      August       August
                                 1998         1999        1998         1999

    Total(1) ................     617          698       53,665       75,691     

 Alabama ....................       6           10          358          750     
 Alaska .....................   ( 2 )            -        ( 2 )            -
 Arizona ....................       5            4          435          289     
 Arkansas ...................       9            4          713          589     
 California .................     189          253       11,379       30,870     
 Colorado ...................       3           -           169           -
 Connecticut ................   ( 2 )        ( 2 )        ( 2 )        ( 2 )
 Delaware ...................       -        ( 2 )            -        ( 2 )
 District of Columbia .......       -        ( 2 )            -        ( 2 )
 Florida ....................      38           36        3,282        2,440     
 Georgia ....................       7           11          619        1,318     
 Hawaii .....................   ( 2 )        ( 2 )        ( 2 )        ( 2 )
 Idaho ......................       8            5          925          428     

 Illinois ...................      15           21        2,017        3,440     
 Indiana ....................      14           10        1,331        1,110     
 Iowa .......................       9            8        1,591        1,204     
 Kansas .....................       3            3          261          431     
 Kentucky ...................   ( 2 )            7        ( 2 )          465     
 Louisiana ..................      11            7          812          358     
 Maine ......................       5        ( 2 )          358        ( 2 )
 Maryland ...................   ( 2 )        ( 2 )        ( 2 )        ( 2 )
 Massachusetts ..............       6            6        1,014          658     
 Michigan ...................       4           17          347        2,869     
 Minnesota ..................       5        ( 2 )          564        ( 2 )
 Mississippi ................       6        ( 2 )          336        ( 2 )
 Missouri ...................      10           17        1,423        1,936     

 Montana ....................       -            -            -            -
 Nebraska ...................   ( 2 )        ( 2 )        ( 2 )        ( 2 )
 Nevada .....................   ( 2 )            6        ( 2 )          475     
 New Hampshire ..............   ( 2 )            -        ( 2 )            -
 New Jersey .................      14           12        2,016        1,038     
 New Mexico .................   ( 2 )        ( 2 )        ( 2 )        ( 2 )
 New York ...................      30           43        2,563        3,923     
 North Carolina .............      13           11        1,076        1,077     
 North Dakota ...............      -            -            -            -
 Ohio .......................      18           16        1,584        1,896     
 Oklahoma ...................       3        ( 2 )          186        ( 2 )
 Oregon .....................      10           13        1,310        1,320     
 Pennsylvania ...............      52           48        4,200        3,924     

 Rhode Island ...............   ( 2 )        ( 2 )        ( 2 )        ( 2 )
 South Carolina .............      19           17        1,889        1,814     
 South Dakota ...............      -            -            -            -
 Tennessee ..................       3            6          259          403     
 Texas ......................      56           51        5,158        4,310     
 Utah .......................   ( 2 )            -        ( 2 )            -
 Vermont ....................   ( 2 )            -        ( 2 )            -
 Virginia ...................       6           11          549        1,507     
 Washington .................       6            7        1,801          562     
 West Virginia ..............       3            -          223            -
 Wisconsin ..................      15           21        1,406        2,393     
 Wyoming ....................       -            -            -            -

 Puerto Rico ................       6           11          612        1,009    


      1  See footnote 1, table 2.
      2  Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
      NOTE:  Dash represents zero.