Technical information:  (202) 691-6392     USDL 04-2533
http://www.bls.gov/mls/

                                           For release: 10:00 A.M. EST
Media contact:                691-5902     Thursday, December 23, 2004


                       MASS LAYOFFS IN NOVEMBER 2004
   
   In November 2004, employers took 1,399 mass layoff actions, as measured
by new filings for unemployment insurance benefits during the month, accord-
ing 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 130,423.  (See table 1.)  The number of
events was the lowest for any November since 1999 and the number of initial
claims was the lowest for any November since 1997.  From January through
November 2004, the total numbers of events, 14,366, and initial claims,
1,445,887, were lower than in January-November 2003 (17,034 and 1,696,293,
respectively).
   
Industry Distribution
   
   The 10 industries reporting the highest number of mass-layoff initial
claims accounted for 39,291 initial claims in November, 30 percent of the
total.  (See table A.)  Temporary help services, with 8,873 initial claims,
and highway, street, and bridge construction, with 8,566 initial claims,
together accounted for 13 percent of all initial claims in November.
   
   The manufacturing sector had 29 percent of all mass layoff events and
34 percent of all initial claims filed in November.  These were about the
same proportions as a year earlier.  Within manufacturing, the number of
claimants was highest in food processing (7,717, mainly in fruits and
vegetables), followed by transportation equipment (6,961) and machinery
(4,583).  (See table 2.)
   
   Construction accounted for 17 percent of events and 14 percent of initial
claims filed in November, with layoffs mainly in highway, street, and bridge
construction.  Thirteen percent of all layoff events and initial claims filed
during the month were in the administrative and waste services sector, pri-
marily in temporary help services.  Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunt-
ing accounted for 10 percent of events and 7 percent of initial claims,large-
ly among farm labor contractors.  Accommodation and food services accounted
for 6 percent of events and 7 percent of initial claims, mostly among food
service contractors.  An additional 5 percent of events and initial claims
were from retail trade, mostly from general merchandise stores.
   
   Government establishments accounted for 5 percent of events and 4 per-
cent of initial claims filed in November, mostly in the administration of
economic programs.

   Compared with November 2003, the largest decreases in initial claims were
reported in transportation equipment manufacturing (-2,735), heavy and civil
engineering construction (-2,433), and telecommunications (-1,979).  The
largest over-the-year increase in initial claims was reported in administra-
tive and support services (+3,579).

                                  - 2 -

Table A.  Industries with the largest mass-layoff initial claims in November 2004p
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                            |          |      November peak
                   Industry                 | Initial  |-------------------------
                                            |  claims  |  Year   | Initial claims
--------------------------------------------|----------|---------|---------------                                            
Temporary help services.....................|  8,873   |  2000   |     19,023
Highway, street, and bridge construction....|  8,566   |  2001   |     14,805
Food service contractors....................|  4,356   |  2004   |      4,356
Motion picture and video production ........|  3,453   |  2000   |      8,664
Farm labor contractors and crew leaders.....|  3,277   |  1999   |     11,613
AC, refrigeration, and forced air heating...|  3,019   |  2001   |      3,028
Professional employer organizations.........|  2,447   |  2002   |      4,088
Discount department stores..................|  2,050   |  2004   |      2,050
Fruit and vegetable canning.................|  1,675   |  2000   |      2,208
Light truck and utility vehicle mfg. .......|  1,575   |  1998   |      3,813
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   p=preliminary.


Geographic Distribution

   Among the four Census regions, the highest number of initial claims in
November due to mass layoffs was reported in the West, 46,854.  (See table 3.)
Administrative and support services and agriculture and forestry support ac-
tivities accounted for 27 percent of all mass-layoff initial claims in that
region during the month.  The Midwest region was the next largest, with 39,650
initial claims, followed by the South, with 24,573, and the Northeast, with
19,346.
   
   The number of initial claimants in mass layoffs fell over the year in three
of the four regions.  The largest decrease was in the Midwest (-6,648), fol-
lowed by the South (-2,865) and the Northeast (-2,132).  The West reported an
over-the-year increase in initial claims (+3,525).  Five of the nine geographic
divisions had over-the-year decreases in the number of initial claims associ-
ated with mass layoffs, with the largest decreases in the West North Central
(-4,947) and South Atlantic (-3,489) divisions.  The largest over-the-year in-
creases were in the Mountain (+1,864) and Pacific (+1,661) divisions.
   
   Among the states, California recorded the highest number of initial claims
filed in mass layoff events in November (34,089), mostly in administrative
and support services and agriculture and forestry support activities.  Wis-
consin was next highest with 9,144 initial claims reported, followed by Penn-
sylvania (7,600) and Illinois (6,462).  These four states accounted for 47
percent of all layoff events and 44 percent of all initial claims for unem-
ployment insurance.  (See table 4.)
   
   Missouri reported the largest over-the-year decrease in the number of ini-
tial claims (-2,878), followed by Iowa (-2,305) and Ohio (-2,245).  The lar-
gest over-the-year increase occurred in California (+1,889).
   
   From January to November 2004, California reported 361,835 mass layoff
initial claims, 25 percent of the national total.  The states with the next
largest number of claims over this period were Michigan (88,283), New York
(87,127), Ohio (81,540), and Pennsylvania (79,875).

                                  - 3 -

Note
   
   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 lay-
offs.  For private nonfarm establishments, 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 lay-
offs").  The quarterly release 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.
   
                      ______________________________


   The report on Mass Layoffs in December 2004 is scheduled to be released
on Wednesday, January 26, 2005.


    -----------------------------------------------------------------------
   |                 Addition of Seasonally Adjusted Data                  |
   |                                                                       |
   |    Beginning with the release of data for January 2005 in February    |
   | 2005, the Bureau of Labor Statistics will publish seasonally adjusted |
   | mass layoff data series as well as an analysis of significant over-   |
   | the-month changes in those series.  Seasonal adjustment accounts for  |
   | the effects of events that follow a more or less regular pattern each |
   | year, making it easier to observe the cyclical and other nonseasonal  |
   | movements.  Initially, six mass layoff series will be seasonally ad-  |
   | justed--the number of layoff events and the number of associated in-  |
   | itial claims for unemployment insurance for the U.S. total, the pri-  |
   | vate nonfarm sector, and the manufacturing sector.  Historical data   |
   | for each of these series will be available from April 1995 forward.   |
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------  
     



     
                                   - 4 -                                           

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 establish-
ments 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 long-
er, 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 ter-
minated 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 indi-
viduals upon request.  Voice phone: 202-691-5200;  TDD message referral phone 
number:  1-800-877-8339.
 
Definitions
 
 Initial claimant.  A person who files any notice of unemployment to initiate 
a request either for a determination of entitlement to and eligibility for 
compensation, or for a subsequent period of unemployment within a benefit 
year or period of eligibility.
 
 Mass layoff event.  Fifty or more initial claims for unemployment insurance 
benefits filed against an establishment during a 5-week period, regardless of 
duration.


 
 

Table 1. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance, October 2002 to November 2004

                                                                                   Private nonfarm                               

                                 Total mass layoffs                             Extended mass layoffs           Realization
             Date                                       Mass layoffs          lasting more than 30 days          rates (1)      

                                          Initial               Initial                     Initial                    Initial  
                                Events   claimants    Events   claimants        Events     claimants        Events    claimants 
             2002           

October ....................     1,497     171,100     1,270     149,327
November ...................     2,153     240,171     1,860     216,237
December ...................     2,474     264,158     2,324     252,807

Fourth Quarter .............     6,124     675,429     5,454     618,371         1,916       370,592          35.1         59.9

             2003           

January ....................     2,315     225,430     2,130     210,918
February ...................     1,363     124,965     1,222     116,264
March ......................     1,207     113,026     1,099     104,468

First Quarter ..............     4,885     463,421     4,451     431,650         1,502       297,608          33.7         68.9

April ......................     1,581     161,412     1,470     152,937
May ........................     1,703     174,204     1,538     160,729
June .......................     1,691     157,552     1,336     127,743

Second Quarter .............     4,975     493,168     4,344     441,409         1,799       348,966          41.4         79.1

July .......................     2,087     226,435     1,815     206,901
August .....................     1,258     133,839     1,163     124,131
September ..................       868      82,647       756      73,914

Third Quarter ..............     4,213     442,921     3,734     404,946         1,190       227,909          31.9         56.3

October ....................     1,523     158,240     1,265     137,706
November ...................     1,438     138,543     1,234     123,524
December ...................     1,929     192,633     1,793     182,750

Fourth Quarter .............     4,890     489,416     4,292     443,980         1,690       326,328          39.4         73.5

             2004           

January ....................     2,428     239,454     2,226     220,687
February ...................       941      84,201       832      76,577
March ......................       920      92,554       847      87,782

First Quarter ..............     4,289     416,209     3,905     385,046         1,339       238,056          34.3         61.8

April ......................     1,458     157,314     1,316     142,657
May ........................       988      87,501       878      78,786
June .......................     1,379     134,588     1,077     110,804

Second Quarter .............     3,825     379,403     3,271     332,247         1,359       251,970          41.5         75.8

July .......................     2,094     253,929     1,860     234,877
August .....................       809      69,033       745      63,876
September ..................       708      68,972       637      63,102

Third Quarter ..............     3,611     391,934     3,242     361,855     (2)(p)780 (2)(p)101,456       (p)24.1      (p)28.0

October(p) .................     1,242     127,918     1,101     117,375
November(p) ................     1,399     130,423     1,201     115,549


    1 The event realization rate is the percentage of all private nonfarm mass layoff events lasting more than 30 days. The initial
claimant realization rate is the percentage of all private nonfarm mass layoff initial claimants associated with layoffs lasting
more than 30 days. 
    2 These quarterly numbers are provisional and will be revised as more data on these layoffs become available. Experience
suggests that the number of extended mass layoff events is generally revised upwards by less than 10 percent and the number of
initial claimants associated with such events increases by 25-40 percent. 
    p = preliminary. 





Table 2. Industry distribution: Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance
                                                 
                                                                                                    Initial claimants for          
                                                             Mass layoff events                     unemployment insurance         
                     Industry                    

                                                   November September October  November    November  September   October    November
                                                     2003      2004    2004p    2004p        2003       2004      2004p      2004p 

      Total (1) .................................    1,438      708    1,242    1,399      138,543     68,972    127,918    130,423

Total, private ..................................    1,380      669    1,177    1,336      133,818     64,917    122,402    125,008

  Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting ....      146       32       76      135       10,294      1,815      5,027      9,459

 Total, private nonfarm .........................    1,234      637    1,101    1,201      123,524     63,102    117,375    115,549
  Mining ........................................        8    ( 2 )        8        7          568      ( 2 )        946        701
  Utilities .....................................        4    ( 2 )    ( 2 )    ( 2 )          308      ( 2 )      ( 2 )      ( 2 )
  Construction ..................................      263       65      126      231       20,999      4,160      9,512     17,884
  Manufacturing .................................      408      189      372      412       48,419     25,808     48,265     44,243
      Food ......................................       70       56       78       77        8,410      4,848      9,049      7,717
      Beverage and tobacco products .............        9        3       16        6          938        271      1,316        387
      Textile mills .............................       13        6       10       15        1,178        701      1,041      1,767
      Textile product mills .....................        8        4        8        7          483        438        732        638
      Apparel ...................................       14        9       18       20        1,269      1,878      1,338      2,154
      Leather and allied products ...............    ( 2 )    ( 2 )    ( 2 )    ( 2 )        ( 2 )      ( 2 )      ( 2 )      ( 2 )
      Wood products .............................       29        4       16       32        3,852        268      2,744      3,437
      Paper .....................................       12        4        9        7          856        369        580        530
      Printing and related support activities ...        8        -        8        9          570          -        548        610
      Petroleum and coal products ...............    ( 2 )        -    ( 2 )    ( 2 )        ( 2 )          -      ( 2 )      ( 2 )

      Chemicals .................................       10    ( 2 )        6        7          908      ( 2 )        380        525
      Plastics and rubber products ..............       27       12       18       17        2,085        976      1,451      1,385
      Nonmetallic mineral products ..............       21        8       10       24        2,089        759        779      2,126
      Primary metals ............................       22    ( 2 )       15       18        2,470      ( 2 )      2,312      1,616
      Fabricated metal products .................       31       11       18       28        2,696        794      1,855      2,548
      Machinery .................................       28       11       19       25        4,642      1,118      4,224      4,583
      Computer and electronic products ..........       19       11       18       27        1,468        742      1,416      2,534
      Electrical equipment and appliances .......       12        5       17       13        2,671      3,211      2,573      1,757
      Transportation equipment ..................       51       21       58       53        9,696      7,400     12,733      6,961
      Furniture and related products ............       10       10       13       16          856        912      1,637      1,548
      Miscellaneous manufacturing ...............        8       10       11        5          891        842      1,027        975

  Wholesale trade ...............................       23       14       11       24        2,421      1,028      1,412      2,196
  Retail trade ..................................       76       68       98       65        6,877      5,974      8,550      6,498
  Transportation and warehousing ................       42       21       34       32        4,127      1,692      2,608      2,900
  Information ...................................       37       26       36       45        5,918      3,455      7,597      5,492
  Finance and insurance .........................       19       16       33       22        1,485      1,211      2,914      1,442
  Real estate and rental and leasing ............        8    ( 2 )       10    ( 2 )          432      ( 2 )        697      ( 2 )
  Professional and technical services ...........       33       19       24       22        3,175      1,709      3,994      2,303
  Management of companies and enterprises .......    ( 2 )    ( 2 )    ( 2 )    ( 2 )        ( 2 )      ( 2 )      ( 2 )      ( 2 )
  Administrative and waste services .............      163      106      188      187       13,925     10,255     15,202     17,370
  Educational services ..........................    ( 2 )    ( 2 )    ( 2 )    ( 2 )        ( 2 )      ( 2 )      ( 2 )      ( 2 )
  Health care and social assistance .............       28       15       34       27        2,243        975      2,793      2,012
  Arts, entertainment, and recreation ...........       26       21       30       25        1,920      1,366      2,424      2,126
  Accommodation and food services ...............       75       61       82       81        7,348      4,173      9,152      8,995
  Other services, except public administration ..       15        8        6       10        1,081        525        482        647

  Unclassified ..................................        2        1        3        1        1,646         71        309         40

Government ......................................       58       39       65       63        4,725      4,055      5,516      5,415
  Federal .......................................        9        5       22       12          820        364      2,185      1,290
  State .........................................       22        3       19       25        1,917        233      1,648      2,342
  Local .........................................       27       31       24       26        1,988      3,458      1,683      1,783


    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
                           
                                                                                      Initial claimants for            
                                          Mass layoff events                          unemployment insurance           
 Census region and division

                             November    September  October   November      November    September   October    November
                               2003        2004      2004p      2004p         2003        2004       2004p       2004p 

      United States (1) ...    1,438        708      1,242      1,399       138,543      68,972     127,918     130,423

Northeast .................      210        101        189        198        21,478       8,801      17,563      19,346

  New England .............       29          9         17         26         2,282         637       1,345       1,998
  Middle Atlantic .........      181         92        172        172        19,196       8,164      16,218      17,348

South .....................      265        204        323        255        27,438      19,467      30,246      24,573

  South Atlantic ..........      135        123        190        116        13,822      10,152      15,237      10,333
  East South Central ......       35         41         58         42         4,212       5,643       5,750       4,651
  West South Central ......       95         40         75         97         9,404       3,672       9,259       9,589

Midwest ...................      426        125        280        389        46,298      16,380      35,859      39,650

  East North Central ......      313         99        219        306        31,687      13,827      26,965      29,986
  West North Central ......      113         26         61         83        14,611       2,553       8,894       9,664

West ......................      537        278        450        557        43,329      24,324      44,250      46,854

  Mountain ................       51         15         43         59         4,606       1,163       3,610       6,470
  Pacific .................      486        263        407        498        38,723      23,161      40,640      40,384


    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         

                           November    September    October    November     November     September   October    November
                             2003        2004        2004p       2004p        2003         2004       2004p       2004p 

   Total (1) ............    1,438         708       1,242       1,399       138,543      68,972     127,918     130,423

Alabama .................       10          18          12           9         1,384       1,793       1,477         915
Alaska ..................        6       ( 2 )           5           7           561       ( 2 )         423         686
Arizona .................        4           -          11           3           257           -         868         255
Arkansas ................        3       ( 2 )           3          11           777       ( 2 )         642       1,477
California ..............      420         246         346         429        32,200      21,752      34,896      34,089
Colorado ................        7           3          10           7           549         199         829         533
Connecticut .............        4       ( 2 )       ( 2 )       ( 2 )           312       ( 2 )       ( 2 )       ( 2 )
Delaware ................    ( 2 )           -           -           -         ( 2 )           -           -           -
District of Columbia ....    ( 2 )           -           -           -         ( 2 )           -           -           -
Florida .................       55          86         143          43         3,533       6,349       9,737       3,107
Georgia .................       18          11          16          19         1,771         815       1,977       1,809
Hawaii ..................    ( 2 )       ( 2 )           4       ( 2 )         ( 2 )       ( 2 )         260       ( 2 )
Idaho ...................       11           3           3          16         1,408         331         281       1,888

Illinois ................       57          26          56          63         5,785       2,567       8,019       6,462
Indiana .................       42          19          24          40         4,269       2,767       2,235       5,129
Iowa ....................       29           6          12          14         3,464         764       1,645       1,159
Kansas ..................        6           4           5           6           696         380         398       1,090
Kentucky ................       14          11          27          19         1,649       2,892       2,792       2,160
Louisiana ...............       23           5          11          19         1,773         402         714       1,789
Maine ...................        4           -           3           4           306           -         207         328
Maryland ................        9           5           5           4           843         529         544         347
Massachusetts ...........       17           6           6          15         1,373         439         437       1,108
Michigan ................       48          23          40          63         5,058       5,997       3,768       5,032
Minnesota ...............       44           6          15          35         3,849         441       1,390       4,260
Mississippi .............        3           3          10           -           165         314         615           -
Missouri ................       22           3          21          23         5,651         195       4,723       2,773

Montana .................        5           -           5           7           428           -         545       1,023
Nebraska ................        7           6           7       ( 2 )           412         646         666       ( 2 )
Nevada ..................       14           7          10          19         1,156         471         755       2,219
New Hampshire ...........    ( 2 )           -           4           -         ( 2 )           -         292           -
New Jersey ..............       43          11          35          42         5,985       1,630       3,294       5,386
New Mexico ..............        4       ( 2 )       ( 2 )           4           212       ( 2 )       ( 2 )         384
New York ................       59          31          52          55         5,648       2,950       5,263       4,362
North Carolina ..........       23          10           5          24         3,635         712         417       2,294
North Dakota ............        4       ( 2 )       ( 2 )           3           474       ( 2 )       ( 2 )         238
Ohio ....................       75          16          54          49         6,464       1,352       8,193       4,219
Oklahoma ................        3       ( 2 )           6           9           406       ( 2 )       1,382         845
Oregon ..................       26           6          29          31         3,058         370       2,536       2,886
Pennsylvania ............       79          50          85          75         7,563       3,584       7,661       7,600

Rhode Island ............    ( 2 )       ( 2 )       ( 2 )           4         ( 2 )       ( 2 )       ( 2 )         372
South Carolina ..........        7           6          10          13           547         921         688       1,619
South Dakota ............    ( 2 )           -           -       ( 2 )         ( 2 )           -           -       ( 2 )
Tennessee ...............        8           9           9          14         1,014         644         866       1,576
Texas ...................       66          32          55          58         6,448       2,965       6,521       5,478
Utah ....................        6       ( 2 )           -       ( 2 )           596       ( 2 )           -       ( 2 )
Vermont .................    ( 2 )           -       ( 2 )       ( 2 )         ( 2 )           -       ( 2 )       ( 2 )
Virginia ................       16           5           9          10         2,644         826       1,555         976
Washington ..............       32           7          23          29         2,751         819       2,525       2,536
West Virginia ...........        5           -       ( 2 )           3           556           -       ( 2 )         181
Wisconsin ...............       91          15          45          91        10,111       1,144       4,750       9,144
Wyoming .................        -           -           3       ( 2 )             -           -         268       ( 2 )

Puerto Rico .............        -          30           8           6             -       4,059         693         562


    1 See footnote 1, table 2.
    2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards. 
    p = preliminary.
    NOTE: Dash represents zero.