Internet address: http://stats.bls.gov/newsrels.htm
Technical information:  (202) 606-6396  USDL 98-13
                                     
                                        For release: 10:00 A.M. EST
Media contact:                606-5902  Friday, January 16, 1998
                                     
                                     
            EXTENDED MASS LAYOFFS IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF 1997


     In July through September of 1997, there were 978 mass layoff actions
by employers, resulting in the separation of 183,073 workers from their
jobs for more than 30 days, according to preliminary figures released by
the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics.  (Preliminary
figures may not include all states.)  In July-September a year earlier,
employers reported that they had laid off 226,660 workers in 1,018 extended
layoff events.  "Seasonal work" was the major reason cited for the third-
quarter 1997 layoffs and accounted for 37 percent of the events and 40
percent of the separations.  "Contract completion," "reorganization within
the company," and "slack work" together accounted for 39 percent of the
events and 35 percent of the separations.  Permanent closure of worksites
occurred in 13 percent of all events and affected 27,292 workers.
     
     The quarterly series on extended mass layoffs covers layoffs of at
least 31 days duration that involve 50 or more individuals from a single
establishment filing initial claims for unemployment insurance during a
consecutive 5-week period.  Data for the third quarter are preliminary and
subject to revision.  This release also includes revised data for previous
quarters.  Data are not seasonally adjusted, but earlier surveys suggest
that there is a seasonal pattern to layoffs.  Thus, comparisons between
consecutive quarters should not be used as an indicator of trend.
Additional information about the program is provided in the technical note
that follows the analysis.
     
Industry Distribution of Extended Layoffs
     
     In the private sector during July-September 1997, agriculture
accounted for 17 percent of all layoff events and separations.  These
occurred primarily among crop production workers and farm labor contractors
and were almost entirely due to "seasonal work."  (See table 1.)
     
     Manufacturing accounted for 36 percent of all layoff events and 33
percent of separations.  Layoffs in durable goods industries were most
numerous in industrial machinery and equipment and in electronic equipment.
In nondurable goods industries, layoffs were most prevalent in food
processing.  (See table 2.)

                                  - 2 -

Table A.  Selected measures of mass layoff activity
-------------------------------------------------------------------
        Period         |Layoff events|Separations|Initial claimants
-------------------------------------------------------------------
        1995           |             |           |
April-June.............|     1,724   |  401,789  |     332,731
July-September.........|       950   |  191,398  |     154,209
October-December.......|     1,761   |  337,895  |     310,758
        1996           |             |           |
January-March..........|     1,406   |  266,048  |     224,007
April-June.............|     1,345   |  251,617  |    r200,638
July-September(r)......|     1,018   |  226,660  |     195,007
October-December(r)....|     1,908   |  411,428  |     366,052
        1997           |             |           |
January-March(r).......|     1,252   |  237,540  |     219,170
April-June(r)..........|     1,539   |  331,397  |     282,535
July-September(p)......|       978   |  183,073  |     138,545
-------------------------------------------------------------------
p=preliminary                       r=revised

     Layoffs in the services industry accounted for 20 percent of layoff
events and 24 percent of separations and took place mostly in business
services, motion pictures, and amusement and recreation services.
Construction layoffs accounted for 10 percent of all events and 8 percent
of all separations and occurred mainly in heavy construction.
Transportation and public utilities (largely seasonal layoffs for school
bus drivers) accounted for 7 percent of events and 8 percent of
separations.
     
     Layoffs from business establishments in industries identified as
"defense-related" totaled 1,622 workers in the third quarter.
     
Reasons for Extended Layoff
     
     Forty percent of the separations in the third quarter were due to
"seasonal work."  These layoffs were most numerous among workers in food
production (such as agricultural crop production and services and food
processing).  "Contract completion" was the next most cited reason for
separations and was most frequent among establishments in motion pictures,
business services, and heavy construction.   (See table 3.)  Layoffs due to
internal company restructuring ("business ownership change," "bankruptcy,"
"financial difficulty," and "reorganization") amounted to 18 percent of all
layoff events and 17 percent of all separations and occurred most often
among manufacturing industries.

Table B.  Distribution of layoff events by size of layoff,
July-September 1997
---------------------------------------------------------------
                |   layoff events    |    Separations
     Size       |----------------------------------------------
                |  Number | Percent  |  Number  |  Percent
---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......|    978  |  100.0   |  183,073 |  100.0
                |         |          |
50-99...........|    384  |   39.3   |   27,248 |   14.9
100-149.........|    217  |   22.2   |   25,809 |   14.1
150-199.........|    100  |   10.2   |   16,875 |    9.2
200-299.........|    134  |   13.7   |   30,824 |   16.8
300-499.........|     90  |    9.2   |   33,147 |   18.1
500-999.........|     36  |    3.7   |   23,388 |   12.8
1,000 or more...|     17  |    1.7   |   25,782 |   14.1
---------------------------------------------------------------

                                  - 3 -

Size of Extended Layoff

     Layoff events during the third quarter continued to be concentrated at
the lower end of the layoff-size spectrum, with over 60 percent involving
fewer than 150 workers.   These, however, accounted for only 29 percent of
all separations.  (See table B.)  Separations involving 500 or more workers
accounted for 27 percent of all separations, down sharply from 40 percent a
year ago.  The average size of layoffs (as measured by separations per
layoff event) differed widely by industry, ranging from an average of 90
separations in trucking and warehousing to 1,132 in personal services.

Initial Claimant Characteristics

     A total of 138,545 initial claimants for unemployment insurance were
associated with mass layoffs in the third quarter of 1997.  Of these
claimants, 16 percent were black, 44 percent were women, 22 percent were
Hispanic, and 13 percent were 55 years of age or older.  (See table 4.)
Over 2 out of 5 claimants were between the ages of 30 to 44.  Among the
civilian labor force for the same period, 12 percent were black, 46 percent
were women, 10 percent were Hispanic, and 12 percent were 55 years of age
or older.  Forty percent of the civilian labor force were between the ages
of 30 to 44.

Geographic Distribution

     The largest number of worker separations occurred in California
(64,789), followed by Florida (16,058), Texas (11,914), Illinois (11,296),
and New York (10,888).  These five states accounted for 60 percent of total
layoff events and 63 percent of all separations during the third quarter of
1997.  (See table 5.)  After excluding the substantial impact of "seasonal
work," California (30,403) still reported the most laid-off

Table C.  Summary of employer expectations of a recall from
layoff, July-September 1997
-----------------------------------------------------------
   Nature of recall       |   Percentage of events
-----------------------------------------------------------
Anticipate a recall.......|           62.2
                          |
   Timeframe              |
                          |
Within 6 months...........|           81.6
  Within 3 months.........|           60.5
                          |
     Size                 |
                          |
At least half.............|           88.2
  All workers.............|           64.0
-----------------------------------------------------------

workers.  (At the time these figures were compiled, layoffs from Arkansas,
Iowa, Michigan, and Tennessee were not available for the third quarter
of 1997.)

                                  - 4 -
     
     Over the year, Missouri reported the largest increase (7,078 workers)
in laid-off workers, primarily due to more layoffs in local passenger
transit, followed closely by the increase in Ohio (6,738).  California
reported the biggest decrease (19,848 workers), with the over-the-year
decline occurring mainly in business services.

Recall Expectations

     Sixty-two percent of employers reporting a layoff in the third quarter
of 1997 indicated that they anticipated some type of recall, up from 52
percent a year ago.  (See table C.)  However, excluding layoff events due
to "seasonal work" and "vacation period" (in which 98 percent of the
employers expected  a recall), employers expected to recall laid-off
workers in 39 percent of the events, not very different from 35 percent a
year earlier.  Among all establishments expecting a recall, a substantial
proportion of employers expected to recall over one-half of the separated
employees and to do so in the relatively near term.
Technical Note
  
  The  Mass  Layoff  Statistics (MLS) program is  a  federal-state  program
which  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.  Establishments  which  have  at
least  50  initial  claims filed against them during a  consecutive  5-week
period  are  contacted  by  the state agency  to  determine  whether  these
separations  are of at least 31 days duration, and, if so,  information  is
obtained on the total number of persons separated and the reasons for these
separations.    Establishments  are  identified   according   to   industry
classification  and  location,  and unemployment  insurance  claimants  are
identified by such demographic factors as age, race, sex, ethnic group, and
place  of  residence.  The program yields information  on  an  individual's
entire  spell  of  unemployment,  to the point  when  regular  unemployment
insurance benefits are exhausted.

  The  MLS  program  was resumed in April 1995; it had been  terminated  in
November  1992 due to lack of funding.  However, due to changes in concepts
and  definitions,  data  from the resumed program  are  not  comparable  to
earlier data.

  In  addition  to  this quarterly release, the Bureau of Labor  Statistics
also issues a monthly release on mass layoffs.  This covers mass layoffs of
50  or more workers beginning in a given month, regardless of the duration.
Information on the length of the layoff is obtained later for the quarterly
series,  which  includes only mass layoffs lasting more than  30  days  and
provides  more information on the establishment classification and location
and on the demographics of the laid-off workers.
  
  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

  Defense-related  industries. Industries  that have  been  identified   as
vulnerable  to Department of Defense budget reductions and the  elimination
of  defense  weapons  systems.  "Ordnance and accessories,"  "aircraft  and
parts," "shipbuilding and repairing," "guided missiles and space vehicles,"
"tanks   and  tank  components,"  and  "search  and  navigation  equipment"
industries  have  been identified as defense-related  industries  based  on
analysis  that at least 50 percent of industry output was consumed  by  the
U.S. Department of Defense.

  Establishment.   A  unit  at   a  single   physical  location   at  which
predominantly one type of economic activity is conducted.

  Extended layoff event.  Fifty  or  more  initial  claims for unemployment
insurance  benefits from an establishment during a 5-week period,  with  at
least 50 workers separated for more than 30 days.

  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.

                                  - 2 -

  Layoff. The separation of persons  from  an  employer  as part of a  mass
layoff  event.  (See below.) Such layoffs involve both persons  subject  to
recall and those who are terminated by the establishment.

  Mass layoff.  Fifty or more  initial  claims for  unemployment  insurance
benefits  from  an establishment beginning in a given month, regardless  of
duration.

  Worksite  closure.  The  full  closure  of  either multi-unit or  single-
unit  establishments  or the partial closure of a multi-unit  establishment
where  entire  worksites affected by layoffs are closed or  planned  to  be
closed.


 Table 1. Industry distribution: Extended mass layoff events, separations, and initial claimants for unemployment insurance,
 second and third quarters, 1997
                                                                                                                             Initial claimants for
                                                      Establishments            Layoff events             Separations        unemployment insurance
                Industry
                                                    II          III           II          III           II          III           II          III
                                                   1997r        1997p        1997r        1997p        1997r        1997p        1997r        1997p    

           Total ( 1 )...........................  1,513          964        1,539          978      331,397      183,073      282,535      138,545     

 Total, private .................................  1,394          908        1,418          921      291,789      172,755      262,797      130,592     

   Agriculture  .................................    138          149          140          153       25,825       30,093       22,817       15,783     
   Nonagriculture ...............................  1,251          757        1,273          766      265,202      141,338      239,202      114,497     
      Manufacturing  ............................    416          325          427          331       80,942       57,316       81,511       46,013     
         Durable goods  .........................    177          152          181          153       37,493       28,354       37,180       24,886     
         Nondurable goods  ......................    239          173          246          178       43,449       28,962       44,331       21,127     

      Nonmanufacturing  .........................    835          432          846          435      184,260       84,022      157,691       68,484     
         Mining  ................................      5        ( 2 )            5        ( 2 )        1,839        ( 2 )        1,056        ( 2 )  
         Construction ...........................    129           88          129           89       21,721       13,039       23,875       12,983     
         Transportation and public utilities ....    105           65          109           65       24,812       13,848       21,359        9,903     
         Wholesale and retail trade .............    171           73          178           73       44,107       11,933       35,203        8,776     
            Wholesale trade  ....................     31           20           33           20        4,352        2,961        3,594        1,952     
            Retail trade  .......................    140           53          145           53       39,755        8,972       31,609        6,824     
         Finance, insurance, and real estate ....     35        ( 2 )           35        ( 2 )        6,804        ( 2 )        5,540        ( 2 )
         Services ...............................    390          179          390          181       84,977       41,136       70,658       33,694     

   Not identified  ..............................      5            2            5            2          762        1,324          778          312     

 Government .....................................    119           56          121           57       39,608       10,318       19,738        7,953     
         Federal ................................      6           17            7           18        1,665        4,038        1,833        3,915     
         State ..................................     15           10           15           10        4,566        1,332        2,989        1,141     
         Local ..................................     98           29           99           29       33,377        4,948       14,916        2,897    

     1  For third quarter 1997, data on layoffs were reported by employers in the District of Columbia and all states, except Arkansas, Iowa, Michigan,
     and Tennessee.  In addition, layoff data for second quarter 1997 were not reported by Iowa.
     2  Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
     r  = revised.
     p  = preliminary.
 
 Table 2. Manufacturing: Extended mass layoff events, separations, and initial claimants for unemployment insurance,
 second and third quarters, 1997
                                                                                                                                Initial claimants for
                                                         Establishments           Layoff events             Separations         unemployment insurance
             Industry 
                                                       II         III           II          III           II          III           II          III
                                                      1997r       1997p        1997r        1997p        1997r        1997p        1997r        1997p    

       Total manufacturing ( 1 )...................    416          325          427          331       80,942       57,316       81,511       46,013     

 Durable goods ....................................    177          152          181          153       37,493       28,354       37,180       24,886     
     Lumber and wood products .....................      4            9            4            9          418        3,115          383        1,997     
     Furniture and fixtures .......................     12           11           12           11        2,519        1,663        1,580        1,316     
     Stone, clay, and glass products ..............     10            7           10            7        1,560          790        2,128          724     
     Primary metal industries .....................     13           11           13           11        2,145        1,404        2,179          992     
     Fabricated metal products ....................     21           15           22           15        2,932        1,509        3,280        1,317     
     Industrial machinery and equipment ...........     30           27           31           28        6,186        6,801        7,582        8,010     
     Electronic and other electrical equipment ....     23           31           23           31        2,666        6,135        4,673        5,154     
     Transportation equipment .....................     45           23           47           23       15,860        4,896       12,248        3,706     
     Instruments and related products .............      8            5            8            5        1,381          667        1,247          464     
     Miscellaneous manufacturing industries .......     11           13           11           13        1,826        1,374        1,880        1,206    
 
 Nondurable goods .................................    239          173          246          178       43,449       28,962       44,331       21,127     
     Food and kindred products ....................    104           61          107           62       22,495       11,373       20,378        7,796     
     Tobacco products .............................  ( 2 )            -        ( 2 )            -        ( 2 )            -        ( 2 )            -
     Textile mill products ........................     16           18           16           20        1,688        4,425        2,263        3,628     
     Apparel and other textile products ...........     51           49           53           50        8,082        5,686       11,073        4,637     
     Paper and allied products ....................     13            7           13            7        2,471        1,111        1,451          645     
     Printing and publishing ......................     18           12           18           13        2,082        1,858        3,261        1,255     
     Chemicals and allied products ................      8            7            8            7        1,254        1,477        1,417        1,262     
     Petroleum and coal products ..................  ( 2 )        ( 2 )        ( 2 )        ( 2 )        ( 2 )        ( 2 )        ( 2 )        ( 2 )
     Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products ...     15           13           15           13        2,034        1,811        2,556        1,191     
     Leather and leather products .................      9        ( 2 )           11        ( 2 )        2,003        ( 2 )        1,102        ( 2 )    

     1  See footnote 1, table 1.                                                      
     2  Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.                    
     r  = revised.
     p  = preliminary.
     NOTE:  Dash represents zero.
               
 Table 3. Reason for separation: Extended mass layoff events, separations, and initial claimants for  
 unemployment insurance, second and third quarters, 1997
                                                                                                       
                                            Layoff events                Separations              Initial claimants for
                                                                                                  unemployment insurance
        Reason for separation             
                                          II            III            II            III            II            III
                                         1997r         1997p          1997r          1997p          1997r          1997p    
    
    Total, all reasons ( 1 ).........   1,539           978        331,397        183,073        282,535        138,545      

 Automation .........................  ( 2 )              -          ( 2 )              -          ( 2 )              -
 Bankruptcy .........................      8             11            878          2,375            700          1,648      
 Business ownership change ..........     31             26          6,042          4,461          4,465          3,242      
 Contract cancellation ..............     14             15          2,152          4,061          2,297          1,883      
 Contract completed .................    227            171         56,191         33,176         63,701         35,678      
 Domestic relocation ................     21             14          5,909          2,274          2,775          1,500      
 Financial difficulty ...............     41             34         18,485          6,084          8,314          3,874      
 Import competition .................     14             21          3,185          2,641          1,836          2,206      
 Labor dispute ......................     13             10          8,696          2,926          2,069          3,179      
 Material shortage ..................  ( 2 )          ( 2 )          ( 2 )          ( 2 )          ( 2 )          ( 2 )
 Model changeover ...................      5              7          1,052          1,025          2,452            839      

 Natural disaster ...................      -          ( 2 )              -          ( 2 )              -          ( 2 )
 Overseas relocation ................     12              8          2,732          2,495          5,446          1,096      
 Plant or machine repair ............      5              4            889            407          1,866            646      
 Product line discontinued ..........     12             10          3,162          2,604          2,019          1,292      
 Reorganization within company ......    118            108         19,799         18,449         21,240         15,031      
 Seasonal work ......................    691            364        156,879         73,882        110,970         44,723      
 Slack work .........................    169            102         21,897         12,917         29,421         12,715      
 Vacation period ....................     66             18          9,322          2,495          9,813          1,791      
 Weather-related ....................  ( 2 )              -          ( 2 )              -          ( 2 )              -
 Other ..............................     51             28          7,863          7,119          7,102          4,024      
 Not reported .......................     36             23          5,755          3,272          5,606          2,798    

    1  See footnote 1, table 1.                                          
    2  Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.        
    r  =  revised.
    p  =  preliminary.
    NOTE: Dash represents zero.
 Table 4. State and selected claimant characteristics: Extended mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment
 insurance, second and third quarters, 1997
                                                                                                             Percent of total
                                                          Total
                               Layoff events             initial                                     Hispanic                                      Persons age 55
                                                        claimants              Black                  origin                  Women                   and over
          State
                              II         III          II         III       II         III          II         III          II         III          II         III
                            1997r       1997p       1997r       1997p    1997r       1997p       1997r       1997p       1997r       1997p       1997r       1997p 

     Total ( 1 ) .......    1,539         978     282,535     138,545     17.0        15.7        22.2        22.5        51.5        44.4        22.1        12.7     

 Alabama ...............       14           3       2,388         319     55.3        59.2         1.3          .3        40.8        58.3        11.4        10.0     
 Alaska ................        8       ( 2 )       1,081       ( 2 )      3.0          .5        12.4        20.9        43.0        24.0        15.6        13.3     
 Arizona ...............       13           9       2,274       1,141       .1         2.1        80.8        66.2        26.5        42.0         8.0         7.3     
 Arkansas ..............       14       ( 1 )       1,267       ( 1 )     30.7       ( 1 )         1.4       ( 1 )        73.6       ( 1 )        12.9       ( 1 )
 California ............      344         296      82,235      47,407      8.5         6.7        39.2        41.2        46.2        40.4        11.7        11.0     
 Colorado ..............       11       ( 2 )       1,515       ( 2 )      5.5        10.7        21.3        22.9        69.8        67.8        13.1        15.4     
 Connecticut ...........       12           3       2,042         496     11.5        34.5         6.2         7.7        38.9        32.7        16.3         6.3     
 Delaware ..............        -           -           -           -        -           -           -           -           -           -           -           -
 District of Columbia ..        -           -           -           -        -           -           -           -           -           -           -           -
 Florida ...............      120          89      15,601       7,831     29.6        32.1        30.3        26.5        50.6        44.9        20.2        19.7     
 Georgia ...............       22          23       3,859       2,533     65.0        52.9         1.1         1.7        73.1        56.0        11.2        12.1     
 Hawaii ................        4           5         391         445        -         7.0          .5         1.6        71.6        52.4        20.7        16.6     
 Idaho .................        9           6       1,248         917       .6          .5        24.1        37.4        56.8        67.9        13.6        18.2     

 Illinois ..............      106          61      20,129       8,875     23.8        24.0         7.4        11.4        53.2        48.9        15.4        11.4     
 Indiana ...............       18          14       3,481       1,505     13.0         8.0         3.2         1.5        57.1        56.2        13.0        13.2     
 Iowa ..................    ( 1 )       ( 1 )       ( 1 )       ( 1 )    ( 1 )       ( 1 )       ( 1 )       ( 1 )       ( 1 )       ( 1 )       ( 1 )       ( 1 )
 Kansas ................        9           3       1,467         258     16.7        12.0         3.5         5.8        67.5        68.6        12.3         5.8     
 Kentucky ..............        7           5         492         378      7.1         2.1          .4           -        76.0        37.0         8.3        23.3     
 Louisiana .............       19           8       2,486       1,190     44.4        54.9         1.0          .4        43.7        66.2         9.5         5.3     
 Maine .................       10           5       1,342         448       .1           -           -          .2        36.3        26.8        11.3        15.0     
 Maryland ..............       21          12       2,852       1,501     53.4        31.6         1.1          .7        57.3        38.5        17.5        18.6     
 Massachusetts .........       35          22       5,345       3,753      9.2         8.4         8.6         6.0        65.3        44.0        21.0        14.8     
 Michigan ..............       51       ( 1 )       5,121       ( 1 )     19.4       ( 1 )         4.3       ( 1 )        57.3       ( 1 )        12.6       ( 1 )
 Minnesota .............       22           9       2,762       1,173      5.5         5.7         1.8         2.9        55.1        60.4        17.9        12.9     
 Mississippi ...........        6           7       1,403         785     61.0        52.2          .2          .4        35.2        44.1        12.5         5.7     
 Missouri ..............       72          33       8,990       3,940     25.7        26.5          .6          .8        69.6        66.8        20.4        13.3     

 Montana ...............        8       ( 2 )         641       ( 2 )       .6         1.9         1.9         1.9        51.2        84.9        15.6         8.5     
 Nebraska ..............    ( 2 )           -       ( 2 )           -     10.7           -         1.2           -         7.1           -        31.0           -
 Nevada ................        7           4       1,199         407     17.2         4.4        20.4        16.0        36.6        34.2        14.8        18.7     
 New Hampshire .........        -         (2)           -         (2)        -           -           -           -           -         2.9           -        26.5     
 New Jersey ............       80          38      14,840       3,707     20.5        27.6        18.1        18.4        67.6        59.3        27.7        20.6     
 New Mexico ............       14         (2)       1,861         (2)      1.5         1.8        55.8        64.8        69.7        68.5        10.6        13.9     
 New York ..............       40          61       6,084       6,882     11.8        14.9         6.8         8.8        49.5        43.2        17.8        17.9     
 North Carolina ........       22          15       3,017       1,493     51.3        36.9         1.4         1.1        53.6        64.1        16.4         8.7     
 North Dakota ..........        -           -           -           -        -           -           -           -           -           -           -           -
 Ohio ..................       74          42      12,980       6,623     15.7        13.8         1.7         1.4        54.1        45.9        11.8         9.1     
 Oklahoma ..............        3           6         506         682      4.0        19.9         3.0         2.9        34.6        45.6        13.6        10.1     
 Oregon ................        4       ( 2 )         406       ( 2 )      1.2         1.5         1.5        57.4        66.3        69.1         7.1        20.6     
 Pennsylvania ..........      122          51      28,216       7,454      9.7         8.5         1.4         2.3        46.6        49.3        16.0        20.3     

 Rhode Island ..........    ( 2 )       ( 2 )       ( 2 )       ( 2 )      1.3         1.8        39.8         3.6        71.4        69.1        23.4        14.5     
 South Carolina ........       18          12       2,452       2,326     58.3        49.7          .6          .6        77.0        53.1           -           -
 South Dakota ..........        -       ( 2 )           -       ( 2 )        -         1.0           -        15.4           -        23.0           -         6.1     
 Tennessee .............       19       ( 1 )       2,239       ( 1 )     24.9       ( 1 )          .3       ( 1 )        73.2       ( 1 )        20.6       ( 1 )  
 Texas .................      101          76      28,048      15,731     15.7        18.7        53.0        29.4        45.9        33.1        86.1        10.9     
 Utah ..................        6       ( 2 )         808       ( 2 )       .9         2.3         7.7        10.0        59.2        54.2         6.9         9.4     
 Vermont ...............        -           -           -           -        -           -           -           -           -           -           -           -
 Virginia ..............       16           9       2,531       2,635     47.6        19.4          .3           -        53.0        44.5        17.2        13.1     
 Washington ............       14          15       1,779       1,200      4.2         1.1         6.3        27.3        38.1        58.2        16.0        17.9     
 West Virginia .........        4           5         277         509      7.6         1.4           -           -        83.8        22.6        11.6        10.4     
 Wisconsin .............       37          18       4,492       2,351     15.4         5.0         1.8         1.7        54.7        42.0        17.9        10.0     
 Wyoming ...............        -           -           -           -        -           -           -           -           -           -           -           -

 Puerto Rico ...........       19          20       3,709       3,600    ( 3 )       ( 3 )       ( 3 )       ( 3 )        50.3        54.4        11.1        10.8     

        1   See footnote 1, table 1.                                                    
        2   Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.                 
        3   Data are not available.                                                    
        r   = revised.
        p   = preliminary.
        NOTE: Dash represents zero.
 Table 5. State distribution: Extended mass layoff events, separations, and initial claimants for unemployment insurance,
 second and third quarters, 1997
                                                                                                            Initial claimants for
         State                     Establishments            Layoff events             Separations          unemployment insurance
                                  
                                  II          III           II          III           II          III           II          III
                                1997r        1997p        1997r        1997p        1997r        1997p        1997r        1997p 

     Total ( 1 ) .............  1,513          964        1,539          978      331,397      183,073      282,535      138,545    

 Alabama .....................     14            3           14            3        3,475        1,050        2,388          319     
 Alaska ......................      8        ( 2 )            8        ( 2 )        3,521        ( 2 )        1,081        ( 2 )
 Arizona .....................     13            9           13            9        2,796        1,110        2,274        1,141     
 Arkansas ....................     14        ( 1 )           14        ( 1 )        1,404        ( 1 )        1,267        ( 1 ) 
 California ..................    336          288          344          296       81,081       64,789       82,235       47,407     
 Colorado ....................     11        ( 2 )           11        ( 2 )        7,478        ( 2 )        1,515        ( 2 )
 Connecticut .................     12            3           12            3        2,425        1,000        2,042          496     
 Delaware ....................      -            -            -            -            -            -            -            -
 District of Columbia ........      -            -            -            -            -            -            -            -
 Florida .....................    120           89          120           89       41,073       16,058       15,601        7,831     
 Georgia .....................     22           23           22           23        5,164        3,430        3,859        2,533     
 Hawaii ......................      4            5            4            5          628        1,253          391          445     
 Idaho .......................      9            6            9            6        1,517          845        1,248          917     

 Illinois ....................    106           60          106           61       20,899       11,296       20,129        8,875     
 Indiana .....................     18           14           18           14        2,021        1,601        3,481        1,505     
 Iowa ........................  ( 1 )        ( 1 )        ( 1 )        ( 1 )        ( 1 )        ( 1 )        ( 1 )        ( 1 )
 Kansas ......................      9            3            9            3        1,292          372        1,467          258     
 Kentucky ....................      7            5            7            5        1,315          855          492          378     
 Louisiana ...................     19            8           19            8        2,835        2,605        2,486        1,190     
 Maine .......................     10            5           10            5        2,157          559        1,342          448     
 Maryland ....................     21           12           21           12        2,784        1,530        2,852        1,501     
 Massachusetts ...............     35           22           35           22        4,913        5,295        5,345        3,753     
 Michigan ....................     51        ( 1 )           51        ( 1 )       16,491        ( 1 )         5121        ( 1 ) 
 Minnesota ...................     22            9           22            9        3,484        1,145        2,762        1,173     
 Mississippi .................      6            7            6            7        1,584          924        1,403          785     
 Missouri ....................     55           30           72           33       14,743        9,112        8,990        3,940     

 Montana .....................      8        ( 2 )            8        ( 2 )        1,436        ( 2 )          641        ( 2 )
 Nebraska ....................  ( 2 )            -         ( 2 )           -        ( 2 )            -        ( 2 )            -
 Nevada ......................      7            4            7            4          694          365        1,199          407     
 New Hampshire ...............      -        ( 2 )            -        ( 2 )            -        ( 2 )            -        ( 2 )
 New Jersey ..................     79           38           80           38       13,523        4,364       14,840        3,707     
 New Mexico ..................     14        ( 2 )           14        ( 2 )        2,436        ( 2 )        1,861        ( 2 )  
 New York ....................     40           61           40           61       12,002       10,888        6,084        6,882     
 North Carolina ..............     22           13           22           15        5,656        3,054        3,017        1,493     
 North Dakota ................     -            -            -            -            -            -            -            -
 Ohio ........................     74           42           74           42       11,475        9,430       12,980        6,623     
 Oklahoma ....................      3            6            3            6          655          896          506          682     
 Oregon ......................      4        ( 2 )            4        ( 2 )        1,561        ( 2 )          406        ( 2 )  
 Pennsylvania ................    122           51          122           51       16,682        5,855       28,216        7,454     

 Rhode Island ................  ( 2 )        ( 2 )        ( 2 )        ( 2 )        ( 2 )        ( 2 )        ( 2 )        ( 2 )
 South Carolina ..............     18           12           18           12        1,873        1,323        2,452        2,326     
 South Dakota ................     -         ( 2 )            -        ( 2 )            -        ( 2 )            -        ( 2 )
 Tennessee ...................     19        ( 1 )           19        ( 1 )         1,630       ( 1 )        2,239        ( 1 )
 Texas .......................    101           76          101           76        23,187      11,914       28,048       15,731     
 Utah ........................      6        ( 2 )            6        ( 2 )         1,897       ( 2 )          808        ( 2 )  
 Vermont .....................      -            -            -            -             -           -            -            -
 Virginia ....................     16            9           16            9         3,257       2,083        2,531        2,635     
 Washington ..................     14           15           14           15         1,999       1,497        1,779        1,200     
 West Virginia ...............      4            5            4            5           242         754          277          509     
 Wisconsin ...................     37           18           37           18         5,474       2,751        4,492        2,351     
 Wyoming .....................      -            -            -            -             -           -            -            -

 Puerto Rico .................     19           20           19           20         3,201       3,600        3,709        3,600     
 
      1  See footnote 1, table 1.                                         
      2  Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.       
      r  = revised.
      p  = preliminary.
      NOTE: Dash represents zero.