Internet address:  http://stats.bls.gov/newsrels.htm
Technical information:  (202) 691-6392          USDL 01-112

                                                For release: 10:00 A.M. EDT
Media contact:                691-5902          Wednesday, April 25, 2001

                                     
                        MASS LAYOFFS IN MARCH 2001
   
   
   In March 2001, there were 1,527 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 171,466.  (See
table 1.)  In January 2001 through March 2001, the total number of events,
at 4,550, and initial claims, at 544,717, were higher than January-March
2000 (3,965 and 433,968, respectively).
   
   The monthly data series in this release cover mass layoffs of 50 or
more workers beginning in a given month, regardless of the duration of the
layoffs.  Information on the length of the layoff is obtained later and
issued in a quarterly release that reports on mass layoffs lasting more
than 30 days (referred to as "extended mass layoffs") and provides more
information on the industry classification and location of the establish-
ment 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 March 2001, manufacturing industries accounted for 43 percent of all
mass layoff events and 51 percent of all initial claims filed.  A year
earlier, layoffs in manufacturing accounted for 33 percent of events and 35
percent of initial claims.  Manufacturing industries with the highest
number of initial claimants were transportation equipment (15,216), mostly
in motor vehicles and car bodies and in motor vehicle parts and accessories,
and electronic and other electrical equipment (14,473), largely in printed
circuit boards and in semiconductors.  (See table 2.)
   
   Services accounted for 18 percent of events and initial claims filed
during the month.  Layoffs in services were highly concentrated in business
services (particularly help supply services) and motion pictures.  Histori-
cally, these industries are more likely than most other industries to lay off
workers for fewer than 30 days.
   
   Ten percent of all layoff events and initial claims during the month
were from retail trade, mostly in eating and drinking places and general
merchandise stores (department stores).  Construction accounted for 9
percent of events and 6 percent of initial claims for the month, mostly in
heavy construction, except buildings.  Agriculture accounted for 8 percent
of events and 6 percent of initial claims filings for the month, primarily
in agricultural services (farm labor contractors).

                                  - 2 -

   Compared with March 2000, the largest increases in initial claims were
reported in electronic and other electrical equipment (+12,995), in trans-
portation equipment (+9,923), and in primary metal industries (+6,794).
The largest over-the-year decreases in initial claims occurred in agricul-
tural services (-2,002) and in wholesale trade of nondurable goods (-1,681).
   
Geographic Distribution
   
   In March, the West region reported the highest number of initial claims
due to mass layoffs (63,125), largely in business services, motion pictures,
and agricultural services.  (See table 3.)  These industries accounted for
37 percent of all claimants in the West.  The Northeast region (20,783)
continued to report the lowest number of mass layoff-related initial claims.
   
   Among the four regions, the Midwest reported the largest over-the-year
increase in initial claims (+21,993), followed by the South (+21,112), the
West (+11,516), and the Northeast (+10,097).  All nine geographic divisions
also reported over-the-year increases in the number of initial claimants
from mass layoff actions.  The largest increase was reported in the East
North Central (primarily in transportation equipment).
   
   Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, California reported
the largest number of initial claims filed in mass layoff events (48,576),
mostly in business services and motion pictures, followed by Pennsylvania
(13,741) and Texas (11,478).  These three states accounted for 47 percent
of all layoff events and 43 percent of all initial claims for unemployment
insurance.  (See table 4.)
   
   From March 2000 to March 2001, 40 states reported over-the-year increases
in initial claims.  Pennsylvania reported the largest increase in initial
claims (+8,195), followed by Texas (+7,246) and Ohio (+6,047).  Ten states
and the District of Columbia reported over-the-year decreases in initial
claims activity, led by Kansas (-2,120).
Technical Note
 
 
 
 The Mass Layoff Statistics (MLS) program is a federal-state program that
uses a standardized, automated approach to identifying, describing, and
tracking the effects of major job cutbacks, using data from each state's
unemployment insurance database.  Each month, states report on
establishments which have at least 50 initial claims filed against them
during a consecutive 5-week period.  These establishments then are
contacted by the state agency to determine whether these separations lasted
31 days or longer, and, if so, other information concerning the layoff is
collected.  States report on layoffs lasting more than 1 month on a
quarterly basis.
 
 A given month contains an aggregation of the weekly unemployment
insurance claims filings for the Sunday through Saturday weeks in that
month.  All weeks are included for the particular month, except if the
first day of the month falls on Saturday.  In this case, the week is
included in the prior month's tabulations.  This means that some months
will contain 4 weeks and others 5 weeks, and the number of weeks in a given
month may be different from year to year.  Therefore, analysis of over-the-
month and over-the-year change should take this calendar effect into
consideration.
 
 The MLS program resumed operations in April 1995 after it had been
terminated in November 1992 due to lack of funding.  Prior to April 1995,
monthly layoff statistics were not available.
 
 Information in this release will be made available to sensory
impaired individuals upon request.  Voice phone: 202-691-5200; 
TDD message referral phone number:  1-800-877-8339.
 
Definitions
 
 Initial claimant.  A person who files any notice of unemployment to
initiate a request either for a determination of entitlement to and
eligibility for compensation, or for a subsequent period of unemployment
within a benefit year or period of eligibility.
 
 Mass layoff event.  Fifty or more initial claims for unemployment
insurance benefits filed against an establishment during a 5-week period,
regardless of duration.
Table 1. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance, January 1999 to March 2001


  
                                                       Extended mass layoffs 
                                                     lasting more than 30 days
             Date                                                                               
                              Total mass layoffs                                          Realization rates(1)
                                                                                           
                                                                                                
                                         Initial                         Initial                       Initial 
                              Events    claimants        Events         claimants         Events      claimants        


            1999

 January ....................  2,421      226,995      	            		      
 February ...................  1,067       89,800      	            		      
 March ......................    880       91,890      	            		      

 First Quarter ..............  4,368      408,685         1,509           252,122           34.5         61.7     

 April ......................  1,270      136,885      	            		      
 May ........................  1,032      102,738      	            		      
 June .......................  1,140      130,951      	            		      

 Second Quarter .............  3,442      370,574         1,444           242,464           42.0         65.4     

 July .......................  1,741      221,334      	            		      
 August .....................    698       75,691      	            		      
 September ..................    717       75,288      	            		      

 Third Quarter ..............  3,156      372,313         1,097           189,973           34.8         51.0     

 October ....................  1,098      118,938      	            		      
 November ...................  1,336      139,508      	            		      
 December ...................  1,509      162,381      	            		      

 Fourth Quarter .............  3,943      420,827         1,625           287,685           41.2         68.4     

             2000

 January ....................  1,934      223,322      	            		      
 February ...................  1,045      103,898      	            		      
 March ......................    986      106,748      	            		      

 First Quarter ..............  3,965      433,968         1,331           220,997           33.6         50.9     

 April ......................    924      101,359      	            		      
 May ........................    984       92,193      	            		      
 June .......................  1,597      192,025      	            		      

 Second Quarter .............  3,505      385,577         1,272           230,696           36.3         59.8     

 July .......................  1,333      164,978      	            		      
 August .....................    751       97,215      	            		      
 September ..................    936      106,842      	            		      

 Third Quarter ..............  3,020      369,035         1,014           187,865           33.6         50.9     

 October ....................    874      103,755      	            		      
 November ...................  1,697      216,514      	            		      
 December ...................  2,677      326,743      	            		      

 Fourth Quarter .............  5,248      647,012   (2)(p)1,905     (2)(p)271,126        (p)36.3      (p)41.9

             2001

 January ....................  1,522      200,343     
 February(p).................  1,501      172,908     
 March(p)....................  1,527      171,466     


    1 The event realization rate is the percentage of total mass layoff events lasting more than 30 days.  The
initial claimant realization rate is the percentage of total mass-layoff initial claimants associated with
layoffs lasting more than 30 days.
    2 These quarterly numbers are provisional and will increase as more data on these layoffs become available.
Recent 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

                                                  
                                                          March  January February    March     March    January  February    March
                                                           2000    2001   2001(p)   2001(p)     2000      2001    2001(p)   2001(p)

      Total(1) ........................................     986   1,522    1,501     1,527    106,748   200,343   172,908   171,466     

 Total, private .......................................     958   1,469    1,474     1,493    104,069   194,889   170,185   168,095     

   Agriculture ........................................     131      65      190       120     11,530     6,371    13,998     9,868     
   Nonagriculture .....................................     812   1,372    1,269     1,358     90,412   183,453   154,424   156,466     
     Manufacturing ....................................     327     628      575       659     37,624   106,977    79,294    86,789     
       Durable goods ..................................     163     414      353       418     19,238    82,785    53,691    60,439     
         Lumber and wood products .....................      33      54       35        40      3,252     5,396     3,598     3,577     
         Furniture and fixtures .......................      13      30       24        26      1,060     3,193     2,358     2,610     
         Stone, clay, and glass products ..............      10      30        9        15        716     2,585       933       985     
         Primary metal industries .....................       5      37       43        49        708     8,620     5,109     7,502     
         Fabricated metal products ....................      21      50       54        47      2,453     5,427     5,416     4,958     
         Industrial machinery and equipment ...........      26      47       45        69      3,089     7,961     6,967     8,838     
         Electronic and other electrical equipment ....      17      49       65        86      1,478     5,955     7,315    14,473     
         Transportation equipment .....................      24      92       66        62      5,293    41,715    21,138    15,216     
         Instruments and related products .............       7       6        6        14        426       494       483     1,414     
         Miscellaneous manufacturing industries .......       7      19        6        10        763     1,439       374       866     

       Nondurable goods ...............................     164     214      222       241     18,386    24,192    25,603    26,350     
         Food and kindred products ....................      73      72       78        80      8,713     8,620    10,034     7,565     
         Tobacco products .............................       5   ( 2 )    ( 2 )     ( 2 )      1,168     ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )
         Textile mill products ........................      11      30       33        34      1,498     4,336     4,422     4,732     
         Apparel and other textile products ...........      33      35       29        35      2,561     3,402     2,730     4,706     
         Paper and allied products ....................      12      15       19        13        823     1,445     2,120     1,721     
         Printing and publishing ......................       9      16       14        14        808     1,686     1,386       949     
         Chemicals and allied products ................       6       5        9         7      1,461       384       779       732     
         Petroleum and coal products ..................   ( 2 )   ( 2 )    ( 2 )     ( 2 )      ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )
         Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products ...      11      37       33        48      1,076     4,036     3,250     4,629     
         Leather and leather products .................   ( 2 )   ( 2 )        3         6      ( 2 )     ( 2 )       269       616     

     Nonmanufacturing .................................     485     744      694       699     52,788    76,476    75,130    69,677     
       Mining .........................................       5       8        7     ( 2 )        338       496     1,761     ( 2 )
       Construction ...................................      86     139      134       140      6,003    10,236     9,991    10,499     
       Transportation and public utilities ............      44      91       52        76      5,414     8,761     4,720     7,446     
       Wholesale and retail trade .....................     138     190      164       173     14,755    20,828    16,690    18,917     
          Wholesale trade .............................      29      28       31        26      3,346     2,622     2,841     2,214     
          Retail trade ................................     109     162      133       147     11,409    18,206    13,849    16,703     
       Finance, insurance, and real estate ............      21      21       24     ( 2 )      2,032     2,464     1,812     ( 2 )
       Services .......................................     191     295      313       280     24,246    33,691    40,156    30,360     

   Not identified .....................................      15      32       15        15      2,127     5,065     1,763     1,761     

 Government ...........................................      28      53       27        34      2,679     5,454     2,723     3,371     
   Federal ............................................       4      27        7         7        606     3,182       665     1,136     
   State ..............................................      12      11        8        17      1,112     1,030       737     1,508     
   Local ..............................................      12      15       12        10        961     1,242     1,321       727     


   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.
   
Table 3. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance by census region and division
                                                                                          
                                             Mass layoff events                                 Initial claimants for
                                                                                                unemployment insurance
  Census region and division

                                  March      January     February      March         March       January     February       March
                                   2000        2001       2001(p)     2001(p)         2000         2001       2001(p)      2001(p)

         United States(1) .....     986       1,522        1,501       1,527        106,748      200,343      172,908      171,466     

 Northeast ....................      99         227          176         194         10,686       21,994       18,161       20,783     

     New England ..............      20          37           43          33          2,834        2,857        5,630        3,200     
     Middle Atlantic ..........      79         190          133         161          7,852       19,137       12,531       17,583     

 South ........................     179         323          271         317         17,976       36,007       36,098       39,088     

     South Atlantic ...........      91         154          131         148          9,419       15,870       17,355       16,715     
     East South Central .......      27          68           56          67          2,459        7,121        7,280        8,295     
     West South Central .......      61         101           84         102          6,098       13,016       11,463       14,078     

 Midwest ......................     199         468          320         368         26,477       87,323       45,891       48,470     

     East North Central .......     144         376          260         292         17,973       72,119       39,121       39,620     
     West North Central .......      55          92           60          76          8,504       15,204        6,770        8,850     

 West .........................     509         504          734         648         51,609       55,019       72,758       63,125     

     Mountain .................      45          72           51          64          4,052        6,527        5,124        6,422     
     Pacific ..................     464         432          683         584         47,557       48,492       67,634       56,703     


      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       

                               March     January      February        March        March        January      February        March
                                2000       2001        2001(p)       2001(p)        2000          2001        2001(p)       2001(p)

    Total(1) ...............     986      1,522         1,501         1,527       106,748       200,343       172,908       171,466     

 Alabama ...................       3         15            15            10           394         1,370         2,072         1,075     
 Alaska ....................   ( 2 )          5         ( 2 )             -         ( 2 )           340         ( 2 )             -
 Arizona ...................      18          7             7            20         1,901           569           553         2,136     
 Arkansas ..................       4         13             5             3           291         1,515           403           316     
 California ................     418        365           635           522        43,357        41,261        62,791        48,576     
 Colorado ..................       5         11             4             5           503         1,084           321           460     
 Connecticut ...............   ( 2 )          6             5             3         ( 2 )           424           758           172     
 Delaware ..................       -      ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )             -         ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )
 District of Columbia ......   ( 2 )          7         ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )           496         ( 2 )         ( 2 )
 Florida ...................      28         49            47            59         2,453         3,147         3,954         5,160     
 Georgia ...................      14         15            17             8         1,010         1,200         1,673           646     
 Hawaii ....................       4          6         ( 2 )             3           341           429         ( 2 )           253     
 Idaho .....................       9         10            12            13           524           677         1,681         1,396     

 Illinois ..................      37         68            51            54         5,110        12,163         8,469         7,940     
 Indiana ...................       9         37            26            30           984         4,425         3,749         6,469     
 Iowa ......................       6         21            12            16           696         2,505         1,096         2,561     
 Kansas ....................       5         10             8             7         2,720         3,766           904           600     
 Kentucky ..................      13          9            23            34         1,280         1,101         3,587         5,303     
 Louisiana .................      12         23            11            13           774         4,410           782         1,176     
 Maine .....................       4          6         ( 2 )             3           954           434         ( 2 )           392     
 Maryland ..................       3         10         ( 2 )             4           199         1,085         ( 2 )           307     
 Massachusetts .............       6         21            18            14           903         1,723         1,540         1,430     
 Michigan ..................      24         69            75            72         3,690        19,387        14,090         9,375     
 Minnesota .................      13         20            13            19         1,394         3,669         2,362         2,325     
 Mississippi ...............       6         18             6             8           431         2,036           457           773     
 Missouri ..................      28         37            23            31         3,459         4,567         2,054         3,086     

 Montana ...................   ( 2 )          6         ( 2 )             3         ( 2 )           484         ( 2 )           215     
 Nebraska ..................   ( 2 )          3         ( 2 )             -         ( 2 )           284         ( 2 )             -
 Nevada ....................      11         23            23            17           974         2,195         2,016         1,647     
 New Hampshire .............   ( 2 )      ( 2 )             4             4         ( 2 )         ( 2 )           543           339     
 New Jersey ................      22         35            24            21         1,955         4,544         2,349         2,086     
 New Mexico ................       -          4             3         ( 2 )             -           397           229         ( 2 )
 New York ..................       5         21            23            18           351         2,198         1,921         1,756     
 North Carolina ............      13         21            22            19         1,889         3,982         2,357         2,104     
 North Dakota ..............   ( 2 )      ( 2 )             -             -         ( 2 )         ( 2 )             -             -
 Ohio ......................      28        132            53            70         3,104        28,700         5,063         9,151     
 Oklahoma ..................       5          8            10            10           801           833         3,204         1,108     
 Oregon ....................      29         44            23            36         2,908         5,354         2,543         5,454     
 Pennsylvania ..............      52        134            86           122         5,546        12,395         8,261        13,741     

 Rhode Island ..............       4      ( 2 )            11             5           341         ( 2 )         2,185           536     
 South Carolina ............      20         28            20            32         1,992         3,327         3,322         5,870     
 South Dakota ..............       -          -             3             3             -             -           235           278     
 Tennessee .................       5         26            12            15           354         2,614         1,164         1,144     
 Texas .....................      40         57            58            76         4,232         6,258         7,074        11,478     
 Utah ......................   ( 2 )         11         ( 2 )             4         ( 2 )         1,121         ( 2 )           409     
 Vermont ...................       3      ( 2 )             3             4           280         ( 2 )           294           331     
 Virginia ..................      11         20            18            20         1,617         2,210         2,949         2,068     
 Washington ................      12         12            22            23           889         1,108         2,041         2,420     
 West Virginia .............   ( 2 )      ( 2 )         ( 2 )             3         ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )           275     
 Wisconsin .................      46         70            55            66         5,085         7,444         7,750         6,685     
 Wyoming ...................       -          -             -         ( 2 )             -             -             -         ( 2 )

 Puerto Rico ...............       8         17             8             7           668         1,475           490           806     


    1 See footnote 1, table 2.                                              
    2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.  
    p = preliminary.
    NOTE: Dash represents zero.