Internet address: http://stats.bls.gov/newsrels.htm
Technical information: (202) 606-6396   USDL 98-507
                                     
                                        For release: 10:00 A.M. EST
Media contact:               606-5902   Thursday, December 31, 1998
                                     
                                     
            EXTENDED MASS LAYOFFS IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF 1998

   In July through September of 1998, there were 1,215 mass layoff actions
by employers that resulted in the separation of 241,212 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.  For the first
3 quarters of 1998, the total of extended layoff events, at 4,068, and worker
separations, at 814,597, were slightly higher than in the corresponding
period of 1997 (3,968 and 807,799, respectively).
   
   "Seasonal work" accounted for 28 percent of the third-quarter 1998
layoff events and separations, as the growing season ended for certain
produce.  Layoffs due to internal company restructuring reached the highest
level since fourth-quarter 1996.  Permanent closure of worksites occurred
in 12 percent of all events and affected 40,652 workers, up from 29,872
workers in the same period a year ago.
   
   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 1998, agriculture accounted
for 11 percent of all layoff events and 12 percent of all separations.  The
layoff activity occurred primarily among farm labor contractors and
vegetable and melon workers and was almost entirely due to the end of
seasonal work.  (See table 1.)
   
   Forty-six percent of all layoff events and all separations occurred in
manufacturing industries.  Layoffs in durable goods industries were most
numerous in transportation equipment (mostly in motor vehicles and car
bodies and in motor vehicle parts and accessories) and electronic and other
electrical equipment (largely in semiconductors).  Most worker separations
in these industries were due to strike-related plant shutdowns, which were
largely responsible for the 48 percent over-the-year increase in
separations in manufacturing.  In nondurable goods industries, layoffs were
most prevalent in food processing and apparel.
   
   Cutbacks in construction accounted for 5 percent of events and 4 percent
of separations, primarily in heavy construction and special trade
contracting.  Compared with third-quarter 1997, events and separations in
construction declined by 31 and 36 percent, respectively.  Services
accounted for 18 percent of all layoff events and 15 percent, of all
separations, mainly in business services (mostly help supply) and motion
pictures (primarily motion picture and video production).  Transportation
and public utilities accounted for 8 percent of all layoff events and
9 percent of all separations, largely in air transportation and school bus
drivers.

                                  - 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   |      154,226
October-December....|     1,761    |    337,537   |      311,748
     1996           |              |              |
January-March.......|     1,408    |    266,465   |      224,393
April- June.........|     1,350    |    253,389   |      207,873
July-September......|     1,020    |    227,672   |     r200,163
October-December....|     1,915    |    412,729   |     r384,429
     1997           |              |              |
January-March.......|     1,317    |    252,295   |     r253,209
April-June..........|     1,574    |    340,371   |     r320,265
July-September......|     1,077    |    213,133   |     r216,844
October-December....|     1,677    |    306,714   |     r313,556
    1998            |              |              |
January-March(r)....|     1,299    |    199,209   |      243,155
April-June(r).......|     1,554    |    374,176   |      400,579
July-September(p)...|     1,215    |    241,212   |      201,522
----------------------------------------------------------------------
   p=preliminary.                    r=revised.


  Layoffs in government establishments accounted for 7 percent of total
separations and were most prevalent among elementary and secondary schools,
occurring early in the quarter as the school year ended.
   
Reasons for Extended Layoff
   
   Twenty-eight percent of the separations and events in the third quarter
were due to "seasonal work."  These layoffs were largely the result of the
end of the growing season and were most numerous among workers in
agricultural services (such as farm labor contractors), agricultural
production crops (mostly in vegetables and melons and grape crops), and
food products (primarily canned fruits and vegetables.)  The continuation
of strike-related layoffs in transportation equipment manufacturing brought
worker separations due to "slack work," "labor dispute," and "material
shortage" to 24 percent of all separations.  Layoffs due to internal
company restructuring ("business ownership change," "bankruptcy,"
"financial difficulty," and "reorganization") comprised 18 percent of all
layoff events and 21 percent of all separations; these 50,041 separations
were the most reported since fourth-quarter 1996 (53,443).

                                  - 3 -    

      Table B.  Distribution of layoff events by size of layoff,
      July-September 1998
      -----------------------------------------------------------------
                      |      Layoff events    |       Separations
            Size      |-----------------------|------------------------
                      |  Number   |  Percent  |    Number  |  Percent
      ----------------|-----------|--------- -|------------|-----------
         Total........|  1,215    |   100.0   |   241,212  |   100.0
                      |           |           |            |
      50-99...........|    483    |    39.8   |    34,355  |    14.2
      100-149.........|    263    |    21.6   |    31,411  |    13.0
      150-199.........|    135    |    11.1   |    22,511  |     9.3
      200-299.........|    162    |    13.3   |    37,767  |    15.7
      300-499.........|     97    |     8.0   |    34,982  |    14.5
      500-999.........|     58    |     4.8   |    37,706  |    15.6
      1,000 or more...|     17    |     1.4   |    42,480  |    17.6
     ------------------------------------------------------------------


Size of Extended Layoff

   Layoff events during the third quarter continued to be concentrated at
the lower end of the layoff-size spectrum, with 61 percent involving fewer
than 150 workers.   These, however, accounted for only 27 percent of all
separations.  (See table B.)  Separations involving 500 or more workers
accounted for one-third of all separations, about the same as a year ago.
The average size of layoffs (as measured by separations per layoff event)
differed widely by industry, ranging from an average of 86 separations in
apparel stores to 1,132 in air transportation.
   
Initial Claimant Characteristics
   
   A total of 201,522 initial claimants for unemployment insurance were
associated with mass layoffs in the third quarter of 1998.  Of these
claimants, 15 percent were black, 46 percent were women, 18 percent were
Hispanic, and 13 percent were 55 years of age or older.  (See table 3.)
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.  Thirty-nine 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
(49,677), followed by New York (21,733), Ohio (18,511), Illinois (16,967),
Florida (16,781), and Pennsylvania (16,263).  These six states accounted
for 56 percent of total layoff events and 58 percent of all separations
during the third quarter of 1998.  (See table 4.)  After excluding the
substantial impact of "seasonal work," California still reported the most
laid-off workers (26,667), primarily in motion pictures.
     
                                  - 4 -

     Table C.  Summary of employer expectations of a recall from
     layoff, July-September 1998
     ------------------------------------------------------------ 
         Nature of recall     |     Percentage of events
     -------------------------|----------------------------------  
                              |
       Anticipate a recall....|              56.2
                              | 
          Timeframe           |
                              |
       Within 6 months........|              85.1
         Within 3 months......|              66.0
                              |
           Size               |
                              |
       At least half..........|              92.4
         All workers..........|              72.5
                              |
     ------------------------------------------------------------  

   Over the year, the largest increases in laid-off workers occurred in
New York (10,804 workers), Pennsylvania (10,408), and Ohio (9,081).  The
largest decrease occurred in California (28,965 workers), primarily in
motion pictures and agricultural production crops.
   
Recall Expectations
   
   Fifty-six percent of employers reporting a layoff in the third quarter
of 1998 indicated that they anticipated some type of recall, down from
61 percent a year earlier and the lowest percentage since third-quarter 1996.
(See table C.)  Excluding layoff events due to "seasonal work" and
"vacation period" (in which 96 percent of the employers expected a recall),
employers expected to recall laid-off workers in 39 percent of the events,
about the same as a year earlier.  Among all establishments expecting a
recall, most employers expected to recall over one-half of the separated
employees and to do so within 6 months.

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.
      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,
selected quarters, 1997 and 1998
 
                                                                                                             Initial claimants for
                       Industry                              Layoff events             Separations           unemployment insurance
                                                                                                                        
                                                         III    II      III       III      II       III      III      II       III
                                                        1997   1998r   1998p     1997     1998r    1998p    1997r    1998r    1998p
                                                       
          Total( 1 ) ................................. 1,077  1,554   1,215   213,133  374,176  241,212   216,844  400,579  201,522

Total, private ....................................... 1,016  1,478   1,140   202,159  347,187  223,278   206,207  385,276  187,568

  Agriculture  .......................................   167    142     124    33,571   24,723   27,251    29,803   23,140   15,782
  Nonagriculture .....................................   847  1,334   1,013   167,264  322,242  195,795   175,511  361,402  171,559
     Manufacturing  ..................................   379    493     522    70,064  171,856  103,800    73,910  211,263   82,122
        Durable goods  ...............................   191    268     301    37,336  135,793   63,891    43,600  172,804   51,964
            Lumber and wood products .................     9      8       9     3,115    1,078    1,187     2,357    1,003      899
            Furniture and fixtures ...................    14      9       7     1,975    1,791    1,139     1,844    2,621    1,363
            Stone, clay, and glass products ..........     8     18       6       893    2,770    1,055     1,021    3,739      610
            Primary metal industries .................    13     13      27     1,549    2,147    5,391     1,395    2,720    4,872
            Fabricated metal products ................    23     34      43     2,524    5,852    5,581     2,636    6,197    5,284
            Industrial machinery and equipment .......    36     26      53     9,062    3,704    9,127    12,538    5,126    7,337
            Electronic and other electrical equipment     35     51      68     6,786   21,124   12,770     6,836   21,491   10,536
            Transportation equipment .................    32     88      61     8,921   93,480   24,242    12,386  126,026   18,302
            Instruments and related products .........     8      8      15     1,137    2,320    1,954     1,217    1,983    1,168
            Miscellaneous manufacturing industries ...    13     13      12     1,374    1,527    1,445     1,370    1,898    1,593

        Nondurable goods  ............................   188    225     221    32,728   36,063   39,909    30,310   38,459   30,158
           Food and kindred products .................    68     85      72    13,774   13,104   14,617    13,869   14,949   10,141
           Tobacco products ..........................     -      3   ( 2 )         -    1,103    ( 2 )         -      843    ( 2 )
           Textile mill products .....................    20     21      23     5,063    4,167    4,697     4,353    3,602    3,749
           Apparel and other textile products ........    49     48      51     5,590    7,376    7,734     5,128    7,699    5,899
           Paper and allied products .................     8      9      17     1,326      739    3,422     1,186    1,011    2,882
           Printing and publishing ...................    14     13       8     1,938    1,923    1,451     1,886    1,905    1,256
           Chemicals and allied products .............     7     10       7     1,477    1,563    1,480     1,333    1,373    1,150
           Petroleum and coal products ............... ( 2 )      3   ( 2 )     ( 2 )      270    ( 2 )     ( 2 )      287    ( 2 )
           Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products     15     30      33     2,175    5,508    5,196     1,636    6,417    4,015
           Leather and leather products .............. ( 2 )      3       8     ( 2 )      310    1,012     ( 2 )      373      904
     Nonmanufacturing  ...............................   468    841     491    97,200  150,386   91,995   101,601  150,139   89,437
        Mining  ...................................... ( 2 )     13      24     ( 2 )    2,329    3,577     ( 2 )    1,790    3,630
        Construction .................................    90    138      62    14,643   18,208    9,391    18,044   21,778    8,730
        Transportation and public utilities ..........    74    103      88    15,736   26,231   20,489    12,472   24,499   19,648
        Wholesale and retail trade ...................    82    168      90    13,182   34,814   18,638    13,363   32,626   15,715
           Wholesale trade  .......................... ( 2 )     34      26     ( 2 )    4,487    3,950     ( 2 )    3,769    2,470
           Retail trade  .............................    59    134      64     9,815   30,327   14,688    10,642   28,857   13,245
        Finance, insurance, and real estate ..........    29     24      27     4,334    4,126    7,314     4,468    3,569    3,877
        Services .....................................   191    395     200    49,067   64,678   32,586    53,091   65,877   37,837
  
  Not identified  ....................................     2      2       3     1,324      222      232       893      734      227

Government ...........................................    61     76      75    10,974   26,989   17,934    10,637   15,303   13,954
        Federal ......................................    20      4      13     4,402    1,098    3,234     5,621    1,569    3,119
        State ........................................    11     15       8     1,425    2,820    1,610     1,455    3,511    1,334
        Local ........................................    30     57      54     5,147   23,071   13,090     3,561   10,223    9,501
                                                                 

   1 For third quarter 1998, data on layoffs were reported by employers in all states and the District of Columbia.               
   2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
   r = revised.
   p = preliminary.
   NOTE:  Dash represents zero.
Table 2. Reason for separation: Extended mass layoff events, separations, and initial claimants for  
unemployment insurance, selected quarters, 1997 and 1998

                                                                                                          Initial claimants for
                                                  Layoff events                 Separations               unemployment insurance 
           Reason for separation
                                               III     II       III        III       II        III        III       II        III
                                              1997    1998r    1998p      1997      1998r     1998p      1997r     1998r     1998p

    Total, all reasons( 1 )................. 1,077   1,554    1,215     213,133   374,176   241,212    216,844   400,579   201,522
                                                 
 Automation ................................     -   ( 2 )        -           -     ( 2 )         -          -     ( 2 )         -
 Bankruptcy ................................    11      23       20       2,375     3,514     8,373      1,832     2,535     3,411
 Business ownership change .................    28      33       33       4,735     8,639     8,647      3,738     4,496     3,063
 Contract cancellation .....................    15      20       12       4,130     3,471     2,349      2,119     3,319     2,514
 Contract completion .......................   176     208      140      42,026    35,167    25,147     56,765    50,178    33,451
 Domestic relocation .......................    19      20       23       3,014     3,481     3,466      2,411     2,686     2,635
 Energy-related ............................     -   ( 2 )       11           -     ( 2 )     1,944          -     ( 2 )     2,356
 Environment-related .......................     -   ( 2 )    ( 2 )           -     ( 2 )     ( 2 )          -     ( 2 )     ( 2 )
 Financial difficulty ......................    34      30       29       6,108     8,948     7,818      5,514     6,100     3,793
 Import competition ........................    23       9       26       2,905     1,783     4,711      2,893     1,571     3,551
 Labor dispute .............................    12      51       15       3,184    49,336    10,926      3,917    70,719     6,461
 Material shortage ......................... ( 2 )      36       32       ( 2 )    13,692     4,486      ( 2 )    17,387     4,765
 Model changeover ..........................    9        3    ( 2 )       3,800       551     ( 2 )      2,672    16,811     ( 2 )

 Natural disaster .......................... ( 2 )       -    ( 2 )       ( 2 )         -     ( 2 )      ( 2 )         -     ( 2 )
 Overseas relocation .......................     8      10       11       3,133     3,076     3,520      1,485     2,258     2,358
 Plant or machine repair ...................     5       9        5         510     3,987     1,190        840     4,258       747
 Product line discontinued .................    10      11       10       2,604     2,211     1,413      5,766     2,632     1,123
 Reorganization within company .............   120      96      139      20,206    16,992    25,203     21,017    15,047    20,303
 Seasonal work .............................   387     584      342      80,880   114,061    67,236     69,832    98,920    49,964
 Slack work ................................   120     186      218      16,228    59,978    41,606     20,435    58,205    39,528
 Vacation period ...........................    19      75       22       2,576    21,269     2,619      2,064    12,357     2,700
 Weather-related ...........................     -      19    ( 2 )           -     1,737     ( 2 )          -     2,818     ( 2 )
 Other .....................................    37      87       73       8,935    14,184    11,952      7,389    17,032    10,779
 Not reported ..............................    40      40       47       5,374     7,138     7,503      5,756    10,468     7,163
                                                                                                                               
 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. State and selected claimant characteristics: Extended mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment
insurance, second and third quarters, 1998

                                                                                          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
                             1998r     1998p     1998r     1998p   1998r   1998p   1998r   1998p   1998r   1998p   1998r   1998p 

     Total( 1 )...........   1,554     1,215   400,579   201,522    18.9    15.0    14.7    18.3    41.6    45.8    15.6    13.3 

 Alabama .................      19        11     3,959     1,881    30.7    27.9     1.4      .1    34.9    37.2    16.7    11.3 
 Alaska ..................       6     ( 2 )       904     ( 2 )     3.7      .5    12.6    14.8    49.4    43.9    16.7    11.1 
 Arizona .................      37        15     5,861     1,938     1.2     1.2    72.8    78.8    37.7    33.4    10.9    10.3 
 Arkansas ................      10        11     1,686     1,468    27.4    20.6     1.2     6.1    57.2    57.7     9.5    10.1 
 California ..............     304       282    66,456    53,627     9.2     6.9    37.2    39.8    45.8    42.1    12.0    10.6 
 Colorado ................      10         6       996       667     3.0     7.2    24.6    15.1    63.7    58.3    12.9    10.3 
 Connecticut .............       7         7       974       609    21.0    14.9    14.9     6.1    74.2    31.9    18.8    18.2 
 Delaware ................   ( 2 )         -     ( 2 )         -    28.8       -     1.6       -    92.9       -    32.6       -
 District of Columbia ....   ( 2 )         -     ( 2 )         -    91.1       -     4.0       -    64.6       -    13.3       -
 Florida .................     137        67    17,868     7,245    32.2    30.7    32.9    19.4    52.6    41.3    18.9    22.7 
 Georgia .................      27        17     7,129     1,765    50.0    49.5     1.2      .9    43.2    57.1    16.2    11.4 
 Hawaii ..................      13         8     1,379       793      .5       -      .7     4.3    49.2    47.8    18.8    16.0 
 Idaho ...................      15        11     1,584     1,305      .3      .5    19.4    33.1    56.8    57.7    15.2    16.8 

 Illinois ................     106        56    22,588     8,961    25.0    24.2     8.7    10.4    52.7    53.1    14.6    14.2 
 Indiana .................      34        28    16,019     4,318    11.5     6.0     2.3     2.7    35.4    43.0    16.9    10.3 
 Iowa ....................       -         -         -         -       -       -       -       -       -       -       -       -
 Kansas ..................       5     ( 2 )     3,965     ( 2 )    13.7     9.4     2.6      .8    19.8    63.3    15.8    14.1 
 Kentucky ................       9         9     1,436       954     5.5     9.5      .1       -    43.2    57.9    11.4    12.6 
 Louisiana ...............      12        12     4,392     1,976    39.9    53.3     2.2     1.0    40.2    53.2    16.8     7.8 
 Maine ...................      11         9     1,524     1,806      .4      .3      .1      .2    40.4    37.5     8.5    11.1 
 Maryland ................       8         5     3,035       452    42.0    31.2     3.1     1.1    29.0    41.8    23.2    30.5 
 Massachusetts ...........      22        21     3,387     2,984    12.6    10.7     9.6     8.7    61.1    60.7    19.9    19.0 
 Michigan ................      98        76    76,138    14,555    25.0    16.5     2.7     1.6    24.8    46.8    14.8     8.0 
 Minnesota ...............      23         7     3,783       801     3.0     8.0     2.0     9.2    48.6    58.9    17.4    14.0 
 Mississippi .............       7        16       696     1,564    51.4    60.7     1.1      .2    54.7    58.4    15.8    11.8 
 Missouri ................      53        25    13,232     4,523    24.2    21.3     1.0     1.4    57.7    71.1    18.7    15.5 

 Montana .................       7     ( 2 )       525     ( 2 )      .4     1.3     1.7     1.3    57.7    45.7    19.4    13.2 
 Nebraska ................       -     ( 2 )         -     ( 2 )       -     2.8       -    50.5       -    26.6       -    10.7 
 Nevada ..................       8         4     1,445       528    15.3    13.6    19.3    20.1    35.6    45.5    14.2    20.6 
 New Hampshire ...........       5     ( 2 )     1,056     ( 2 )      .2     2.4      .3     5.5    59.8    74.8    15.9    11.0 
 New Jersey ..............      73        37    15,036     4,611    20.3    30.2    13.9    22.1    61.0    66.0    30.1    19.5 
 New Mexico ..............      17         6     1,814       842     1.8     2.1    47.3    51.8    58.2    63.1    11.4     5.2 
 New York ................      23       115     3,345    19,636    14.3    19.1    13.7     9.1    43.9    59.5    14.0    19.2 
 North Carolina ..........      22        14     3,515     1,410    47.5    42.8     1.3     2.0    54.6    66.3    17.6     9.5 
 North Dakota ............       -         -         -         -       -       -       -       -       -       -       -       -
 Ohio ....................      85        67    34,724    16,479    15.4    13.6     2.6     2.1    33.0    34.4    18.0    14.1 
 Oklahoma ................       4        12     6,080     1,160    16.1     6.8     4.1     4.3     4.5    27.2    19.3    10.9 
 Oregon ..................      22         9     3,114       994     1.5      .8    15.1    12.4    62.1    32.8    20.8    18.5 
 Pennsylvania ............      70        94    16,493    18,557     8.3    10.0     1.4     1.6    58.6    40.4    16.4    16.8 

 Rhode Island ............   ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )     5.4     6.6     2.2    11.1    62.0    47.2    19.6    21.2 
 South Carolina ..........      13        13     1,721     1,949    71.7    56.6      .6      .3    72.6    62.9     3.0     6.9 
 South Dakota ............   ( 2 )         -     ( 2 )         -       -       -     1.0       -    11.5       -    12.5       -
 Tennessee ...............       4     ( 2 )       342     ( 2 )    15.8    14.6      .6       -    59.1    65.3     7.6    23.2 
 Texas ...................     122        71    28,813    12,114    18.5    15.5    38.7    44.5    38.5    31.5    11.1     8.8 
 Utah ....................       6         5     1,029       463      .6      .6     7.7     6.5    59.9    40.0     6.3     8.9 
 Vermont .................       -         -         -         -       -       -       -       -       -       -       -       -
 Virginia ................      23        12     3,503     1,356    43.4    42.8      .3      .8    60.1    66.4    15.3    12.7 
 Washington ..............      24        17     3,594     2,623     2.7     2.8    14.9     9.1    48.4    55.2    18.5    15.6 
 West Virginia ...........       6         5       572       385     4.4      .3       -       -    32.5    60.3    14.9    11.2 
 Wisconsin ...............      42        22    13,676     2,567    12.0     9.6     3.7     3.2    47.1    29.0    15.6    11.6 
 Wyoming .................       -         -         -         -       -       -       -       -       -       -       -       -

 Puerto Rico .............      10        14     2,431     1,641   ( 3 )   ( 3 )   ( 3 )   ( 3 )    45.6    59.9     8.0    10.0 


  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 4. State distribution: Extended mass layoff events, separations, and initial claimants for unemployment insurance,
 selected quarters, 1997 and 1998
                                                                                                    Initial claimants for
                                    Layoff events                    Separations                   unemployment insurance
             State
                                 III      II      III         III         II         III         III         II         III
                                1997    1998r    1998p       1997       1998r       1998p       1997r       1998r      1998p 

     Total( 1 )............... 1,077   1,554    1,215     213,133     374,176     241,212     216,844     400,579     201,522

 Alabama .....................     3      19       11       1,050       4,081       2,682         328       3,959       1,881
 Alaska ...................... ( 2 )       6    ( 2 )       ( 2 )       6,237       ( 2 )       ( 2 )         904       ( 2 ) 
 Arizona .....................    20      37       15       2,527       5,766       1,846       3,897       5,861       1,938
 Arkansas ....................    10      10       11       1,301       2,220       2,044       1,109       1,686       1,468
 California ..................   316     304      282      78,642      48,404      49,677      86,405      66,456      53,627
 Colorado .................... ( 2 )      10        6       ( 2 )       1,044         688       ( 2 )         996         667
 Connecticut .................     3       7        7       1,000       1,701       1,417         645         974         609
 Delaware ....................     -   ( 2 )        -           -       ( 2 )           -           -       ( 2 )           -
 District of Columbia ........     -   ( 2 )        -           -       ( 2 )           -           -       ( 2 )           -
 Florida .....................    95     137       67      16,623      25,434      16,781       9,786      17,868       7,245
 Georgia .....................    23      27       17       3,430       7,229       5,847       3,020       7,129       1,765
 Hawaii ......................     5      13        8       1,253       1,493         793         451       1,379         793
 Idaho .......................     6      15       11         845       1,998       1,540         917       1,584       1,305

 Illinois ....................    61     106       56      11,629      26,021      16,967      10,939      22,588       8,961
 Indiana .....................    14      34       28       1,602      17,059       5,692       2,924      16,019       4,318
 Iowa ........................     4       -        -         400           -           -         421           -           -
 Kansas ......................     3       5    ( 2 )         372       3,425       ( 2 )         370       3,965       ( 2 ) 
 Kentucky ....................     5       9        9         855       1,993       1,216         381       1,436         954
 Louisiana ...................     7      12       12       3,859       4,944       2,279       2,248       4,392       1,976
 Maine .......................     5      11        9         559       2,336       1,483         485       1,524       1,806
 Maryland ....................    12       8        5       1,530       3,761         499       1,634       3,035         452
 Massachusetts ...............    22      22       21       5,295       4,432       4,492       4,489       3,387       2,984
 Michigan ....................    34      98       76       6,884      39,753      14,794       6,459      76,138      14,555
 Minnesota ...................    10      23        7       1,510       3,108       1,950       1,849       3,783         801
 Mississippi .................     7       7       16         924       1,370       3,347         819         696       1,564
 Missouri ....................    33      53       25       9,112      14,599       6,948       4,264      13,232       4,523

 Montana ..................... ( 2 )       7    ( 2 )       ( 2 )         481       ( 2 )       ( 2 )         525       ( 2 )
 Nebraska ....................     -       -    ( 2 )           -           -       ( 2 )           -           -       ( 2 ) 
 Nevada ......................     4       8        4         365       1,197         773         685       1,445         528
 New Hampshire ............... ( 2 )       5    ( 2 )       ( 2 )       1,715       ( 2 )       ( 2 )       1,056       ( 2 ) 
 New Jersey ..................    38      73       37       4,364      15,422       6,689       5,121      15,036       4,611
 New Mexico .................. ( 2 )      17        6       ( 2 )       3,086       1,627       ( 2 )       1,814         842
 New York ....................    61      23      115      10,929       4,077      21,733       7,250       3,345      19,636
 North Carolina ..............    15      22       14       3,054       5,456       3,056       1,687       3,515       1,410
 North Dakota ................     -       -        -           -           -           -           -           -           -
 Ohio ........................    42      85       67       9,430      37,733      18,511      12,083      34,724      16,479
 Oklahoma ....................     5       4       12         782       4,318       1,362         717       6,080       1,160
 Oregon ...................... ( 2 )      22        9       ( 2 )       3,032       1,301       ( 2 )       3,114         994
 Pennsylvania ................    51      70       94       5,855      10,133      16,263       8,898      16,493      18,557

 Rhode Island ................ ( 2 )   ( 2 )    ( 2 )       ( 2 )       ( 2 )       ( 2 )       ( 2 )       ( 2 )       ( 2 )
 South Carolina ..............    12      13       13       1,323       1,199       1,467       2,716       1,721       1,949
 South Dakota ................ ( 2 )   ( 2 )        -       ( 2 )       ( 2 )           -       ( 2 )       ( 2 )           -
 Tennessee ...................    15       4    ( 2 )       3,757         264       ( 2 )       4,085         342       ( 2 ) 
 Texas .......................    76     122       71      11,917      23,349      12,964      19,762      28,813      12,114
 Utah ........................ ( 2 )       6        5       ( 2 )       1,735         820       ( 2 )       1,029         463
 Vermont .....................     -       -        -           -           -           -           -           -           -
 Virginia ....................     9      23       12       2,083       3,817       1,683       3,348       3,503       1,356
 Washington ..................    15      24       17       1,497       4,623       4,463       1,233       3,594       2,623
 West Virginia ...............     5       6        5         754         662         385         552         572         385
 Wisconsin ...................    18      42       22       2,751      22,287       2,304       3,149      13,676       2,567
 Wyoming .....................     -       -        -           -           -           -           -           -           -

 Puerto Rico .................    20      10       14       3,600       2,443       3,466       4,333       2,431       1,641
                                          

   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.