Internet address: http://stats.bls.gov/newsrels.htm
Technical information:  (202) 606-6396  USDL 98-411
                                     
                                        For release: 10:00 A.M. EDT
Media contact:                606-5902  Wednesday, October 7, 1998
                                     
                                     
            EXTENDED MASS LAYOFFS IN THE SECOND QUARTER OF 1998


  In April through June of 1998, there were 1,500 mass layoff actions by
employers, resulting in the separation of 337,855 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.  Layoff activity was
slightly lower than in the same quarter a year ago when employers reported
that they had laid off 340,371 workers in 1,574 extended layoff events.
"Seasonal work" accounted for about one-third of the second-quarter 1998
layoff events and separations and was largely related to the end of the
school year.  Another 15 percent of the separations were due to "labor
dispute," primarily the result of large strike-related layoffs in
transportation equipment manufacturing.  Permanent closure of worksites
occurred in 11 percent of all events and affected 34,010 workers, down from
43,472 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 second 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 April-June 1998, agriculture accounted for
9 percent of all layoff events and 8 percent of all separations.  The
activity occurred primarily among farm labor contractors, vegetable and
melon workers, and crop preparation laborers and was almost entirely due to
the cessation of seasonal work.  (See table 1.)
  
  Thirty-four percent of all layoff events and 47 percent of all
separations came from 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 combustion engines).
Most worker separations in these industries were due to strike-related
plant shutdowns.  In nondurable goods industries, layoffs were most
prevalent in food processing and apparel.
  
  Cutbacks in construction accounted for 10 percent of events and 6
percent of separations, primarily in heavy construction and special trade

                                  - 2 

contracting.  Services accounted for 27 percent of all layoff events and 20
percent of all separations, mainly in social services (mostly child day
care services), amusement and recreation services, and business services
(primarily help supply).  Retail trade accounted for 9 percent of all
layoff events and 8 percent of all separations, largely in eating and
drinking establishments.
  
  Table A.  Selected measures of mass layoff activity
  ---------------------------------------------------------------------
          Period            |  Layoff  | Separations |    Initial
                            |  events  |             |   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   |   r207,873
  July-September............|  1,020   |   227,672   |   r200,423
  October-December..........|  1,915   |   412,729   |   r384,161
             1997           |          |             |
  January-March.............|  1,317   |   252,295   |   r253,424
  April-June................|  1,574   |   340,371   |   r319,617
  July-September............|  1,077   |   213,133   |   r216,474
  October-December..........|  1,677   |   306,714   |   r311,536
             1998           |          |             |
  January-March(r)..........|  1,289   |   197,858   |    237,528
  April-June(p).............|  1,500   |   337,855   |    260,837
  ---------------------------------------------------------------------  
      p=preliminary                          r=revised
  
  
  
  Layoffs in government establishments accounted for 8 percent of total
separations and were most prevalent among elementary and secondary schools,
occurring as the school year ended.
  
  Business establishments in industries identified as "defense-related"
laid off 3,556 workers in the second quarter.
  
Reasons for Extended Layoff
  
  Thirty-three percent of the separations and 38 percent of the events in
the second quarter were due to "seasonal work."  These layoffs were largely
the result of the end of the school year and were most numerous among
workers in local transit (such as school bus drivers), eating and drinking
places (largely school cafeterias), and social services (primarily child

                                  - 3 -

day care facilities).  Strike-related layoffs in transportation equipment
manufacturing resulted in a large number of worker separations due to
"labor dispute" or "material shortage," which together amounted to 19
percent of all separations.  Layoffs due to internal company restructuring
("business ownership change," "bankruptcy," "financial difficulty," and
"reorganization") comprised 12 percent of all layoff events and 10 percent
of all separations.
  
  
     Table B.  Distribution of layoff events by size of layoff, April-
     June 1998
     -----------------------------------------------------------------------    
             Size        |    Layoff events     |      Separations
                         |--------------------------------------------------
                         |  Number  | Percent   |   Number  | Percent
     -----------------------------------------------------------------------    
                         |          |           |           |
         Total...........|  1,500   |  100.0    |  337,855  |  100.0
                         |          |           |           |
     50-99...............|    606   |   40.4    |   42,606  |   12.6
     100-149.............|    306   |   20.4    |   35,748  |   10.6
     150-199.............|    180   |   12.0    |   29,888  |    8.8
     200-299.............|    154   |   10.3    |   35,800  |   10.6
     300-499.............|    137   |    9.1    |   49,699  |   14.7
     500-999.............|     80   |    5.3    |   51,478  |   15.2
     1,000 or more.......|     37   |    2.5    |   92,636  |   27.4
     -----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Size of Extended Layoff
  
  Layoff events during the second 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 23 percent of all
separations.  (See table B.)  Separations involving 500 or more workers
accounted for 43 percent of all separations, up from 37 percent a year ago.
Layoffs due to the strikes in transportation equipment and to the end of
the school year contributed to the high percentage of laid-off workers in
the larger size categories.  The average size of layoffs (as measured by
separations per layoff event) differed widely by industry, ranging from an
average of 84 separations in paper product manufacturing to 818 in
transportation equipment.
  
Initial Claimant Characteristics
  
  A total of 260,837 initial claimants for unemployment insurance were
associated with mass layoffs in the second quarter of 1998.  Of these
claimants, 19 percent were black, 46 percent were women, 16 percent were
Hispanic, and 16 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.  Forty percent of the civilian labor force were between the ages
of 30 to 44.

                                  - 4 -

Geographic Distribution
  
  The largest number of worker separations occurred in California
(44,063), followed by Michigan (39,753), Illinois (25,718), Florida
(25,410), Texas (23,349), and Wisconsin (22,212).  These six states
accounted for 54 percent of total layoff events and 53 percent of all
separations during the second quarter of 1998.  (See table 4.)  After
excluding the substantial impact of "seasonal work," Michigan reported the
most laid-off workers (38,634), primarily due to strike-related layoffs in
transportation equipment.
  
  Over the year, the largest increases in laid-off workers occurred in
Michigan (23,262 workers), Wisconsin (16,738), and Indiana (15,032). The
largest decrease occurred in California (39,446 workers), primarily in
motion pictures and general merchandise stores.
  
Recall Expectations
  
  Sixty-eight percent of employers reporting a layoff in the second
quarter of 1998 indicated that they anticipated some type of recall, about
the same as a year earlier.  (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 47
percent of the events, up slightly from 44 percent 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.
  
    Table C.  Summary of employer expectations of a recall from
    layoff, April-June 1998
    -----------------------------------------------------------
            Nature of recall     |    Percentage of events
    -----------------------------------------------------------
      Anticipate a recall........|            67.7
                                 |
               Timeframe         |
                                 |
      Within 6 months............|            82.5
        Within 3 months..........|            54.9
                                 |
                  Size           |
                                 |
      At least half..............|            92.2
        All workers..............|            68.3
    -----------------------------------------------------------  
  
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,
selected quarters, 1997 and 1998
                                                                                                            Initial claimants for
                                                            Layoff events             Separations           unemployment insurance
                         Industry
                                                          II      I      II       II        I       II       II        I       II
                                                         1997   1998r   1998p    1997     1998r    1998p    1997     1998r    1998p

          Total( 1 )...................................  1,574  1,289   1,500  340,371  197,858  337,855  319,617  237,528  260,837

Total, private ........................................  1,445  1,252   1,427  299,633  191,554  311,186  297,999  230,697  252,050

  Agriculture  ........................................    145    166     135   26,928   21,671   23,646   29,049   32,356   16,293
  Nonagriculture ......................................  1,295  1,086   1,290  271,943  169,883  287,318  268,172  198,341  235,456
     Manufacturing  ...................................    435    441     480   83,555   66,373  146,579   94,357   70,372  121,837
        Durable goods  ................................    185    223     259   39,229   31,680  111,219   43,690   33,021   92,979
            Lumber and wood products ..................      4     32       6      418    3,730      863      383    5,174      790
            Furniture and fixtures ....................     13      8       8    3,441    1,441    1,631    3,032    1,186    1,641
            Stone, clay, and glass products ...........     10     24      18    1,560    2,351    2,770    2,128    2,727    2,217
            Primary metal industries ..................     13     10      12    2,145    2,043    2,073    2,427    2,229    1,070
            Fabricated metal products .................     23     30      34    3,081    3,786    5,852    3,815    4,011    4,208
            Industrial machinery and equipment ........     33     29      26    6,848    3,960    3,704    9,248    3,757    3,211
            Electronic and other electrical equipment .     23     40      49    2,666    5,611   20,945    5,194    6,168   14,094
            Transportation equipment ..................     46     34      85   15,750    6,035   69,559   13,638    5,635   62,881
            Instruments and related products ..........      9      7       8    1,494    1,524    2,318    1,567      701    1,262
            Miscellaneous manufacturing industries ....     11      9      13    1,826    1,199    1,504    2,258    1,433    1,605

        Nondurable goods  .............................    250    218     221   44,326   34,693   35,360   50,667   37,351   28,858
           Food and kindred products ..................    108     91      83   22,687   13,812   12,728   22,560   18,419   12,877
           Tobacco products ...........................  ( 2 )  ( 2 )       3    ( 2 )    ( 2 )    1,103    ( 2 )    ( 2 )      834
           Textile mill products ......................     17     21      21    1,888    4,367    4,167    2,769    4,481    2,621
           Apparel and other textile products .........     54     36      48    8,152    5,413    7,376   13,507    5,318    5,421
           Paper and allied products ..................     13     19       8    2,471    2,715      674    1,715    2,088      722
           Printing and publishing ....................     18     14      13    2,082    1,573    1,923    3,369    1,756    1,507
           Chemicals and allied products ..............      8      9       9    1,254      974    1,413    1,438      934    1,193
           Petroleum and coal products ................  ( 2 )  ( 2 )       3    ( 2 )    ( 2 )      270    ( 2 )    ( 2 )      238
           Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products .     15      9      30    2,149    1,996    5,396    2,634    1,275    3,078
           Leather and leather products ...............     12     11       3    2,303    1,959      310    1,845    1,721      367

     Nonmanufacturing  ................................    860    645     810  188,388  103,510  140,739  173,815  127,969  113,619
        Mining  .......................................      8     14      13    2,139    1,518    2,329    2,217    1,341    1,489
        Construction ..................................    128    205     137   21,691   23,593   18,102   25,217   29,260   17,242
        Transportation and public utilities ...........    111     61      98   25,299   11,005   25,378   22,491   11,214   18,580
        Wholesale and retail trade ....................    179    157     159   44,770   28,719   29,208   40,216   30,037   25,363
           Wholesale trade  ...........................     34     28      32    4,712    3,567    4,240    4,535    2,935    3,025
           Retail trade  ..............................    145    129     127   40,058   25,152   24,968   35,681   27,102   22,338
        Finance, insurance, and real estate ...........     35     30      23    6,804    5,590    4,050    6,224    6,585    2,319
        Services ......................................    399    178     380   87,685   33,085   61,672   77,450   49,532   48,626

  Not identified  .....................................      5      -       2      762        -      222      778        -      301

Government ............................................    129     37      73   40,738    6,304   26,669   21,618    6,831    8,787
        Federal .......................................      8     15       4    1,771    3,091    1,098    1,938    3,259    1,175
        State .........................................     16     10      15    4,782    1,875    2,820    3,186    1,723    1,785
        Local .........................................    105     12      54   34,185    1,338   22,751   16,494    1,849    5,827
                                                                    

   1 For second 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.  
   p = preliminary. 
   r = revised.
   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 
                                                                                                      
         
                                        II        I       II           II         I        II           II        I       II
                                       1997     1998r    1998p        1997      1998r     1998p        1997     1998r    1998p 
         Reason for separation                                 
                                                                                                        

    Total, all reasons ( 1 ).........  1,574    1,289    1,500      340,371   197,858   337,855      319,617  237,528  260,837 

 Automation .........................  ( 2 )        3    ( 2 )        ( 2 )       503     ( 2 )        ( 2 )      267    ( 2 )
 Bankruptcy .........................     10       16       23        1,478     3,670     3,514        1,705    3,205    2,330 
 Business ownership change ..........     31       40       30        6,095     9,886     5,511        4,555    5,609    2,881 
 Contract cancellation ..............     14       13       19        2,152     2,075     3,351        2,297    1,362    2,413 
 Contract completion ................    234      161      205       59,403    26,424    34,668       70,780   50,134   33,531 
 Domestic relocation ................     23       18       21        6,489     3,384     3,533        3,581    2,612    2,456 
 Energy-related .....................      -        -    ( 2 )            -         -     ( 2 )            -        -    ( 2 )
 Environment-related ................      -        -    ( 2 )            -         -     ( 2 )            -        -    ( 2 )
 Financial difficulty ...............     43       60       30       18,658    11,962     8,948        8,732   10,729    4,894 
 Import competition .................     14       15        9        3,185     2,150     1,783        1,836    1,791    1,400 
 Labor dispute ......................     13        6       53        8,696       916    50,677        2,371      511   46,433 
 Material shortage ..................  ( 2 )        7       35        ( 2 )     1,540    13,627        ( 2 )    1,148    9,643 
 Model changeover ...................      5        8        3        1,052     1,745       551        2,485    1,903    1,537 

 Natural disaster ...................      -    ( 2 )        -            -     ( 2 )         -            -    ( 2 )        -
 Overseas relocation ................     13        6       10        2,932     1,093     3,076        5,549    1,067    1,750 
 Plant or machine repair ............      5        8        9          889       769     3,987        1,881      867    3,389 
 Product line discontinued ..........     13        5       11        3,362       845     2,211        2,547    1,770    1,486 
 Reorganization within company ......    121      138       94       20,623    22,679    16,981       25,498   24,517   11,485 
 Seasonal work ......................    706      460      562      159,856    68,404   109,974      122,961   79,202   79,711 
 Slack work .........................    169      158      172       21,706    19,831    32,425       31,022   25,027   26,945 
 Vacation period ....................     68    ( 2 )       68        9,563     ( 2 )    19,950       12,210    ( 2 )    8,369 
 Weather-related ....................  ( 2 )       75       19        ( 2 )     7,634     1,737        ( 2 )   10,099    2,741 
 Other ..............................     51       64       83        7,968     8,951    13,260        9,500    9,892    9,609 
 Not reported .......................     36       24       40        5,755     2,506     7,130        9,662    4,903    7,341 
                                                                                                                                  
                                                        
   1  See footnote 1, table 1.                                               
   2  Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.                                
   p  =  preliminary. 
   r  =  revised.           
   NOTE: Dash represents zero.
Table 3. State and selected claimant characteristics: Extended mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment
insurance, first and second quarters, 1998

                                                                                    Percent of total
                                                   Total       
       State             Layoff events            initial           Black            Hispanic          Women         Persons age 55
                                                 claimants                                                              and over
  
                          I        II           I        II        I      II        I       II        I       II        I      II
                        1998r     1998p       1998r     1998p    1998r   1998p    1998r    1998p    1998r    1998p    1998r   1998p

    Total( 1 )........  1,289     1,500     237,528   260,837    12.8    18.6     26.5     16.3     41.3     45.7     12.3    15.5 

Alabama ..............     17        19       2,531     3,212    36.9    30.8       .2       .6     58.6     37.6      9.3    16.8 
Alaska ...............      4         6         356       804      .8     3.4       .3     13.4      9.3     47.1     13.2    15.9 
Arizona ..............     10        14       2,375     2,675     1.3      .3     83.9     97.4     30.5     25.9     12.0    10.1 
Arkansas .............  ( 2 )        10       ( 2 )     1,293    20.7    28.3        -       .8     71.7     58.5     15.2     9.0 
California ...........    403       301     104,340    44,586     6.4     7.5     44.7     40.4     40.0     45.1     10.2    12.2 
Colorado .............     12        10       1,898       989     5.9     3.0     18.3     24.6     54.0     63.4      8.8    12.8 
Connecticut ..........      6         7         939       809    23.7    21.3      6.6     14.7     47.8     75.3     19.0    19.3 
Delaware .............      -     ( 2 )           -     ( 2 )       -    27.4        -      1.8        -     93.3        -    32.9 
District of Columbia .  ( 2 )     ( 2 )       ( 2 )     ( 2 )    32.8    85.5     24.1      8.4     48.3     76.5     15.5    19.3 
Florida ..............     49       137       6,384    12,338    18.8    30.6     20.0     32.4     44.9     52.9     19.8    19.6 
Georgia ..............     26        27       3,085     4,822    62.8    50.6      1.0      1.2     66.0     47.3     14.1    14.2 
Hawaii ...............      6        13         705     1,290      .3      .5      1.7       .8     54.8     48.7     28.8    18.5 
Idaho ................      5        15         346     1,559      .6      .3      4.9     19.7     32.1     56.3      8.1    15.2 

Illinois .............     83       106      12,835    18,593    20.8    22.7     14.8      9.1     39.6     52.2     13.6    15.3 
Indiana ..............     15        34       2,061    10,248     8.7    12.2      1.9      2.5     40.7     39.7     13.6    15.8 
Iowa .................      -         -           -         -       -       -        -        -        -        -        -       -
Kansas ...............      -         3           -     2,814       -    15.7        -      2.9        -     20.6        -    14.9 
Kentucky .............      9         9       1,413     1,275     8.4     5.9       .1       .1     68.2     41.7      9.3    11.1 
Louisiana ............     13        12       2,013     3,692    48.5    42.3      1.2      2.4     51.9     43.4     10.1    16.3 
Maine ................     10        11       1,457     1,421      .3      .4       .1       .1     49.2     40.7     13.7     8.4 
Maryland .............      7         8         887     2,913    43.5    41.5       .3      3.2     33.1     27.8     18.9    23.3 
Massachusetts ........     17        22       2,990     2,567     6.7    10.0     20.2      8.5     50.5     63.1     17.3    22.4 
Michigan .............     42        98       5,661    40,173    18.6    24.0      4.7      2.8     37.1     27.3     13.4    13.8 
Minnesota ............     20        23       2,133     2,540     2.7     3.5      3.0      1.9     26.9     47.4     15.3    18.3 
Mississippi ..........     11         7       1,406       673    46.1    51.4        -      1.2     57.4     55.1     13.9    16.2 
Missouri .............     33        52       3,240    11,440    14.3    25.7      1.7      1.0     56.3     61.3     14.0    19.5 

Montana ..............  ( 2 )         7       ( 2 )       510      .3      .4      3.2      1.6      9.1     56.7     18.5    19.4 
Nebraska .............      -         -           -         -       -       -        -        -        -        -        -       -
Nevada ...............      8         8       1,363       930    10.9    15.4     18.0     18.7     24.7     37.1     15.5    13.5 
New Hampshire ........  ( 2 )         5       ( 2 )       677       -      .3       .6       .3     11.3     64.3     20.1    18.3 
New Jersey ...........     57        72       7,121    11,974    18.9    17.9     22.0     14.2     45.8     64.3     18.7    31.5 
New Mexico ...........      6        17         571     1,607     2.1     1.7     55.7     48.7     20.5     57.7     14.5    11.4 
New York .............     25        23       2,938     2,623    12.4    16.5      7.1     16.2     44.7     49.0     12.6    14.4 
North Carolina .......     30        22       4,974     3,172    50.6    48.9      1.0      1.3     57.6     54.7     14.5    17.7 
North Dakota .........      -         -           -         -       -       -        -        -        -        -        -       -
Ohio .................     86        84      12,357    10,344    10.8    14.3      2.2      1.5     34.1     50.8     10.2    12.7 
Oklahoma .............      9     ( 2 )         961     ( 2 )     6.8    15.7      2.6      4.6     28.8      3.4     12.2    18.3 
Oregon ...............      4     ( 2 )         321     ( 2 )       -      .3     12.5     46.4     10.9     57.4     18.7    21.0 
Pennsylvania .........     78        70      16,271    12,083     8.3     8.3      1.4      1.5     40.7     61.6     18.4    17.1 

Rhode Island .........      3     ( 2 )         408     ( 2 )    15.2     5.4     25.0      2.2     60.0     62.0     26.5    19.6 
South Carolina .......      8        13         936     1,193    56.1    77.8       .3       .9     56.6     79.1      4.8     3.0 
South Dakota .........      -     ( 2 )           -     ( 2 )       -       -        -      1.4        -     11.6        -     7.2 
Tennessee ............     21         4       2,395       318    22.3    16.7       .4       .6     42.4     61.0     16.6     7.9 
Texas ................     54       122      13,448    21,082    17.7    19.1     43.6     40.5     32.7     42.8      9.4    11.5 
Utah .................  ( 2 )         6       ( 2 )       801     5.5      .5     38.2      6.6     48.5     58.3      2.4     6.9 
Vermont ..............      -         -           -         -       -       -        -        -        -        -        -       -
Virginia .............     27        23       3,609     3,035    37.1    44.8       .3       .2     53.6     60.1     10.9    15.0 
Washington ...........     25        24       2,519     2,759     3.8     2.7     14.3     15.8     38.6     49.6     17.4    19.2 
West Virginia ........      4         6         548       523     1.1     4.6        -        -     26.5     33.8     20.3    14.7 
Wisconsin ............     38        41       6,859    11,022     5.7    12.3      2.6      4.0     42.6     50.2     11.9    16.2 
Wyoming ..............      -         -           -         -       -       -        -        -        -        -        -       -

Puerto Rico ..........     16        10       3,975     1,843   ( 3 )   ( 3 )    ( 3 )    ( 3 )     55.0     49.7      7.7     7.8 


  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 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
                            II         I         II            II           I           II            II            I          II
                           1997      1998r      1998p         1997        1998r        1998p         1997         1998r       1998p

   Total( 1 )...........  1,574      1,289      1,500      340,371      197,858      337,855       319,617      237,528     260,837

 Alabama ...............     14         17         19        3,475        3,028        4,081         2,390        2,531       3,212
 Alaska ................      8          4          6        3,521          570        6,237         1,081          356         804
 Arizona ...............     24         10         14        5,241        1,345        1,923         4,754        2,375       2,675
 Arkansas ..............     14      ( 2 )         10        1,404        ( 2 )        2,220         1,517        ( 2 )       1,293
 California ............    347        403        301       83,509       57,243       44,063        97,652      104,340      44,586
 Colorado ..............     11         12         10        7,478        2,210        1,044         1,515        1,898         989
 Connecticut ...........     12          6          7        2,425          969        1,701         2,723          939         809
 Delaware ..............      -          -      ( 2 )            -            -        ( 2 )             -            -       ( 2 )
 District of Columbia ..      -      ( 2 )      ( 2 )            -        ( 2 )        ( 2 )             -        ( 2 )       ( 2 )
 Florida ...............    120         49        137       41,073        9,459       25,410        16,665        6,384      12,338
 Georgia ...............     22         26         27        5,164        3,938        7,229         3,859        3,085       4,822
 Hawaii ................      4          6         13          628          884        1,493           391          705       1,290
 Idaho .................      9          5         15        1,517          780        1,998         1,248          346       1,559

 Illinois ..............    106         83        106       20,899       14,294       25,718        20,129       12,835      18,593
 Indiana ...............     18         15         34        2,021        2,377       17,053         7,115        2,061      10,248
 Iowa ..................      6          -          -        1,752            -            -         3,875            -           -
 Kansas ................      9          -          3        1,292            -        2,875         1,575            -       2,814
 Kentucky ..............      7          9          9        1,315        2,811        1,993           492        1,413       1,275
 Louisiana .............     20         13         12        2,889        2,220        4,944         2,407        2,013       3,692
 Maine .................     10         10         11        2,157        2,106        2,336         1,530        1,457       1,421
 Maryland ..............     21          7          8        2,784          881        3,761         2,852          887       2,913
 Massachusetts .........     35         17         22        4,913        2,532        4,432         5,345        2,990       2,567
 Michigan ..............     51         42         98       16,491        5,083       39,753         8,937        5,661      40,173
 Minnesota .............     22         20         23        3,484        2,971        3,108         2,906        2,133       2,540
 Mississippi ...........      6         11          7        1,584        2,085        1,370         1,403        1,406         673
 Missouri ..............     72         33         52       14,743        3,525       14,284         8,990        3,240      11,440

 Montana ...............      8      ( 2 )          7        1,436        ( 2 )          481           641        ( 2 )         510
 Nebraska ..............  ( 2 )          -          -        ( 2 )            -            -         ( 2 )            -           -
 Nevada ................      7          8          8          694        1,129        1,197         1,252        1,363         930
 New Hampshire .........      -      ( 2 )          5            -        ( 2 )        1,715             -        ( 2 )         677
 New Jersey ............     80         57         72       13,523        7,677       15,235        14,861        7,121      11,974
 New Mexico ............     14          6         17        2,436          555        3,086         1,861          571       1,607
 New York ..............     48         25         23       13,572        3,050        4,077         6,459        2,938       2,623
 North Carolina ........     22         30         22        5,656        7,599        5,456         3,017        4,974       3,172
 North Dakota ..........      -          -          -            -            -            -             -            -           -
 Ohio ..................     74         86         84       11,475       12,890       14,339        13,030       12,357      10,344
 Oklahoma ..............      5          9      ( 2 )          875        1,015        ( 2 )         2,098          961       ( 2 )
 Oregon ................      4          4      ( 2 )        1,561          490        ( 2 )           406          321       ( 2 )
 Pennsylvania ..........    122         78         70       16,682       10,419       10,133        28,982       16,271      12,083

 Rhode Island ..........  ( 2 )          3      ( 2 )        ( 2 )          534        ( 2 )         ( 2 )          408       ( 2 )
 South Carolina ........     18          8         13        1,873          613        1,199         2,452          936       1,193
 South Dakota ..........      -          -      ( 2 )            -            -        ( 2 )             -            -       ( 2 )
 Tennessee .............     23         21          4        2,135        3,185          264         3,819        2,395         318
 Texas .................    101         54        122       23,187       10,759       23,349        28,048       13,448      21,082
 Utah ..................      6      ( 2 )          6        1,897        ( 2 )        1,735           808        ( 2 )         801
 Vermont ...............      -          -          -            -            -            -            -             -           -
 Virginia ..............     16         27         23        3,257        7,068        3,817         2,531        3,609       3,035
 Washington ............     14         25         24        1,999        3,225        4,623         1,779        2,519       2,759
 West Virginia .........      4          4          6          242          449          662           277          548         523
 Wisconsin .............     37         38         41        5,474        4,944       22,212         5,557        6,859      11,022
 Wyoming ...............      -          -          -            -            -            -            -             -           -

 Puerto Rico ...........     19         16         10        3,201        2,945        2,443         3,709        3,975       1,843


  1  See footnote 1, table 1.                         
  2  Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.             
  p  =  preliminary.                                                                                                       
  r  =  revised.
  NOTE: Dash represents zero.