Internet address:  http://stats.bls.gov/newsrels.htm
Technical information:  (202) 691-6392  USDL 00-233


                                        For release: 10:00 A.M. EDT
Media contact:                691-5902  Tuesday, August 15, 2000

                                     
                         MASS LAYOFFS IN JUNE 2000

   In June 2000, there were 1,597 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 192,025.  (See
table 1.)  The number of layoff events and initial claimants for
unemployment insurance were the highest for the month of June since this
series began in April 1995, due, in part, to a calendar effect.  June 2000
contained 5 weeks for possible mass layoffs compared with 4 weeks in each
of the prior 4 Junes.  From January through June 2000, the total number of
layoff events (7,470) was lower than in January-June 1999, while the total
number of initial claimants (819,545) was somewhat higher.
   
   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
establishment and on the demographics of the laid-off workers.  Because
monthly figures include short-term layoffs of 30 days or less, the sum of
the figures for the 3 months in a quarter will be higher than the quarterly
figure for mass layoffs of more than 30 days.  (See table 1.)  See the
Technical Note for more detailed definitions.
   
Industry Distribution
   
   In June 2000, manufacturing industries accounted for 25 percent of all
mass layoff events and 31 percent of all initial claims filed.  The highest
number of initial claimants was in transportation equipment (19,529),
primarily in motor vehicles and car bodies and in motor vehicle parts and
accessories.  This was largely due to the temporary plant shutdowns related
to the automotive model changeover, which in past years has typically
occurred in July.  Other manufacturing industries with high numbers of
initial claimants were food and kindred products (6,563), mostly in canned
fruits and vegetables and in meat packing plants; and industrial machinery
(5,918), largely in lawn and garden equipment.  (See table 2.)

                                  - 2 -

   Services accounted for 27 percent of all layoffs and 28 percent of
initial claimants during the month, mainly in business services (especially
help supply services) and social services (primarily in child day care
services).  Layoffs in the help supply services industry are more likely
than most other industries to last less than 30 days.  Nine percent of all
layoff events and initial claimants during the month were from retail
trade, mostly in eating and drinking places and general merchandise stores.
Agriculture accounted for 10 percent of all mass layoff events and 8
percent of initial claimants during the month, largely in agricultural
services such as farm labor contractors.
   
   An additional 10 percent of all events and 8 percent of all initial
claimants were from government, mostly due to local government layoffs in
elementary and secondary education as the school year ended.  Forty percent
of the layoffs in the federal government were due to the winding down of
Census 2000.
   
   Compared with June 1999, the largest over-the-year increases in initial
claims occurred in transportation equipment (+14,420), business services
(+9,233), and general merchandise stores (+3,530).  The largest decrease in
initial claims occurred in local interurban transit (-2,196).
   
Geographic Distribution
   
   In June, the number of initial claims due to mass layoffs was higher in
the West (75,727) than in any other region.  (See table 3.)  Layoffs in
business services, motion pictures, and agricultural services accounted for
45 percent of the claims in the West.  The fewest number of mass-layoff
initial claims continued to be reported in the Northeast region (22,824).
   
   Over-the-year increases in mass layoff-related initial claims were
reported in all four regions: the West (+25,136), Midwest (+24,137), South
(+7,664), and Northeast (+4,137).  Among the geographic divisions, all nine
divisions reported over-the-year increases in initial claims associated
with mass layoff events.  The largest increases were reported in the
Pacific and East North Central divisions.
   
   Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, California had the
largest number of initial claims filed in mass layoff events (64,697),
primarily in business services, motion pictures, and agricultural services,
followed by Michigan (26,171), Pennsylvania (11,079), and Illinois (8,900).
California accounted for 33 percent of all layoff events and 34 percent of
all initial claims for unemployment insurance.  (See table 4.)
   
   From June 1999 to June 2000, California reported the largest over-the-
year increase in initial claims (+24,534), mostly in business services and
motion pictures.  Among the 20 states that reported over-the-year decreases
in initial claims, Missouri had the largest decline (-2,685), mostly in
transportation equipment.
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, April 1998 to June 2000

  
                                                               Extended mass layoffs 
                                                             lasting more than 30 days
             Date                                                                                 
                                    Total mass layoffs                                        Event
                                                                                           realization
                                                                                             rate(1)
                                               Initial                       Initial          
                                  Events      claimants         Events      claimants        
              1998

 April .......................     1,253        132,476     
 May .........................     1,180        107,952     
 June ........................     1,208        183,590     
 
 Second Quarter ..............     3,641        424,018          1,563        402,276           42.9     

 July ........................     2,220        286,055     
 August ......................       617         53,665     
 September ...................       637         79,629   
 
 Third Quarter ...............     3,474        419,349          1,234        256,803           35.5      
 
 October .....................     1,553        160,830     
 November ....................  (r)1,368     (r)144,343          
 December ....................     1,776        207,661    
 
 Fourth Quarter ..............  (r)4,697     (r)512,834          1,734        325,990           36.9     

              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     
 
 April .......................     1,270        136,885     
 May .........................     1,032        102,738     
 June ........................     1,140        130,951     

 Second Quarter ..............     3,442        370,574          1,444        242,351           42.0     
 
 July ........................     1,741        221,334     
 August ......................       698         75,691     
 September ...................       717         75,288     

 Third Quarter ...............     3,156        372,313          1,097        189,732           34.8     

 October .....................     1,098        118,938     
 November ....................     1,336        139,508     
 December ....................     1,509        162,381     

 Fourth Quarter ..............     3,943        420,827          1,625        286,538           41.2     

              2000

 January .....................     1,934        223,322     
 February ....................     1,045        103,898     
 March .......................       986        106,748     

 First Quarter ...............     3,965        433,968       (p)1,268     (p)175,233        (p)32.0
 
 April .......................       924        101,359     
 May (p)......................       984         92,193     
 June (p).....................     1,597        192,025    


   1  The event realization rate is the percentage of total mass layoff events lasting more than 30 days.
   p = preliminary.
   r = revised.
Table 2. Industry distribution: Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance
 
                                           		                                             Initial claimants for
                                                               Mass layoff events                    unemployment insurance
                           Industry

                                                          June    April    May    June          June     April      May     June
                                                          1999    2000   2000(p) 2000(p)        1999     2000     2000(p)  2000(p)

      Total(1) .......................................   1,140     924     984    1,597        130,951  101,359   92,193   192,025     

 Total, private ......................................   1,035     894     928    1,435        122,193   98,620   86,882   175,973     

   Agriculture .......................................     103      58      83      161         11,848    5,296    5,356    15,057     
   Nonagriculture ....................................     907     822     825    1,235        107,122   91,818   78,439   157,034     
     Manufacturing ...................................     265     314     253      398         31,943   32,656   25,160    60,269     
       Durable goods .................................     128     148     124      235         17,842   15,854   14,006    41,753     
         Lumber and wood products ....................       9      18      18       21            867    1,473    1,668     2,063     
         Furniture and fixtures ......................       9       8      10       19          1,349      720      966     2,808     
         Stone, clay, and glass products .............       4      11       4       11            194      804      546     1,320     
         Primary metal industries ....................       8      18       9       12          1,217    2,175      656     1,277     
         Fabricated metal products ...................      18      17      11       36          1,737    1,743    1,338     4,659     
         Industrial machinery and equipment ..........      19      20      16       30          3,768    1,699    1,285     5,918     
         Electronic and other electrical equipment ...      17      18      16       29          2,314    2,393    2,767     3,451     
         Transportation equipment ....................      28      27      25       66          5,109    4,092    3,148    19,529     
         Instruments and related products ............       6       5       6        7            453      274      541       433     
         Miscellaneous manufacturing industries ......      10       6       9        4            834      481    1,091       295     

       Nondurable goods ..............................     137     166     129      163         14,101   16,802   11,154    18,516     
         Food and kindred products ...................      50      75      58       53          5,486    8,209    5,009     6,563     
         Tobacco products ............................   ( 2 )   ( 2 )       -    ( 2 )          ( 2 )    ( 2 )        -     ( 2 )
         Textile mill products .......................      13      19       6       10          1,737    2,214      536       953     
         Apparel and other textile products ..........      28      33      35       29          2,629    2,855    2,929     2,966     
         Paper and allied products ...................   ( 2 )      12       9       11          ( 2 )      821    1,001       946     
         Printing and publishing .....................      14       8       9       15          1,249      623      754     1,301     
         Chemicals and allied products ...............       4       3   ( 2 )        4            344      157    ( 2 )       371     
         Petroleum and coal products .................       -   ( 2 )       -    ( 2 )              -    ( 2 )        -     ( 2 )
         Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products ..      20       9       8       31          2,111    1,131      628     4,504     
         Leather and leather products ................   ( 2 )       4   ( 2 )        5          ( 2 )      459    ( 2 )       395     

     Nonmanufacturing ................................     642     508     572      837         75,179   59,162   53,279    96,765     
       Mining ........................................       9   ( 2 )       5        4            693    ( 2 )      409       363     
       Construction ..................................      57      71      77       64          4,707    5,878    6,394     4,919     
       Transportation and public utilities ...........     100      76      33      129         16,258    9,103    4,185    14,925     
       Wholesale and retail trade ....................     114     114     146      180         13,597   11,652   14,841    20,838     
          Wholesale trade ............................      19      25      28       33          2,070    2,668    2,311     2,694     
          Retail trade ...............................      95      89     118      147         11,527    8,984   12,530    18,144     
       Finance, insurance, and real estate ...........      18   ( 2 )      30       24          1,337    ( 2 )    2,211     1,710     
       Services ......................................     344     219     281      436         38,587   30,555   25,239    54,010     

   Not identified ....................................      25      14      20       39          3,223    1,506    3,087     3,882     

 Government ..........................................     105      30      56      162          8,758    2,739    5,311    16,052     
   Federal ...........................................       7       9      15       31            816      676    1,977     3,834     
   State .............................................      15       7       8       18          1,266      894      930     1,435     
   Local .............................................      83      14      33      113          6,676    1,169    2,404    10,783     


   1  Data were reported by all states and the District of Columbia.
   2  Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
   p = preliminary.
   NOTE:  Dash represents zero. 
 Table 3. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance by census region and division
                                                                                          
                                              Mass layoff events                            Initial claimants for
                                                                                            unemployment insurance
  Census region and division

                                    June       April        May       June           June       April          May       June
                                    1999       2000       2000(p)    2000(p)         1999       2000         2000(p)    2000(p)

         United States(1) ......   1,140        924         984       1,597        130,951     101,359       92,193     192,025     

 Northeast .....................     160        186         140         216         18,687      18,570       13,426      22,824     

     New England ...............      25         43          25          40          3,253       5,398        2,297       3,797     
     Middle Atlantic ...........     135        143         115         176         15,434      13,172       11,129      19,027     

 South .........................     280        187         234         360         26,523      19,695       25,693      34,187     

     South Atlantic ............     153         89          85         196         12,867       9,492        9,702      17,754     
     East South Central ........      41         37          49          52          4,464       3,371        6,205       4,846     
     West South Central ........      86         61         100         112          9,192       6,832        9,786      11,587     

 Midwest .......................     269        201         187         386         35,150      22,434       20,784      59,287     

     East North Central ........     195        161         133         307         25,087      17,412       14,752      48,307     
     West North Central ........      74         40          54          79         10,063       5,022        6,032      10,980     

 West ..........................     431        350         423         635         50,591      40,660       32,290      75,727     

     Mountain ..................      44         47          31          58          4,890       4,739        3,211       5,919     
     Pacific ...................     387        303         392         577         45,701      35,921       29,079      69,808     


      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              
                                  June      April       May      June           June      April        May      June
                                  1999      2000      2000(p)   2000(p)         1999      2000       2000(p)   2000(p)

    Total(1) .................   1,140       924        984      1,597        130,951    101,359     92,193    192,025     

 Alabama .....................      16         7         20         16          1,483        561      2,065      1,308     
 Alaska ......................       5     ( 2 )          -          5            521      ( 2 )          -        708     
 Arizona .....................       8        14          6         20            852      1,612        917      2,029     
 Arkansas ....................       6         4          6          8            627        622        613        890     
 California ..................     333       269        358        532         40,163     33,018     26,068     64,697     
 Colorado ....................       3         3          7          4            323        312        669        445     
 Connecticut .................       5         3          5          7            653        236        473        738     
 Delaware ....................   ( 2 )     ( 2 )      ( 2 )      ( 2 )          ( 2 )      ( 2 )      ( 2 )      ( 2 )
 District of Columbia ........       3         -      ( 2 )      ( 2 )            392          -      ( 2 )      ( 2 )
 Florida .....................      78        39         38        105          5,156      3,113      3,508      6,580     
 Georgia .....................      16         6          9         26          1,610        622        951      2,998     
 Hawaii ......................      11         6      ( 2 )      ( 2 )            977        382      ( 2 )      ( 2 )
 Idaho .......................       6         9          7         10            970        783        639        919     

 Illinois ....................      39        41         35         50          7,547      4,729      4,061      8,900     
 Indiana .....................      20        14         11         25          2,223      1,294      1,947      4,813     
 Iowa ........................       7        10          8         18            539        946        864      4,187     
 Kansas ......................       7         4          7          8            680        592        570      1,052     
 Kentucky ....................       7        14         11         14            891      1,190      2,587      1,337     
 Louisiana ...................      11         8         23         32          1,100        488      1,807      2,940     
 Maine .......................   ( 2 )         4          4          3          ( 2 )        339        290        161     
 Maryland ....................       6         3          3          8            387        251        291        639     
 Massachusetts ...............      11        17         10         21            924      2,424      1,078      2,227     
 Michigan ....................      60        18         39        148          7,302      1,526      4,038     26,171     
 Minnesota ...................      17         8          5         12          1,324      1,313        490      1,053     
 Mississippi .................       5         5         11      ( 2 )            575        256        779      ( 2 )
 Missouri ....................      37        18         29         37          6,984      2,171      3,665      4,299     

 Montana .....................   ( 2 )         3          3      ( 2 )          ( 2 )        289        381      ( 2 )
 Nebraska ....................   ( 2 )         -      ( 2 )      ( 2 )          ( 2 )          -      ( 2 )      ( 2 )
 Nevada ......................      12        12          7         13          1,496      1,322        523      1,795     
 New Hampshire ...............   ( 2 )         4      ( 2 )          3          ( 2 )        335      ( 2 )        199     
 New Jersey ..................      28        46         30         50          3,787      4,869      3,325      6,431     
 New Mexico ..................       9         4      ( 2 )          7            784        297      ( 2 )        438     
 New York ....................       7        10         13         16            497        689      1,167      1,517     
 North Carolina ..............       8        12         12         12            744      1,046      2,467      1,054     
 North Dakota ................       4         -      ( 2 )      ( 2 )            391          -      ( 2 )      ( 2 )
 Ohio ........................      39        40         20         35          4,130      4,645      1,770      4,076     
 Oklahoma ....................       7     ( 2 )          4          4          1,522      ( 2 )        500        286     
 Oregon ......................      22        18         24         20          2,111      1,751      2,232      2,423     
 Pennsylvania ................     100        87         72        110         11,150      7,614      6,637     11,079     

 Rhode Island ................       7         9      ( 2 )      ( 2 )          1,084      1,417      ( 2 )      ( 2 )
 South Carolina ..............      24        16          6         24          2,830      2,239        631      2,467     
 South Dakota ................   ( 2 )         -          3      ( 2 )          ( 2 )          -        318      ( 2 )
 Tennessee ...................      13        11          7         20          1,515      1,364        774      1,912     
 Texas .......................      62        47         67         68          5,943      5,465      6,866      7,471     
 Utah ........................       3     ( 2 )          -          3            271      ( 2 )          -        242     
 Vermont .....................       -         6          3          4              -        647        277        287     
 Virginia ....................      15        12         13         17          1,546      1,175      1,627      1,518     
 Washington ..................      16         8          8         19          1,929        566        623      1,904     
 West Virginia ...............   ( 2 )         -      ( 2 )      ( 2 )          ( 2 )          -      ( 2 )      ( 2 )
 Wisconsin ...................      37        48         28         49          3,885      5,218      2,936      4,347     
 Wyoming .....................   ( 2 )         -          -          -          ( 2 )          -          -          -

 Puerto Rico .................      13        12          9          9          1,557      1,122        636      1,461   


    1  See footnote 1, table 2.                                              
    2  Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.  
    p  = preliminary.
    NOTE:  Dash represents zero.