Internet address:  http://stats.bls.gov/newsrels.htm
Technical information:  (202) 691-6392  USDL 00-30


                                        For release: 10:00 A.M. EST
Media contact:                691-5902  Tuesday, February 1, 2000

                                     
                       MASS LAYOFFS IN NOVEMBER 1999


   In November 1999, there were 1,336 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 139,508.  Both
the number of layoff events and the number of initial claimants for
unemployment insurance were lower this November than in November 1998.  The
total of layoff events from January through November 1999, at 13,354, and
the total number of initial claimants, at 1,530,379, were lower than in
January-November 1998 (14,132 and 1,581,602, respectively).  (See table 1.)
   
   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 November 1999, manufacturing industries accounted for 26 percent of
all mass layoff events and 32 percent of all initial claims filed.
Manufacturing industries that had the highest numbers of initial claimants
were food and kindred products (7,384), primarily in frozen fruits and
vegetables and in canned fruits and vegetables; electronic and other
electrical equipment (6,766), mostly in household refrigerators and
freezers; and industrial machinery and equipment (6,419), particularly in
refrigeration and heating equipment.  (See table 2.)
   
   Agriculture accounted for 25 percent of all mass layoff events and 18
percent of initial claimants during the month, largely in agricultural
services (particularly farm labor contractors).  Services accounted for 20
percent of all layoffs and 22 percent of initial claimants during the
month, mainly in business services (especially help supply services).
Layoffs in this industry, however, are more likely than those in most other
industries to last less than 30 days.  Construction accounted for 13
percent of all layoff events and 11 percent of initial claims during the
month, largely in highway and street construction.
   
                                  - 2 -
   
   Compared with November 1998, the largest decreases in initial claims
occurred in the following manufacturing industries: transportation
equipment (-7,832), primary metals (-3,652), and apparel and textiles 
(-3,497).  The largest over-the-year increases in initial claims occurred in
business services (+4,426), followed by agricultural services (+2,839) and
electronic and other electrical equipment (+2,700).

Geographic Distribution

   In November, the number of initial claims due to mass layoffs was
higher in the West (70,453) than in any other region.  (See table 3.)
Layoffs in agricultural services and agricultural production crops
accounted for 34 percent of the claims in the West.  The fewest number of
mass-layoff initial claims continued to be reported in the Northeast region
(12,914).
   
   Over-the-year decreases in mass layoff-related initial claims were
reported in the Northeast, Midwest, and South, with the largest decrease in
the Northeast (-12,992).  Among the divisions, lower levels of initial
claims over the year were reported mainly in the Middle Atlantic, with
sharply lower numbers of layoffs in eating and drinking places.  Seven of
the nine divisions reported over-the-year declines; increases occurred in
the Mountain and Pacific divisions.
   
   Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia reporting data for
November, California had the largest number of initial claims filed in mass
layoff events (59,425), primarily in agricultural services and business
services, followed by Wisconsin (8,092), Pennsylvania (7,640), Texas
(5,525), and Illinois (5,407).  These five states accounted for 65 percent
of all layoff events and 62 percent of all initial claimants for unemployment
insurance.  (See table 4.)
   
   From November 1998 to November 1999, New Jersey reported the largest
over-the-year decrease in initial claims (-4,854), mostly in eating and
drinking places.  California had the largest over-the-year increase in
initial claims (+4,897).
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: 202-606-5886; 
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, October 1997 to November 1999

  
                                                                  Extended mass layoffs 
                                                                lasting more than 30 days
               Date                                                                                    
                                 Total mass layoffs                                     Event
                                                                                     realization
                                                                                       rate(1)
                                            Initial                     Initial          
                               Events      claimants       Events      claimants


             1997

 October ....................   1,414       139,297     
 November ...................   1,156       100,051     
 December ...................   1,634       172,029     

 Fourth Quarter .............   4,204       411,377         1,697       316,035          40.4     

             1998

 January ....................   2,360       255,203     
 February ...................     970        81,455     
 March ......................     762        78,210     

 First Quarter ..............   4,092       414,868         1,320       247,315          32.3     

 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       256,805          35.5     

 October ....................   1,553       160,830     
 November(r) ................   1,372       162,537     
 December ...................   1,644       193,072     

 Fourth Quarter .............   4,569       516,439         1,736       326,109          38.0     

             1999

 January ....................   2,415       296,404     
 February ...................   1,076       117,223     
 March ......................     850        90,958     

 First Quarter ..............   4,341       504,585         1,509       251,332          34.8     

 April ......................   1,250       161,269     
 May ........................   1,033       102,815     
 June .......................   1,140       130,951     

 Second Quarter .............   3,423       395,035         1,445       241,828          42.2     

 July .......................   1,741       221,334     
 August .....................     698        75,691     
 September ..................     717        75,288     

 Third Quarter ..............   3,156       372,313      (p)1,072    (p)153,142       (p)34.0

 October ....................   1,098       118,938     
 November ...................   1,336       139,508     


1  The event realization rate is the percentage of events lasting more than 30 days.                 
p  = preliminary.
r  = revised.Table 2. Industry distribution: Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance,
November 1998 and November 1999
                                           		                        Initial claimants for
                                                         Mass layoff events         unemployment insurance
                           Industry

                                                        November      November     November      November
                                                         1998(r)        1999        1998(r)        1999

      Total(1) .......................................   1,372         1,336       162,537       139,508     

 Total, private ......................................   1,324         1,299       157,918       135,031     

   Agriculture .......................................     248           328        21,689        25,546     
   Nonagriculture ....................................   1,045           958       130,394       107,599     
     Manufacturing ...................................     471           348        62,873        45,029     
       Durable goods .................................     251           183        36,274        26,418     
         Lumber and wood products ....................      42            43         4,203         4,429     
         Furniture and fixtures ......................      10             4         1,034           306     
         Stone, clay, and glass products .............      11            13         1,386         1,220     
         Primary metal industries ....................      35            12         4,691         1,039     
         Fabricated metal products ...................      16            20         1,762         1,965     
         Industrial machinery and equipment ..........      46            35         5,515         6,419     
         Electronic and other electrical equipment ...      37            20         4,066         6,766     
         Transportation equipment ....................      30            24        10,987         3,155     
         Instruments and related products ............      13             6         1,317           607     
         Miscellaneous manufacturing industries ......      11             6         1,313           512     

       Nondurable goods ..............................     220           165        26,599        18,611     
         Food and kindred products ...................      72            65         7,825         7,384                                                      
         Tobacco products ............................   ( 2 )             -         ( 2 )             -  
         Textile mill products .......................      38            27         4,854         4,216     
         Apparel and other textile products ..........      55            35         7,080         3,583     
         Paper and allied products ...................      16         ( 2 )         1,686         ( 2 )
         Printing and publishing .....................       5         ( 2 )           500         ( 2 )
         Chemicals and allied products ...............   ( 2 )             9         ( 2 )           691     
         Petroleum and coal products .................       4             6           470           571     
         Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products ..      13            11         1,688           943     
         Leather and leather products ................      13         ( 2 )         2,207         ( 2 )

     Nonmanufacturing ................................     574           610        67,521        62,570     
       Mining ........................................      13             6         1,382           476     
       Construction ..................................     181           171        18,582        15,498     
       Transportation and public utilities ...........      35            37         5,741         3,405     
       Wholesale and retail trade ....................     110           107        12,051        10,305     
          Wholesale trade ............................      35            22         3,973         2,013     
          Retail trade ...............................      75            85         8,078         8,292     
       Finance, insurance, and real estate ...........      22            24         2,008         1,798     
       Services ......................................     213           265        27,757        31,088     

   Not identified ....................................      31            13         5,835         1,886     

 Government ..........................................      48            37         4,619         4,477     
   Federal ...........................................       4             5           538           496     
   State .............................................      27            16         2,439         1,910     
   Local .............................................      17            16         1,642         2,071     



      1  Data were reported by all states and the District of Columbia.  
      2  Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
      r = revised.
      NOTE:  Dash represents zero.
 Table 3. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance by census region and
 division, November 1998 and November 1999

                                     Mass layoff events            Initial claimants for
                                    			       unemployment insurance
   Census region and division
                                  November       November       November        November
                                   1998(r)         1999          1998(r)          1999


         United States(1) ........ 1,372          1,336         162,537         139,508       

 Northeast .......................   237            128          25,906          12,914       

     New England .................    36             25           4,629           2,122       
     Middle Atlantic .............   201            103          21,277          10,792       

 South ...........................   235            178          27,543          21,945       

     South Atlantic ..............   112             82          12,583          10,017       
     East South Central ..........    36             25           4,092           2,075       
     West South Central ..........    87             71          10,868           9,853       

 Midwest .........................   303            282          43,813          34,196       

     East North Central ..........   222            210          29,954          25,302       
     West North Central ..........    81             72          13,859           8,894       

 West ............................   597            748          65,275          70,453       

     Mountain ....................    41             57           5,173           6,279       
     Pacific .....................   556            691          60,102          64,174       


      1 See footnote 1, table 2.
      r = revised.
      NOTE:  The States (including the District of Columbia) that comprise the 
 various 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,
 November 1998 and November 1999

                                                                   Initial claimants for
                                        Mass layoff events         unemployment insurance
                                                                      
               State
                                       November     November      November      November
                                        1998(r)       1999         1998(r)        1999

    Total(1) .......................    1,372        1,336         162,537       139,508     

 Alabama ...........................        8            5           1,314           400     
 Alaska ............................    ( 2 )            5           ( 2 )           392     
 Arizona ...........................        6            6           1,129           510     
 Arkansas ..........................       11           12           1,501         3,362     
 California ........................      495          638          54,528        59,425     
 Colorado ..........................       11           13           1,365         1,175     
 Connecticut .......................        5        ( 2 )             424         ( 2 )
 Delaware ..........................    ( 2 )        ( 2 )           ( 2 )         ( 2 )
 District of Columbia ..............        4            -             453             -
 Florida ...........................       24           15           2,355           991     
 Georgia ...........................       17           15           1,369         1,728     
 Hawaii ............................        4        ( 2 )             375         ( 2 )
 Idaho .............................       10           12           1,353         1,475     

 Illinois ..........................       50           47           9,528         5,407     
 Indiana ...........................       18           22           3,097         5,120     
 Iowa ..............................       18           15           2,953         1,911     
 Kansas ............................    ( 2 )            6           ( 2 )           658     
 Kentucky ..........................       17            5           1,488           503     
 Louisiana .........................       11            5           1,393           363     
 Maine .............................        7        ( 2 )             581         ( 2 )
 Maryland ..........................        -            3               -           247     
 Massachusetts .....................       21           16           3,361         1,400     
 Michigan ..........................       14           40           1,534         3,660     
 Minnesota .........................       37           31           5,640         3,367     
 Mississippi .......................        4            7             417           452     
 Missouri ..........................       22           19           4,855         2,610     

 Montana ...........................        3            4             328           594     
 Nebraska ..........................    ( 2 )        ( 2 )           ( 2 )         ( 2 )
 Nevada ............................        8           15             688         2,062     
 New Hampshire .....................    ( 2 )        ( 2 )           ( 2 )         ( 2 )
 New Jersey ........................       38           19           7,035         2,181     
 New Mexico ........................        -        ( 2 )               -         ( 2 )
 New York ..........................       68           12           5,816           971     
 North Carolina ....................        9            8             908         1,839     
 North Dakota ......................        -            -               -             -
 Ohio ..............................       42           34           6,647         3,023     
 Oklahoma ..........................        8            7             825           603     
 Oregon ............................       26           28           2,240         2,425     
 Pennsylvania ......................       95           72           8,426         7,640     

 Rhode Island ......................    ( 2 )        ( 2 )           ( 2 )         ( 2 )
 South Carolina ....................       36           32           5,156         4,234     
 South Dakota ......................    ( 2 )            -           ( 2 )             -
 Tennessee .........................        7            8             873           720     
 Texas .............................       57           47           7,149         5,525     
 Utah ..............................        3            5             310           342     
 Vermont ...........................        -            3               -           260     
 Virginia ..........................       13            6           1,317           787     
 Washington ........................       29           19           2,802         1,867     
 West Virginia .....................        8        ( 2 )             885         ( 2 )
 Wisconsin .........................       98           67           9,148         8,092     
 Wyoming ...........................        -            -               -             -

 Puerto Rico .......................        5            5             976           340    


      1  See footnote 1, table 2.
      2  Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
      r = revised.  
      NOTE:  Dash represents zero.