Internet address: http://stats.bls.gov/newsrels.htm
Technical information:  (202)  606-6396  USDL 99-198
                                     
                                         For release:  10:00 A.M. EDT
Media contact:                 606-5902  Wednesday, July 21, 1999
                                     
                                     
            EXTENDED MASS LAYOFFS IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 1999


   In January through March of 1999, there were 1,484 mass layoff actions
by employers that resulted in the separation of 267,214 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.  Both the number
of layoff events and the number of separations were higher than in January-
March 1998.  (See table A.)

   The completion of seasonal work was the major reason cited for layoffs
and accounted for 34 percent of all first-quarter 1999 events and
separations.  Layoffs due to internal company restructuring resulted in
76,534 separations.  Permanent closure of worksites occurred in 12 percent
of all events and affected 49,742 workers, up from 37,500 workers in the
same period a year earlier.

   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 first quarter are preliminary and
subject to revision.  This release also includes revised data for previous
quarters.  Data are not seasonally adjusted, but survey data 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 January-March 1999, agriculture accounted
for 15 percent of all layoff events and 16 percent of all separations.  The
layoff activity occurred primarily among farm labor contractors and was
almost entirely due to the end of seasonal work.  (See table 1.)

   Thirty-three percent of all layoff events and 32 percent of all
separations occurred in manufacturing industries.  Layoffs from durable
goods manufacturers were most numerous in transportation equipment
(primarily in aircraft and aircraft parts and equipment), industrial 

                                  - 2 -

Table A.  Selected measures of mass layoff activity
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
     Period         | Layoff events  | Separations  | Initial claimants
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
      1995          |                |              |
April-June(r).......|     1,724      |   400,891    |     332,731
July-September(r)...|       950      |   193,956    |     154,226
October-December(r).|     1,764      |   348,036    |     312,428
      1996          |                |              |
January-March(r)....|     1,408      |   272,399    |     224,393
April-June(r).......|     1,352      |   261,628    |     200,032
July-September(r)...|     1,021      |   233,199    |     185,247
October-December(r).|     1,916      |   417,044    |     384,073
      1997          |                |              |
January-March(r)....|     1,317      |   255,227    |     224,180
April-June(r).......|     1,587      |   351,198    |     292,673
July-September(r)...|     1,082      |   217,869    |     209,019
October-December(r).|     1,697      |   321,821    |     316,035
      1998          |                |              |
January-March(r)....|     1,320      |   208,082    |     247,315
April-June(r).......|     1,563      |   391,461    |     402,259
July-September(r)...|     1,234      |   248,050    |     256,790
October-December(r).|     1,736      |   391,101    |     327,039
      1999          |                |              |
January-March(p)....|     1,484      |   267,214    |     200,677
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
     p=preliminary.                           r=revised.


machinery and equipment (largely in farm machinery and equipment), and
primary metals (mostly in blast furnaces and steel mills).  In nondurable
goods industries, layoffs were most prevalent in food processing
(canned and frozen fruits and vegetables and candy and other confectionery
products).
   
   Construction accounted for 19 percent of all layoff events and 12
percent of all separations, largely in heavy construction.  Services
accounted for 14 percent of all layoff events and separations, mainly in
business services (primarily help supply) and motion pictures (mostly
motion picture and video production).  Cutbacks in retail trade accounted
for 8 percent of events and 15 percent of separations, primarily in
department stores and catalog and mail-order houses.
   
   Layoffs in government establishments accounted for 2 percent of total
events and separations.

Reasons for Extended Layoff

   Thirty-four percent of the separations and events in the first quarter
were due to seasonal work.  These layoffs were largely the result of the
end of the growing season and were most numerous among workers in
agricultural services (such as farm labor contractors and crop preparation 
      
                                  - 3 -

Table B.  Distribution of layoff events by size of layoff,
January-March 1999
---------------------------------------------------------------
                  |      Layoff events    |     Separations
       Size       |--------------------------------------------
                  |   Number  |  Percent  |  Number  |  Percent
-----------------------------------------------------|---------
                  |           |           |          |
    Total.........|    1,484  |   100.0   |  267,214 |   100.0
                  |           |           |          |
 50-99............|      677  |    45.6   |   48,005 |    18.0
 100-149..........|      344  |    23.2   |   39,492 |    14.8
 150-199..........|      140  |     9.4   |   23,337 |     8.7
 200-299..........|      158  |    10.6   |   35,946 |    13.5
 300-499..........|       91  |     6.1   |   32,529 |    12.2
 500-999..........|       41  |     2.8   |   26,406 |     9.9
 1,000 or more....|       33  |     2.2   |   61,499 |    23.0
---------------------------------------------------------------

services), agricultural production crops (mostly in grape crops), and
miscellaneous retail (primarily catalog and mail-order houses).  Layoffs
due to internal company restructuring (bankruptcy, business ownership change,
financial difficulty, and reorganization) comprised 18 percent of all layoff
events and 29 percent of all separations; the 76,534 separations due to
restructuring were the highest first-quarter level since 1996 (78,558).
(See table 2.)

Size of Extended Layoff

   Layoff events during the first quarter continued to be concentrated at
the lower end of the layoff-size spectrum, with 69 percent involving fewer
than 150 workers.  These events, however, accounted for only 33 percent of
all separations.  (See table B.)  Separations involving 500 or more workers
accounted for another 33 percent of all separations, up markedly from 18
percent a year earlier.  Layoffs due to bankruptcy in general merchandise
stores 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
80 separations in communications to 572 in general merchandise stores.

Initial Claimant Characteristics

   A total of 200,677 initial claimants for unemployment insurance were
associated with mass layoffs in the first quarter of 1999.  Of these
claimants, 12 percent were black, 38 percent were women, 24 percent were
Hispanic, and 12 percent were 55 years of age or older.  (See table 3.)
Over 2 out of 5 claimants were 30 to 44 years of age.  Among the civilian
labor force for the same period, 12 percent were black, 47 percent were
women, 10 percent were Hispanic, and 13 percent were 55 years of age or
older.  Thirty-nine percent of the civilian labor force were ages 30 to 44.

Geographic Distribution

   In the first quarter, the number of separations due to extended mass
layoff events was higher in the West (104,762) than in any of the other
regions; the West also had the largest number of separations during the
same period in 1998.  (See table 4.)  Contributing to extended mass layoffs
in the West were agricultural services and agricultural crops.  The lowest
number of worker separations was reported in the Northeast region (43,951).
   
   The largest over-the-year increase in separations (30,729) occurred in
the West.  Higher levels of separations this year were reported mainly by
employers in the Pacific division, with more layoffs in agriculture.  Three
of the nine census divisions had fewer layoffs than a year earlier, with
the South Atlantic having the largest decline (-7,650).
   
   Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, the largest number of
worker separations occurred in California (89,346), followed by Illinois
(20,347), Texas (16,544), Michigan (13,065), Ohio (12,138), and
Pennsylvania (11,741).  These six states accounted for 65 percent of total
layoff events and 61 percent of all separations during the first quarter of
1999.  (See table 5.)  After excluding the substantial impact of seasonal
work, California still reported the most laid-off workers (46,063),
primarily in motion pictures.
   
   Over the year, the largest increase (29,354 workers) in laid-off
workers occurred in California.  The largest decreases occurred in Florida
(-3,074 workers), primarily in measuring, analyzing, and controlling
instruments, and in Tennessee (-2,959 workers), mostly in transportation
equipment.

Recall Expectations
   
   Fifty-seven percent of employers reporting a layoff in the first
quarter of 1999 indicated they anticipated some type of recall, about the
same as a year earlier.  (See table C.)  Among establishments expecting a
recall, most employers expected to recall over one-half of the separated
employees and to do so within 6 months.  (This series began in the second
quarter of 1995.)
   
   Excluding layoff events due to seasonal work and vacation period (in
which 94 percent of the employers expected a recall), employers expected to
recall laid-off workers in 37 percent of the events, the lowest percentage
for any first-quarter period in the series.  In layoff events due to
internal company restructuring, employers anticipated a recall in only 13
percent of the events.

                                  - 4 -

Table C.  Summary of employer expectations of a recall from layoff,
first quarter 1998-first quarter 1999
--------------------------------------------------------------------
                      |            Percentage of events
                      |---------------------------------------------
 Nature of the recall |    I   |   II    |  III   |   IV    |    I
                      |  1998  |  1998r  |  1998  |  1998r  |  1999p
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Anticipate a recall...| r57.3  |  68.2   |  r56.1 |  58.1   |  56.9
                      |        |         |        |         |
     Timeframe        |        |         |        |         |
                      |        |         |        |         |
Within 6 months.......| r78.6  |  82.6   |   85.1 |  86.6   |  83.9
   Within 3 months....| r53.6  |  55.3   |  r65.9 |  35.5   |  46.8
                      |        |         |        |         |
       Size           |        |         |        |         |
                      |        |         |        |         |
At least half.........|  89.7  |  92.4   |  r92.5 |  96.5   |  89.3
   All workers........| r57.0  |  68.8   |   72.5 |  52.4   |  52.1
--------------------------------------------------------------------
   p=preliminary.                                r=revised.
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.

  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, 1998 and 1999

                                                            Layoff events            Separations             Initial claimants for
                                                                                                             unemployment insurance
                         Industry
                                                            I     IV      I        I       IV        I        I        IV        I
                                                          1998r  1998r  1999p    1998r    1998r    1999p    1998r     1998r    1999p    

         Total( 1 ).....................................  1,320  1,736  1,484  208,082  391,101  267,214  247,315   327,039  200,677     

 Total, private ........................................  1,283  1,677  1,458  201,089  377,548  263,152  240,283   314,497  196,966     

   Agriculture  ........................................    168    312    220   22,791   94,480   40,863   34,160    46,884   26,372     
   Nonagriculture ......................................  1,115  1,358  1,230  178,298  282,226  221,544  206,123   266,803  169,826     
      Manufacturing  ...................................    459    572    487   68,247  119,729   84,275   73,903   119,937   62,702     
         Durable goods  ................................    230    293    270   32,171   59,850   51,102   33,984    63,443   33,912     
            Lumber and wood products ...................     33     20     26    3,768    3,363    3,704    5,160     3,644    2,581     
            Furniture and fixtures .....................      8      6     13    1,441      712    1,922    1,216       517    1,635     
            Stone, clay, and glass products ............     24     17     32    2,374    2,579    3,980    2,822     2,753    3,121     
            Primary metal industries ...................     10     38     24    2,043    6,122    6,631    2,332     8,058    3,817     
            Fabricated metal products ..................     32     23     27    3,910    2,861    3,414    4,190     3,681    3,215     
            Industrial machinery and equipment .........     31     63     46    4,080   11,876    6,720    3,872    12,835    5,980     
            Electronic and other electrical equipment ..     40     49     41    5,611   13,273    5,145    6,301    12,338    4,354     
            Transportation equipment ...................     34     35     36    6,035   11,191   13,474    5,679    12,235    6,316     
            Instruments and related products ...........      7     18     16    1,527    3,646    4,394      813     2,603    2,029     
            Miscellaneous manufacturing industries .....     11     24      9    1,382    4,227    1,718    1,599     4,779      864     

         Nondurable goods  .............................    229    279    217   36,076   59,879   33,173   39,919    56,494   28,790     
            Food and kindred products ..................     95    106     91   14,620   27,398   12,694   19,168    25,075   11,943     
            Tobacco products ...........................  ( 2 )  ( 2 )      8    ( 2 )    ( 2 )    2,845    ( 2 )     ( 2 )    1,558     
            Textile mill products ......................     21     26     12    4,319    4,384    1,539    5,322     5,290    1,708     
            Apparel and other textile products .........     40     73     40    5,778   15,715    5,935    5,738    14,713    5,889     
            Paper and allied products ..................     19     18     14    2,725    4,023    1,931    2,201     3,479    1,993     
            Printing and publishing ....................     16     12     17    1,748    2,052    2,319    1,978     1,938    2,085     
            Chemicals and allied products ..............      9      7     12      974      862    1,311      934       966    1,260 
            Petroleum and coal products ................  ( 2 )     14      3    ( 2 )    2,158      392    ( 2 )     2,137      344     
            Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products .      9     15     14    1,996    1,738    3,603    1,295     1,417    1,408     
            Leather and leather products ...............     12  ( 2 )      6    2,032    ( 2 )      604    1,915     ( 2 )      602     

      Nonmanufacturing  ................................    656    786    743  110,051  162,497  137,269  132,220   146,866  107,124     
         Mining  .......................................     15     37     35    1,606    5,560    4,521    1,406     6,635    4,883     
         Construction ..................................    208    328    271   25,903   51,714   30,925   31,037    51,068   29,981     
         Transportation and public utilities ...........     62     37     41   11,768    8,202    8,020   11,396     7,303    5,463     
         Wholesale and retail trade ....................    160    112    158   29,201   22,083   46,477   30,629    20,131   25,280     
            Wholesale trade  ...........................     28     36     45    3,651    6,723    5,882    2,940     5,724    3,951     
            Retail trade  ..............................    132     76    113   25,550   15,360   40,595   27,689    14,407   21,329     
         Finance, insurance, and real estate ...........     30     40     32    5,793    8,714   10,468    6,860     6,602    4,662     
         Services ......................................    181    232    206   35,780   66,224   36,858   50,892    55,127   36,855     

   Not identified  .....................................      -      7      8              842      745        -       810      768     
                                                                                                                
 Government ............................................     37     59     26    6,993   13,553    4,062    7,032    12,542    3,711     
         Federal .......................................     15     16     11    3,781    4,049    1,986    3,442     3,731    1,958     
         State .........................................     10     21      7    1,874    4,782    1,037    1,723     4,374      932     
         Local .........................................     12     22      8    1,338    4,722    1,039    1,867     4,437      821     


    1   For the first quarter 1999, data on layoffs were reported by employers in all states and the District of Columbia.              
    2   Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
    r = revised.  
    p = preliminary.
    Note:  Dash represents zero.  
                                                                                         
 Table 2. Reason for separation: Extended mass layoff events, separations, and initial claimants for unemployment 
 insurance, selected quarters, 1998 and 1999

 

                                       Layoff events              Separations                  Initial claimants for                                                                           
                                                                                               unemployment insurance
           Reason for separation                                                               
                                      I     IV       I         I        IV          I          I        IV         I                                                                                                                                                                                  
                                    1998r  1998r   1999p     1998r     1998r      1999p      1998r     1998r     1999p     

    Total, all reasons( 1 )......   1,320  1,736   1,484   208,082   391,101    267,214    247,315   327,039   200,677      

 Automation .....................       3  ( 2 )   ( 2 )       503     ( 2 )      ( 2 )        267     ( 2 )     ( 2 )
 Bankruptcy .....................      16     21      26     3,671     8,625     22,482      3,213     3,948     9,221      
 Business ownership change ......      47     40      52    10,624     9,812     15,789      6,265     7,606     7,458      
 Contract cancellation ..........      14     15      27     2,128     3,972      4,372      1,449     1,981     2,488      
 Contract completed .............     166    190     169    30,436    54,755     29,029     52,603    52,624    31,274      
 Domestic relocation ............      18     29      15     3,408     5,658      1,919      2,634     3,474     1,317      
 Energy-related .................       -     18      22         -     2,793      2,694          -     4,282     3,629      
 Environment-related ............       -      4       3         -       664        510          -     1,234       577      
 Financial difficulty ...........      61     32      50    12,088     5,406     12,425     10,977     4,625     7,271      
 Import competition .............      15     40      24     2,150     9,794      5,585      1,894    11,393     3,634      
 Labor dispute ..................       6     11      10       916     2,665      3,444        516     1,790     1,446      
 Material shortage ..............       8  ( 2 )   ( 2 )     1,605     ( 2 )      ( 2 )      1,213     ( 2 )     ( 2 )

 Model changeover ...............       9      5   ( 2 )     1,800     3,174      ( 2 )      2,051     3,018     ( 2 )
 Natural disaster ...............   ( 2 )  ( 2 )       -     ( 2 )     ( 2 )          -      ( 2 )     ( 2 )         -
 Overseas relocation ............       6      8       6     1,093     1,108        789      1,073       871       717      
 Plant or machine repair ........       8     10       6       810     1,305        526        941     1,844       587      
 Product line discontinued ......       5     10      10       846     1,183      1,295      2,611     1,283     1,888      
 Reorganization within company ..     141    115     131    23,176    27,111     25,838     25,244    25,698    18,586      
 Seasonal work ..................     468    804     510    71,107   196,719     90,312     81,951   135,383    60,793      
 Slack work .....................     159    201     199    20,024    28,047     24,000     25,491    38,613    26,366      
 Vacation period ................   ( 2 )      4       5     ( 2 )       576        614      ( 2 )       925       362      
 Weather-related ................      75     39      76     7,634     4,212      7,551     10,907     5,298     7,555      
 Other ..........................      66     56      57     9,198    11,054      7,352     10,107     8,294     6,837      
 Not reported ...................      25     80      81     3,974    11,272      9,646      4,995    11,863     8,001      


 1 See footnote 1, table 1. 
 2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
 r = revised.
 p = preliminary.
 NOTE:  Dash represents zero.

 Table 3. State and selected claimant characteristics: Extended mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment
 insurance, fourth quarter, 1998 and first quarter, 1999
               
                                                                                        Percent of total
                                               Total
                          Layoff events       initial                              Hispanic                            
                                             claimants            Black             origin            Women          Persons age 55
                                                                                                                       and over 
          State
                          IV        I       IV         I       IV       I       IV        I       IV        I        IV         I
                         1998r    1999p    1998r     1999p    1998r   1999p    1998r    1999p    1998r    1999p     1998r     1999p 

     Total( 1 )........  1,736    1,484  327,039   200,677     10.0    11.9     26.0     23.5     36.2     37.5      12.9      11.6     

 Alabama ..............     21       16    3,480     2,245     30.6    34.6       .3       .1     48.2     32.3      13.7      12.6     
 Alaska ...............     10        4    1,322       331      1.7     1.2     13.4       .9     21.7     20.2      12.8      10.6     
 Arizona ..............      9        7    3,009       718      4.2     1.9     49.8     44.6     38.6     25.1      15.1      12.8     
 Arkansas .............      5        5    1,084       886     27.4    39.5      2.3      2.4     54.6     59.5       8.5       9.1     
 California ...........    426      414   87,021    61,699      3.2     4.7     59.1     52.8     36.9     37.3      10.4       9.6     
 Colorado .............  ( 2 )        -    ( 2 )         -      6.5       -     21.7        -     76.1        -      12.0         -
 Connecticut ..........      7        8    1,309     1,130      6.2     9.8      8.3      7.5     30.1     49.2      18.4      18.2     
 Delaware .............      -        -        -         -        -       -        -        -        -        -         -         -
 District of Columbia .      -    ( 2 )        -     ( 2 )        -    19.9        -       .6        -     55.8         -       5.1     
 Florida ..............     50       43    6,589     4,311     19.8    21.2     25.3     18.6     53.4     40.5      18.3      17.1     
 Georgia ..............     15       10    2,707       988     57.6    50.1       .8      1.4     52.0     65.3      13.6      19.0     
 Hawaii ...............     10       19    1,648     1,737       .4      .6       .2      1.0     33.9     44.0      13.7      18.5     
 Idaho ................     15       12    1,631     1,023       .4       -     30.3     15.4     32.6     31.8      13.4       9.6     

 Illinois .............    172      118   30,212    13,393     16.5    16.8     17.6     11.9     25.3     32.1      13.2      11.3     
 Indiana ..............     32       15    5,101     1,703     14.2     6.9      3.7      3.5     31.5     32.8      12.7       9.8     
 Iowa .................     11        7    1,103       501       .8      .2      2.3      1.0     22.7     33.3      12.4      13.0     
 Kansas ...............      5        7      500       657      5.2    15.7     11.6      7.8     26.2     42.5      11.6      14.3     
 Kentucky .............     11       14    1,443     1,196      7.2     7.4       .3       .4     38.7     35.0      11.6      11.8     
 Louisiana ............     15       18    1,989     3,184     35.6    24.0      3.4      2.3     18.9      8.8       8.1       8.3     
 Maine ................     11        9    1,306     1,613       .2      .2       .2       .2     25.8     48.9       9.3      12.6     
 Maryland .............      7       13      630     1,292     35.6    38.3       .3      2.6     26.0     27.3      27.3      19.3     
 Massachusetts ........     39       31    7,056     4,825      6.7     4.2      8.1      8.5     48.3     57.4      18.2      14.9     
 Michigan .............     29      140    3,477    13,801     16.9    16.5     14.4      3.3     41.8     32.5      11.8       9.8     
 Minnesota ............     65       18    8,987     2,369       .6     1.1      4.3      1.7     20.8     47.8      13.9      14.2     
 Mississippi ..........      9        4      981       573     79.3    67.2       .3        -     72.5     79.9       9.3      12.7     
 Missouri .............     35       32    5,900     2,753     13.9    15.1      1.0      1.5     46.2     46.8      18.2      14.5     

 Montana ..............      5    ( 2 )    1,053     ( 2 )       .3       -       .6     10.9     15.2     20.0      14.3      21.8     
 Nebraska .............  ( 2 )        -    ( 2 )         -     17.3       -      1.3        -     64.0        -       2.7         -
 Nevada ...............     14       15    2,528     1,584      4.6     5.8      9.6     25.7     17.8     19.1      13.8      10.5     
 New Hampshire ........  ( 2 )        3    ( 2 )       296        -       -       .5       .3     63.4      8.1       9.7      19.9     
 New Jersey ...........     56       24    8,964     4,982     15.4    17.0     29.4     18.2     56.6     43.5      17.7      19.6     
 New Mexico ...........      4       10      525       963      1.3     1.7     76.2     58.3     27.2     28.3      14.5      13.2     
 New York .............    109       35   16,989     5,902     12.3    13.5     12.9      7.6     43.6     47.8      16.3      13.1     
 North Carolina .......     23       29    2,509     3,674     41.3    66.3      1.2      1.5     52.8     53.6      13.6      14.3     
 North Dakota .........      -    ( 2 )        -     ( 2 )        -    22.4        -      7.5        -     15.0         -       5.4     
 Ohio .................    100       98   19,017    10,763     11.0    11.0      3.5      1.6     29.6     26.9      11.5       9.7     
 Oklahoma .............      9        7    1,592     2,038      5.9    12.1      4.3      2.4     43.7     50.8      14.1       7.1     
 Oregon ...............     15       18    3,023     2,170      1.4     1.2     22.4     27.7     49.9     56.4      15.1      18.4     
 Pennsylvania .........    125       87   34,475    16,022      7.9     5.3      1.3      1.0     40.7     44.6      16.8      13.9     

 Rhode Island .........  ( 2 )    ( 2 )    ( 2 )     ( 2 )      3.7      .6     18.6      1.9     47.2     42.9      28.0      23.7     
 South Carolina .......     10    ( 2 )    1,256     ( 2 )     52.6    46.2       .6        -     54.0     56.6       7.2      17.0     
 South Dakota .........      -        -        -         -        -       -        -        -        -        -         -         -
 Tennessee ............      3        3      452       225     12.2    61.3        -      1.8     36.9     54.2      15.3      10.2     
 Texas ................    106      108   27,145    17,608     13.7    14.5     44.7     38.4     30.3     27.3       8.7      11.2     
 Utah .................     10    ( 2 )    1,346     ( 2 )       .5      .9     14.0      3.5     19.0      8.6       8.1      11.2     
 Vermont ..............      -        -        -         -        -       -        -        -        -        -         -         -
 Virginia .............     16       26    2,910     3,400     24.4    43.2       .5      1.1     54.2     55.3      15.3      12.1     
 Washington ...........     23       10    3,624     1,983      2.5     2.6     21.5      3.6     32.5     30.1      12.1      14.0     
 West Virginia ........     11    ( 2 )    1,267     ( 2 )      3.9     1.8        -        -     24.9     16.4       9.8        .9     
 Wisconsin ............     82       33   19,365     4,674      5.1     8.5      9.5      3.8     29.9     37.0      13.4      12.1     
 Wyoming ..............      -    ( 2 )        -     ( 2 )        -      .5        -     16.7        -     25.5         -      12.0     

 Puerto Rico ..........     33       19    6,025     2,327    ( 3 )   ( 3 )    ( 3 )    ( 3 )     55.7     47.7       9.2       7.5     


     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. Census region and division: Extended mass layoff events, separations, and initial claimants for unemployment
 insurance, selected quarters, 1998 and 1999


                                                                                                    Initial claimants for
                                    Layoff events                   Separations		          unemployment insurance
 Census region and division
                               I        IV         I           I          IV           I            I          IV           I
                             1998r     1998r     1999p       1998r       1998r       1999p        1998r       1998r       1999p    

         United States ....  1,320     1,736     1,484      208,082    391,101     267,214      247,315     327,039     200,677     

 Northeast ................    200       350       199       28,214     58,029      43,951       33,489      70,446      34,926     

     New England ..........     40        60        53        6,887     12,644      16,868        7,159      10,018       8,020     
     Middle Atlantic ......    160       290       146       21,327     45,385      27,083       26,330      60,428      26,906     

 South ....................    289       311       302       57,306     59,165      53,158       45,885      56,034      42,107     

     South Atlantic .......    153       132       127       30,338     26,547      22,688       20,834      17,868      14,152     
     East South Central ...     58        44        37       11,108      7,170       7,467        8,445       6,356       4,239     
     West South Central ...     78       135       138       15,860     25,448      23,003       16,606      31,810      23,716     

 Midwest ..................    329       532       469       48,529    108,175      65,343       46,726      93,737      50,761     

     East North Central ...    265       415       404       41,095     88,840      54,257       40,427      77,172      44,334     
     West North Central ...     64       117        65        7,434     19,335      11,086        6,299      16,565       6,427     

 West .....................    502       543       514       74,033    165,732     104,762      121,215     106,822      72,883

     Mountain .............     49        59        49        7,521     11,104       5,842        8,240      10,184       4,963     
     Pacific ..............    453       484       465       66,512    154,628      98,920      112,975      96,638      67,920     


      r = revised
      p = preliminary
      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 5. State distribution: Extended mass layoff events, separations, and initial claimants for unemployment insurance,
 selected quarters, 1998 and 1999

                                                                                                 
                                Layoff events                   Separations                      Initial claimants for 
                                                                                                unemployment insurance
           State
                             I      IV         I          I          IV            I            I           IV            I
                           1998r   1998r     1999p      1998r       1998r        1999p        1998r        1998r        1999p 

     Total( 1 ) .........  1,320   1,736     1,484    208,082     391,101      267,214      247,315      327,039      200,677     

 Alabama ................     17      21        16      3,028       3,678        4,221        2,533        3,480        2,245     
 Alaska .................      4      10         4        570       2,228          334          356        1,322          331     
 Arizona ................     12       9         7      1,945       2,006          939        3,227        3,009          718     
 Arkansas ...............  ( 2 )       5         5      ( 2 )         880        1,167        ( 2 )        1,084          886     
 California .............    406     426       414     59,992     141,946       89,346      107,947       87,021       61,699     
 Colorado ...............     13   ( 2 )         -      2,330       ( 2 )            -        2,018        ( 2 )            -
 Connecticut ............      6       7         8      1,125       2,110        6,841        1,020        1,309        1,130     
 Delaware ...............      -       -         -          -           -            -            -            -            -
 District of Columbia ...  ( 2 )       -     ( 2 )      ( 2 )           -        ( 2 )        ( 2 )            -        ( 2 )
 Florida ................     49      50        43      9,585      11,340        6,511        6,559        6,589        4,311     
 Georgia ................     26      15        10      3,940       3,182        1,615        3,085        2,707          988     
 Hawaii .................      6      10        19        884       1,508        1,737          705        1,648        1,737     
 Idaho ..................      5      15        12        780       2,310        1,065          346        1,631        1,023     

 Illinois ...............     84     172       118     14,759      38,135       20,347       13,125       30,212       13,393     
 Indiana ................     15      32        15      2,382       4,783        2,232        2,061        5,101        1,703     
 Iowa ...................     10      11         7        698       1,212          642          852        1,103          501     
 Kansas .................      -       5         7          -         498        3,804            -          500          657     
 Kentucky ...............      9      11        14      2,811       1,684        2,254        1,413        1,443        1,196     
 Louisiana ..............     13      15        18      2,267       2,248        3,236        2,013        1,989        3,184     
 Maine ..................     10      11         9      2,106       1,796        2,017        1,457        1,306        1,613     
 Maryland ...............      7       7        13        881         872        1,722          887          630        1,292     
 Massachusetts ..........     18      39        31      2,886       8,403        7,489        3,921        7,056        4,825     
 Michigan ...............     42      29       140      5,166       4,164       13,065        5,661        3,477       13,801     
 Minnesota ..............     20      65        18      3,091      10,294        2,655        2,133        8,987        2,369     
 Mississippi ............     11       9         4      2,085       1,318          767        1,406          981          573     
 Missouri ...............     34      35        32      3,645       7,256        3,685        3,314        5,900        2,753     

 Montana ................  ( 2 )       5     ( 2 )      ( 2 )       1,286        ( 2 )        ( 2 )        1,053        ( 2 )
 Nebraska ...............      -   ( 2 )         -          -        ( 2 )           -            -        ( 2 )            -
 Nevada .................      9      14        15      1,392       2,910        1,889        1,500        2,528        1,584     
 New Hampshire ..........  ( 2 )   ( 2 )         3      ( 2 )       ( 2 )          300        ( 2 )        ( 2 )          296     
 New Jersey .............     57      56        24      7,850      11,037        9,393        7,121        8,964        4,982     
 New Mexico .............      6       4        10        584       1,310        1,232          571          525          963     
 New York ...............     25     109        35      3,058      17,399        5,949        2,938       16,989        5,902     
 North Carolina .........     30      23        29      7,599       4,776        5,909        4,983        2,509        3,674     
 North Dakota ...........      -       -     ( 2 )          -           -        ( 2 )            -            -        ( 2 )
 Ohio ...................     86     100        98     13,941      23,792       12,138       12,593       19,017       10,763     
 Oklahoma ...............      9       9         7      1,015         776        2,056          961        1,592        2,038     
 Oregon .................     12      15        18      1,841       3,051        2,363        1,448        3,023        2,170     
 Pennsylvania ...........     78     125        87     10,419      16,949       11,741       16,271       34,475       16,022     

 Rhode Island ...........      4   ( 2 )     ( 2 )        610       ( 2 )        ( 2 )          602        ( 2 )        ( 2 )
 South Carolina .........      9      10     ( 2 )        668       1,291        ( 2 )        1,105        1,256        ( 2 )
 South Dakota ...........      -       -         -          -           -            -            -            -            -
 Tennessee ..............     21       3         3      3,184         490          225        3,093          452          225     
 Texas ..................     54     106       108     12,328      21,544       16,544       13,448       27,145       17,608     
 Utah ...................  ( 2 )      10     ( 2 )      ( 2 )       1,181        ( 2 )        ( 2 )        1,346        ( 2 )
 Vermont ................      -       -         -          -           -            -            -            -            -
 Virginia ...............     27      16        26      7,068       3,703        5,989        3,609        2,910        3,400     
 Washington .............     25      23        10      3,225       5,895        5,140        2,519        3,624        1,983     
 West Virginia ..........      4      11     ( 2 )        449       1,383        ( 2 )          548        1,267        ( 2 )
 Wisconsin ..............     38      82        33      4,847      17,966        6,475        6,987       19,365        4,674     
 Wyoming ................  ( 2 )       -     ( 2 )      ( 2 )           -        ( 2 )        ( 2 )            -        ( 2 )

 Puerto Rico ............     16      33        19      2,945       9,024        2,829        3,975        6,025        2,327     


   1 See footnote 1, table 1.                                 
   2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
   r = revised.
   p = preliminary.
   NOTE:  Dash represents zero.