Internet address: http://stats.bls.gov/newsrels.htm
Technical information:  (202) 606-6396  USDL 99-259
                                     
                                        For release: 10:00 A.M. EDT
Media contact:                606-5902  Tuesday, September 21, 1999
                                     
                                     
            EXTENDED MASS LAYOFFS IN THE SECOND QUARTER OF 1999


   In April through June of 1999, there were 1,430 mass layoff actions by
employers that resulted in the separation of 286,436 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 sharply lower than in
April-June 1998, when there were strike-related plant shutdowns in the
transportation equipment and electronic equipment industries.  (See table A.)
   
   The completion of seasonal work was the major reason cited for layoffs
and accounted for 37 percent of all second-quarter 1999 events and 39
percent of all separations.  Layoffs due to internal company restructuring
resulted in 63,140 separations.  Permanent closure of worksites occurred in
13 percent of all events and affected 39,976 workers, up from 34,834
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 second 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 April-June 1999, agriculture accounted for
13 percent of all layoff events and separations.  The layoff activity
occurred primarily among farm labor contractors and was almost entirely due
to the end of seasonal work.  (See table 1.)
   
   Twenty-nine 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 shipbuilding and repairing and aircraft manufacturing),
electronic and other electrical equipment (largely in current-carrying
wiring devices), and industrial machinery and equipment (mostly in lawn and
garden equipment).  In nondurable goods industries, layoffs were most
prevalent in food processing (canned and frozen fruits and vegetables and
raw cane sugar).

                                  - 2 -

Table A.  Selected measures of mass layoff activity
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Period         | Layoff events | Separations | Initial claimants
-------------------------|---------------|-------------|------------------
          1995           |               |             |
April-June ..............|      1,724    |    400,891  |      332,731
July-September...........|        950    |    193,956  |      154,226
October-December.........|      1,764    |    348,036  |      312,428
          1996           |               |             |
January-March............|      1,408    |    272,399  |      224,393
April-June...............|      1,352    |    261,628  |      200,032
July-September...........|      1,021    |    233,199  |      185,247
October-December.........|      1,916    |    417,044  |      348,073
          1997           |               |             |
January-March............|      1,317    |    255,227  |      224,180
April-June...............|      1,587    |    351,198  |      292,673
July-September...........|      1,082    |    217,869  |      209,019
October-December.........|      1,697    |    321,821  |      316,035
          1998           |               |             |
January-March............|      1,320    |    208,082  |      247,315
April-June(r)............|      1,563    |    391,461  |      402,276
July-September(r)........|      1,234    |    248,053  |      256,802
October-December(r)......|      1,736    |    380,235  |      326,076
          1999           |               |             |
January-March(r).........|      1,509    |    277,496  |      255,015
April-June(p)............|      1,430    |    286,436  |      192,291
--------------------------------------------------------------------------                        
     p=preliminary.                             r=revised.
   
   Services accounted for 26 percent of all layoff events and 24 percent of
separations, mainly in social services (primarily child day care) and
business services (mostly in help supply).  Retail trade accounted for 10
percent of all layoff events and 11 percent of all separations, largely in
eating and drinking places.  Cutbacks in construction accounted for 10
percent of events and 9 percent of separations, primarily in heavy
construction and special trade contractors.
   
   Layoffs in government establishments accounted for 4 percent of total
events and 3 percent of all separations.
   
Reasons for Extended Layoff
   
   Thirty-nine percent of the separations and 37 percent of the events in
the second quarter were due to seasonal work.  These layoffs were most
numerous among workers in agricultural services (such as farm labor
contractors and crop preparation services), social services (mostly in
child day care services), agricultural production crops (largely in
vegetables and melons and grapes), and food processing (mostly in canned
fruits and vegetables).  Layoffs due to internal company restructuring
(bankruptcy, business ownership change, financial difficulty, and
reorganization) comprised 18 percent of all layoff events and 22 percent 

                                  - 3 -

Table B.  Distribution of layoff events by size of layoff, 
April-June 1999
-------------------------------------------------------------
                    |    Layoff events  |     Separations
        Size        |-------------------|--------------------
                    |  Number | Percent |  Number  | Percent
--------------------|----------------------------------------
   Total............|  1,430  |  100.0  |  286,436 |  100.0
                    |         |         |          |
 50-99..............|    516  |   36.1  |   36,359 |   12.7
 100-149............|    332  |   23.2  |   38,856 |   13.6
 150-199............|    164  |   11.5  |   27,211 |    9.5
 200-299............|    174  |   12.2  |   40,131 |   14.0
 300-499............|    142  |    9.9  |   51,011 |   17.8
 500-999............|     77  |    5.4  |   49,687 |   17.3
 1,000 or more......|     25  |    1.7  |   43,181 |   15.1
-------------------------------------------------------------

of all separations; the 63,140 separations due to restructuring were the
highest second-quarter level since 1995 (77,494).  (See table 2.)

Size of Extended Layoff

   Layoff events during the second quarter continued to be concentrated at
the lower end of the layoff-size spectrum, with 59 percent involving fewer
than 150 workers.   These events, however, accounted for only 26 percent of
all separations.  (See table B.)  Separations involving 500 or more workers
accounted for 32 percent of all separations, down from 47 percent a year
earlier.  The average size of layoffs (as measured by separations per
layoff event) differed widely by industry, ranging from an average of 106
separations in fabricated metal products to 613 in transportation
equipment.
   
Initial Claimant Characteristics

   A total of 192,291 initial claimants for unemployment insurance were
associated with mass layoffs in the second quarter of 1999.  Of these
claimants, 17 percent were black, 50 percent were women, 22 percent were
Hispanic, and 15 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, 46 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 second quarter, the number of separations due to extended mass
layoff events was higher in the West (96,615) than in any of the other
regions.  (See table 4.)  Contributing to extended mass layoffs in the West
were agricultural services and food products.  The lowest number of worker
separations was reported in the Northeast region (36,641).
   
   Three of the four regions reported over-the-year decreases in
separations with the largest in the Midwest (-102,105), where strike-
related plant shutdowns in the transportation equipment and electronic
equipment industries had occurred in 1998.  Only in the West region did
separations increase.  Lower levels of separations this year were reported
mainly by employers in the East North Central and West North Central
divisions, with sharply fewer layoffs in transportation equipment.
Separations rose in the Pacific division.
   
   Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, the largest number of
worker separations occurred in California (64,472), followed by Illinois
(31,630), Texas (21,758), Florida (19,095), Pennsylvania (14,299), and Ohio
(12,514).  These six states accounted for 55 percent of total layoff events
and 57 percent of all separations during the second quarter of 1999.  (See
table 5.)  After excluding the substantial impact of seasonal work,
California still reported the most laid-off workers (31,807), primarily in
transportation equipment.

                                  - 4 -

   Over the year, the largest decreases in laid-off workers occurred in
Ohio (-33,406) and Michigan (-31,602).  The largest increase occurred in
California (+15,572 workers), primarily in agricultural services and food
products.

 Table C.  Summary of employer expectations of a recall from layoff,
 second quarter 1998 - second quarter 1999
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         |                Percentage of events
                         |---------------------------------------------------
  Nature of the recall   |   II   |    III  |    IV   |     I    |    II
                         |  1998  |   1998  |   1998  |   1999r  |   1999p
 ------------------------|---------------------------------------------------
 Anticipate a recall.....|  68.2  |   56.1  |   58.1  |   57.3   |   60.1
                         |        |         |         |          |
        Timeframe        |        |         |         |          |
                         |        |         |         |          |
 Within 6 months.........|  82.6  |   85.1  |   86.6  |   84.1   |   84.3
   Within 3 months.......|  55.3  |   65.9  |   35.5  |   47.3   |   50.8
                         |        |         |         |          |
          Size           |        |         |         |          |
                         |        |         |         |          |
 At least half...........|  92.4  |   92.5  |   96.5  |   89.5   |   91.4
   All workers...........|  68.8  |   72.5  |   52.4  |   53.0   |   60.1
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
             p=preliminary.                       r=revised.

Recall Expectations

   Sixty percent of employers reporting a layoff in the second quarter of
1999 indicated they anticipated some type of recall, down from 68 percent 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.
   
   Excluding layoff events due to seasonal work and vacation period (in
which 97 percent of the employers expected a recall), employers expected to
recall laid-off workers in 33 percent of the events, the lowest percentage
for any second-quarter period in the series.  In layoff events due to
internal company restructuring, employers anticipated a recall in only 9
percent of the events.
     

                             
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

  Establishment.   A  unit  at   a  single   physical  location   at  which
predominantly one type of economic activity is conducted.

  Extended layoff event.  Fifty  or  more  initial  claims for unemployment
insurance  benefits from an establishment during a 5-week period,  with  at
least 50 workers separated for more than 30 days.

  Initial  claimant.  A person  who  files  any  notice of unemployment  to
initiate  a  request  either  for a determination  of  entitlement  to  and
eligibility  for  compensation, or for a subsequent period of  unemployment
within a benefit year or period of eligibility.

  Layoff. The separation of persons  from  an  employer  as part of a  mass
layoff  event.  (See below.) Such layoffs involve both persons  subject  to
recall and those who are terminated by the establishment.

                                  - 2 -

  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
                                                          II      I     II       II        I       II       II         I       II
                                                         1998r  1999r  1999p    1998r    1999r    1999p    1998r     1999r    1999p    

         Total( 1 ) .................................... 1,563  1,509  1,430  391,461  277,496  286,436  402,276   255,015  192,291     

 Total, private ........................................ 1,487  1,483  1,369  363,395  273,082  277,549  386,947   250,251  185,837     

   Agriculture  ........................................   143    222    175   25,006   41,770   36,209   23,254    34,192   18,255     
   Nonagriculture ...................................... 1,341  1,251  1,192  337,710  230,166  241,160  362,897   214,784  167,345     
      Manufacturing  ...................................   496    502    395  183,091   87,128   88,800  212,154    80,189   53,518     
         Durable goods  ................................   270    280    196  145,660   52,986   48,116  173,445    43,864   26,262     
            Lumber and wood products ...................     8     27      7    1,078    3,833      965    1,003     3,202      656     
            Furniture and fixtures .....................     9     13      5    1,791    1,932      656    2,621     1,861      391     
            Stone, clay, and glass products ............    18     33      4    3,127    4,078      631    3,739     3,343      574     
            Primary metal industries ...................    13     24     24    2,147    6,633    2,625    2,720     5,252    2,736     
            Fabricated metal products ..................    34     27     26    5,939    3,497    2,744    6,200     3,780    2,560     
            Industrial machinery and equipment .........    26     52     29    3,704    7,857    6,647    5,236     8,539    4,565     
            Electronic and other electrical equipment ..    53     41     40   21,656    5,185    7,549   21,684     6,710    4,925     
            Transportation equipment ...................    88     37     38  102,308   13,651   23,300  126,080     7,596    7,418     
            Instruments and related products ...........     8     16     12    2,318    4,416    1,633    1,983     2,289    1,303     
            Miscellaneous manufacturing industries .....    13     10     11    1,592    1,904    1,366    2,179     1,292    1,134     

         Nondurable goods  .............................   226    222    199   37,431   34,142   40,684   38,709    36,325   27,256     
            Food and kindred products ..................    86     91     83   13,256   12,844   19,885   15,023    14,593   11,728     
            Tobacco products ...........................     3      8      -    1,103    2,845        -      843     2,011        -
            Textile mill products ......................    21     16     23    4,168    2,099    5,010    3,739     3,761    3,250     
            Apparel and other textile products .........    48     41     41    8,134    6,124    7,690    7,714     6,805    6,478     
            Paper and allied products ..................     9     14     12      739    1,932    1,866    1,011     2,180    1,301     
            Printing and publishing ....................    13     17     13    1,923    2,323    1,661    1,905     2,565    1,313     
            Chemicals and allied products ..............    10     12      9    1,563    1,362    1,571    1,373     1,378    1,232     
            Petroleum and coal products ................     3      3  ( 2 )      270      392    ( 2 )      287       329    ( 2 )
            Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products .    30     14     12    5,965    3,616    2,128    6,441     2,007    1,240     
            Leather and leather products ...............     3      6  ( 2 )      310      605    ( 2 )      373       696    ( 2 )

      Nonmanufacturing  ................................   845    749    797  154,619  143,038  152,360  150,743   134,595  113,827     
         Mining  .......................................    13     35     23    2,438    4,539    3,811    1,790     5,666    3,593     
         Construction ..................................   138    273    139   19,669   32,139   24,090   21,810    34,948   20,738     
         Transportation and public utilities ...........   104     41     87   26,768    8,059   18,909   24,556     7,291   15,169     
         Wholesale and retail trade ....................   169    159    166   35,272   48,897   34,174   32,969    31,424   23,070     
            Wholesale trade  ...........................    34     45     34    4,570    5,907    4,549    3,776     4,785    3,265     
            Retail trade  ..............................   135    114    132   30,702   42,990   29,625   29,193    26,639   19,805     
         Finance, insurance, and real estate ...........    24     32     28    4,178   10,675    4,811    3,569     5,556    3,176     
         Services ......................................   397    209    354   66,294   38,729   66,565   66,049    49,710   48,081     

   Not identified  .....................................     3     10      2      679    1,146      180      796     1,275      237     

 Government ............................................    76     26     61   28,066    4,414    8,887   15,329     4,764    6,454     
         Federal .......................................     4     11      7    1,100    1,995    1,498    1,586     2,321    1,033     
         State .........................................    15      7     10    2,881    1,220    2,091    3,511     1,183    1,164     
         Local .........................................    57      8     44   24,085    1,199    5,298   10,232     1,260    4,257     


    1   For the second 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                                                               
                                     II       I     II        II          I        II         II          I       II
                                    1998r   1999r  1999p     1998r      1999r     1999p      1998r      1999r    1999p     


    Total, all reasons( 1 ).....    1,563   1,509  1,430   391,461    277,496   286,436    402,276    255,015  192,291      

 Automation ....................    ( 2 )   ( 2 )  ( 2 )     ( 2 )      ( 2 )     ( 2 )      ( 2 )      ( 2 )    ( 2 )
 Bankruptcy ....................       23      26     32     3,514     22,853     8,796      2,535     10,554    4,271      
 Business ownership change .....       33      53     50     8,694     16,325    12,175      4,525      9,250    6,272      
 Contract cancellation .........       20      27     24     3,546      4,388     3,771      3,319      2,927    2,452      
 Contract completed ............      209     172    211    38,347     31,182    35,936     50,261     42,899   34,168      
 Domestic relocation ...........       20      16     16     3,532      2,037     2,982      2,686      1,472    1,946      
 Energy-related ................    ( 2 )      22      4     ( 2 )      2,769       395      ( 2 )      4,355      698      
 Environment-related ...........    ( 2 )       3      4     ( 2 )        510     1,578      ( 2 )        651      901      
 Financial difficulty ..........       30      50     55     9,074     13,074    13,746      6,250      8,937    7,105      
 Import competition ............        9      24     23     1,783      5,585     5,683      1,571      4,674    3,010      
 Labor dispute .................       51      10      5    50,304      3,446     7,653     70,759      1,459    1,174      
 Material shortage .............       36   ( 2 )  ( 2 )    14,442      ( 2 )     ( 2 )     17,399      ( 2 )    ( 2 )

 Model changeover ..............        3   ( 2 )  ( 2 )     7,741      ( 2 )     ( 2 )     16,811      ( 2 )    ( 2 )
 Overseas relocation ...........       10       6     14     3,076        789     2,381      2,258        883    1,538      
 Plant or machine repair .......        9       6  ( 2 )     3,987        526     ( 2 )      4,258        604    ( 2 )
 Product line discontinued .....       11      10     10     2,211      1,337     1,335      2,632      2,043    1,133      
 Reorganization within company .       98     131    116    17,663     26,026    28,423     15,675     25,223   20,230      
 Seasonal work .................      587     516    526   115,697     93,135   112,841     99,084     76,890   64,970      
 Slack work ....................      187     211    142    60,335     25,925    19,217     58,386     35,357   18,169      
 Vacation period ...............       76       5     78    21,515        614    12,573     12,735        394   10,552      
 Weather-related ...............       19      76     18     1,737      7,645     2,464      2,818      7,965    1,366      
 Other .........................       87      59     48    14,288      7,824     6,564     16,947      8,738    5,543      
 Not reported ..................       41      81     44     9,014     10,457     6,330     10,585      9,046    5,736      


    1 See footnote 1, table 1.   
    2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.                                                          
    r = revised.
    p = preliminary.                
Table 3. State and selected claimant characteristics: Extended mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment
insurance, first and second quarters, 1999
               
                                                                                         Percent of total
                                                 Total       
                          Layoff events         initial                            Hispanic                            
                                               claimants           Black            origin            Women         Persons age 55
                                                                                                                       and over 
          State                                             
                            I      II           I       II        I     II         I      II         I      II         I      II
                          1999r   1999p       1999r    1999p    1999r  1999p     1999r   1999p     1999r   1999p     1999r   1999p 
                                                                                                         
    Total( 1 ) .........  1,509   1,430     255,015  192,291     12.4   16.8      23.4    21.8      37.6    50.2      11.8    15.0     
                                                                                                         
 Alabama ...............     15      32       2,729    3,975     31.6   46.9        .1      .2      29.3    57.0      13.0    17.5     
 Alaska ................      4   ( 2 )         331    ( 2 )      1.2     .9        .9    17.5      20.2    27.8      10.6    11.8     
 Arizona ...............      9      26       2,318    3,938       .7    1.2      76.7    73.0      24.2    38.0      13.8    12.1     
 Arkansas ..............      5       8         887      912     39.5   38.7       2.4      .7      59.4    75.7       9.1    10.2     
 California ............    415     310      77,573   35,908      4.9    5.9      50.6    48.8      36.6    42.5       9.8    12.6     
 Colorado ..............      -   ( 2 )           -    ( 2 )        -    3.6         -    28.2         -    88.3         -    15.3     
 Connecticut ...........      8      11       1,396    1,479     11.0    9.9       8.0     4.1      48.2    68.4      17.1    16.0     
 Delaware ..............      -       -           -        -        -      -         -       -         -       -         -       -
 District of Columbia ..  ( 2 )       -       ( 2 )        -     20.6      -       1.2       -      56.4       -       5.5       -
 Florida ...............     43      94       6,388    9,617     21.6   29.0      28.7    36.8      37.0    51.2      17.3    22.4     
 Georgia ...............     10      15       1,095    2,091     49.6   57.0       1.3     3.4      64.6    72.2      18.4    10.3     
 Hawaii ................     19      15       1,941    1,275       .5     .7       1.1      .6      44.4    47.8      19.3    15.3     
 Idaho .................     12       8       1,082      787       .1     .3      15.2    27.6      31.3    65.6      10.0    12.5     
                                                                                                         
 Illinois ..............    118     107      17,691   17,727     18.8   22.3      11.1     9.0      34.6    50.1      10.9    15.8     
 Indiana ...............     15      20       1,777    2,544      7.0   15.3       3.5     2.2      32.4    56.2       9.7    13.0     
 Iowa ..................      7       4         515      591       .4    6.3       1.0      .7      33.8    66.3      13.2     8.8     
 Kansas ................      8      10       1,340      722     13.4    6.0       5.4     2.8      41.9    45.0      13.5    10.0     
 Kentucky ..............     14       6       1,237      518      7.7    3.1        .4       -      35.2    11.6      11.6     6.6     
 Louisiana .............     18      20       3,654    2,644     24.1   43.1       2.0     1.4       9.0    44.6       8.1    12.9     
 Maine .................      9       7       1,758      863       .2     .2        .2     1.5      50.1    40.1      13.1     9.0     
 Maryland ..............     13       7       1,317      526     38.7   51.9       2.5      .4      27.9    78.5      19.1    23.8     
 Massachusetts .........     31      36       5,429    5,560      4.3   12.0       8.2     9.7      56.5    62.1      15.0    22.6     
 Michigan ..............    140      66      15,627    8,588     16.9   18.4       3.2     2.0      34.5    50.9      10.9    12.6     
 Minnesota .............     21      25       3,178    2,423      3.5    2.1       1.8     1.7      46.7    47.3      14.3    16.1     
 Mississippi ...........      4       6         577      593     67.1   63.9         -      .2      80.1    70.8      13.0    11.0     
 Missouri ..............     32      14       2,858    1,984     15.1   20.8       1.5     1.1      47.4    63.2      14.4    15.2     
                                                                                                         
 Montana ...............  ( 2 )       6       ( 2 )      512        -     .6      10.7     2.0      19.6    21.7      21.4    15.2     
 Nebraska ..............      -       -           -        -        -      -         -       -         -       -         -       -
 Nevada ................     15      22       1,958    2,832      5.8   10.4      25.3    19.8      17.4    19.3      11.3    13.5     
 New Hampshire .........      3   ( 2 )         297    ( 2 )        -    1.2        .3     1.2       8.4    38.4      19.9     8.1     
 New Jersey ............     24      41       5,720    4,894     18.2   18.2      18.3    20.0      44.5    69.4      19.4    24.4     
 New Mexico ............     10      12       1,197    1,086      1.4    1.4      62.5    47.4      31.5    62.2      13.9    14.3     
 New York ..............     35      21       6,659    2,412     14.5   10.3       7.9     9.5      48.8    58.0      13.3    14.6     
 North Carolina ........     29      23       4,668    2,727     66.4   37.4       1.5      .8      54.4    61.3      14.7    15.3     
 North Dakota ..........  ( 2 )   ( 2 )       ( 2 )    ( 2 )     22.8      -       7.4     1.3      14.8    82.5       5.4    12.5     
 Ohio ..................     98      78      12,095   10,349     10.5   17.4       1.5     2.2      26.9    53.4      10.0    13.4     
 Oklahoma ..............      7      11       2,154    1,212     12.1    9.2       2.4     2.2      50.5    52.6       7.3    13.4     
 Oregon ................     18      24       2,483    2,874      1.2    1.3      25.5    20.6      57.3    61.7      18.2    17.4     
 Pennsylvania ..........     87      82      22,266   15,213      6.1   10.3       1.0     1.8      44.3    63.6      15.0    20.9     
                                                                                                         
 Rhode Island ..........  ( 2 )   ( 2 )       ( 2 )    ( 2 )      1.2    4.6       1.9     3.8      42.9    58.1      24.2    18.1     
 South Carolina ........     14      24       2,837    3,271     45.9   68.4        .1      .2      54.2    78.9       2.5     2.7     
 South Dakota ..........      -       -           -        -        -      -         -       -         -       -         -       -
 Tennessee .............      3      17         282    1,858     64.5   30.2       1.4      .3      57.4    73.6      10.6    15.8     
 Texas .................    108     120      22,516   23,737     14.2   15.0      38.1    43.1      27.0    36.4      11.2    11.5     
 Utah ..................  ( 2 )       7       ( 2 )      643       .8     .8       3.0     3.6       7.6    37.3      11.2    10.1     
 Vermont ...............      -       -           -        -        -      -         -       -         -       -         -       -
 Virginia ..............     26      20       4,356    2,582     42.7   53.8       1.0      .4      59.5    50.9      12.7    12.8     
 Washington ............     10      26       2,018    5,191      2.5    2.8       4.2    23.6      30.7    37.3      14.8    14.4     
 West Virginia .........  ( 2 )   ( 2 )       ( 2 )    ( 2 )      1.7    1.6         -       -      16.2       -        .9    26.2     
 Wisconsin .............     40      36       9,068    4,454      7.5   20.9       3.1     1.1      37.3    55.9      12.0    19.5     
 Wyoming ...............  ( 2 )   ( 2 )       ( 2 )    ( 2 )       .5      -      19.4    18.9      25.6     1.9      13.3    11.3     

 Puerto Rico ...........     19      12       3,492    2,209    ( 3 )  ( 3 )     ( 3 )   ( 3 )      49.0    48.9       7.0    14.5     


     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
                                   II         I       II            II          I        II            II          I        II
                                  1998r     1999r    1999p         1998r      1999r     1999p         1998r      1999r     1999p    


         United States( 1 ).....  1,563     1,509    1,430       391,461    277,496   286,436       402,276    255,015   192,291     

 Northeast .....................    212       199      202        41,424     44,737    36,641        41,948     43,686    30,767     

     New England ...............     46        53       58        10,616     16,882    12,110         7,074      9,041     8,248     
     Middle Atlantic ...........    166       146      144        30,808     27,855    24,531        34,874     34,645    22,519     

 South .........................    428       313      404        93,708     55,674    78,866        86,329     55,097    56,324     

     South Atlantic ............    239       139      184        48,664     24,535    42,319        38,500     21,061    20,875     
     East South Central ........     39        36       61         7,708      7,488     8,769         6,464      4,825     6,944     
     West South Central ........    150       138      159        37,336     23,651    27,778        41,365     29,211    28,505     

 Midwest .......................    453       480      361       176,419     69,465    74,314       185,030     64,298    49,462     

     East North Central ........    366       411      307       154,455     57,937    66,920       163,579     56,258    43,662     
     West North Central ........     87        69       54        21,964     11,528     7,394        21,451      8,040     5,800     

 West ..........................    470       517      463        79,910    107,620    96,615        88,969     91,934    55,738     

     Mountain ..................    100        51       85        15,625      6,806    16,376        13,298      7,588    10,159     
     Pacific ...................    370       466      378        64,285    100,814    80,239        75,671     84,346    45,579     


      1 See footnote 1, table 1.
      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
                                   II       I      II          II         I         II            II            I           II
                                  1998r   1999r   1999p       1998r     1999r      1999p         1998r        1999r        1999p 

     Total( 1 ) ..............    1,563   1,509   1,430     391,461   277,496    286,436       402,276      255,015      192,291     
                                                                                           
 Alabama .....................       19      15      32       4,081     4,161      4,376         3,967        2,729        3,975     
 Alaska ......................        6       4   ( 2 )       6,237       334      ( 2 )           904          331        ( 2 )     
 Arizona .....................       37       9      26       5,766     1,574      5,625         5,861        2,318        3,938     
 Arkansas ....................       12       5       8       2,762     1,167      1,547         2,080          887          912     
 California ..................      305     415     310      48,900    90,941     64,472        66,680       77,573       35,908     
 Colorado ....................       10       -    ( 2 )      1,044         -      ( 2 )           996            -        ( 2 )     
 Connecticut .................        7       8      11       1,723     6,850      2,513           990        1,396        1,479     
 Delaware ....................    ( 2 )       -       -       ( 2 )         -          -         ( 2 )            -            -
 District of Columbia ........    ( 2 )   ( 2 )       -       ( 2 )     ( 2 )          -         ( 2 )        ( 2 )            -
 Florida .....................      137      43      94      26,158     6,763     19,095        17,868        6,388        9,617     
 Georgia .....................       27      10      15       7,229     1,615      3,382         7,129        1,095        2,091     
 Hawaii ......................       13      19      15       1,493     1,737      1,562         1,379        1,941        1,275     
 Idaho .......................       15      12       8       1,998     1,065      1,059         1,584        1,082          787     
                                                                                           
 Illinois ....................      106     118     107      26,365    20,409     31,630        22,617       17,691       17,727     
 Indiana .....................       34      15      20      17,059     2,232      4,366        16,019        1,777        2,544     
 Iowa ........................        5       7       4         316       642        482           295          515          591     
 Kansas ......................        5       8      10       3,430     3,933      1,183         3,965        1,340          722     
 Kentucky ....................        9      14       6       1,993     2,278        962         1,436        1,237          518     
 Louisiana ...................       12      18      20       4,944     3,586      3,261         4,392        3,654        2,644     
 Maine .......................       11       9       7       2,336     2,017      1,541         1,524        1,758          863     
 Maryland ....................        8      13       7       3,761     1,722        628         3,035        1,317          526     
 Massachusetts ...............       22      31      36       4,542     7,491      7,407         3,387        5,429        5,560     
 Michigan ....................       98     140      66      41,763    14,082     10,161        76,205       15,627        8,588     
 Minnesota ...................       23      21      25       3,108     2,941      3,623         3,863        3,178        2,423     
 Mississippi .................        7       4       6       1,370       767        917           696          577          593     
 Missouri ....................       53      32      14      14,610     3,712      1,984        13,232        2,858        1,984     
                                                                                           
 Montana .....................        7   ( 2 )       6         481     ( 2 )        526           525        ( 2 )          512     
 Nebraska ....................        -       -       -           -         -          -             -            -            -
 Nevada ......................        8      15      22       1,498     2,198      3,512         1,489        1,958        2,832     
 New Hampshire ...............        5       3   ( 2 )       1,715       300      ( 2 )         1,081          297        ( 2 )
 New Jersey ..................       73      24      41      16,241     9,427      6,497        15,036        5,720        4,894     
 New Mexico ..................       17      10      12       3,103     1,233      1,924         1,814        1,197        1,086     
 New York ....................       23      35      21       4,077     6,687      3,735         3,345        6,659        2,412     
 North Carolina ..............       22      29      23       5,456     5,909      6,493         3,652        4,668        2,727     
 North Dakota ................        -   ( 2 )   ( 2 )           -     ( 2 )      ( 2 )             -        ( 2 )        ( 2 )
 Ohio ........................       85      98      78      45,920    12,541     12,514        34,726       12,095       10,349     
 Oklahoma ....................        4       7      11       4,318     2,169      1,212         6,080        2,154        1,212     
 Oregon ......................       22      18      24       3,032     2,662      4,792         3,114        2,483        2,874     
 Pennsylvania ................       70      87      82      10,490    11,741     14,299        16,493       22,266       15,213     
                                                                                           
 Rhode Island ................    ( 2 )   ( 2 )   ( 2 )       ( 2 )     ( 2 )      ( 2 )         ( 2 )        ( 2 )        ( 2 )     
 South Carolina ..............       13      14      24       1,199     1,692      2,471         1,721        2,837        3,271     
 South Dakota ................    ( 2 )       -       -       ( 2 )         -          -         ( 2 )            -            -
 Tennessee ...................        4       3      17         264       282      2,514           365          282        1,858     
 Texas .......................      122     108     120      25,312    16,729     21,758        28,813       22,516       23,737     
 Utah ........................        6   ( 2 )       7       1,735     ( 2 )      2,522         1,029        ( 2 )          643     
 Vermont .....................        -       -       -           -         -          -             -            -            -
 Virginia ....................       23      26      20       3,817     5,989     10,189         3,520        4,356        2,582     
 Washington ..................       24      10      26       4,623     5,140      8,313         3,594        2,018        5,191     
 West Virginia ...............        6   ( 2 )   ( 2 )         662     ( 2 )      ( 2 )           572        ( 2 )        ( 2 )
 Wisconsin ...................       43      40      36      23,348     8,673      8,249        14,012        9,068        4,454     
 Wyoming .....................        -   ( 2 )   ( 2 )           -     ( 2 )      ( 2 )             -        ( 2 )        ( 2 )

 Puerto Rico .................       10      19      12       2,443     2,829      2,771         2,431        3,492        2,209     


   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.