Internet address:  http://stats.bls.gov/newsrels.htm
Technical information:   (202) 691-6392  USDL 99-365


                                         For release: 10:00 A.M. EST
Media contact:                 691-5902  Thursday, December 23, 1999

                                     
                       MASS LAYOFFS IN OCTOBER 1999


   In October 1999, there were 1,098 mass layoff actions by employers as
measured by new filings for unemployment insurance benefits during the
month, according to data from the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of
Labor Statistics.  Each action involved at least 50 persons from a single
establishment, and the number of workers involved totaled 118,938.  Both
the number of layoff events and the number of initial claimants for
unemployment insurance were lower this October than in October 1998.  The
total of layoff events from January through October 1999, at 12,018, and
the total number of initial claimants, at 1,390,871, were lower than in
January-October 1998 (12,760 and 1,419,065, respectively).  (See table 1.)
   
   The monthly series in this release covers mass layoffs of 50 or more
workers beginning in a given month, regardless of the duration of the
layoffs.  Information on the length of the layoff is obtained later and
issued in a quarterly release that reports on mass layoffs lasting more
than 30 days (referred to as "extended mass layoffs") and provides more
information on the industry classification and location of the
establishment and on the demographics of the laid-off workers.  Because
monthly figures include short-term layoffs of 30 days or less, the sum of
the figures for the 3 months in a quarter will be higher than the quarterly
figure for mass layoffs of more than 30 days.  (See table 1.)  See the
Technical Note for more detailed definitions.
   
Industry Distribution
   
   In October 1999, manufacturing industries accounted for 34 percent of
all mass layoff events and 47 percent of all initial claims filed.
Manufacturing industries that had the highest numbers of initial claimants
were industrial machinery and equipment (12,985), primarily in construction
machinery and in farm machinery and equipment; transportation equipment
(11,206), mostly in motor vehicles and car bodies; and food and kindred
products (8,253), particularly in canned fruits and vegetables.
(See table 2.)
   
   Agriculture accounted for 22 percent of all layoffs and 14 percent of
initial claimants during the month, largely in agricultural services and
agricultural production crops.  Services accounted for 18 percent of all
mass layoff events and initial claims filed.  These layoffs were
predominantly in business services (particularly in help supply services)
and motion pictures.  Layoffs in these two industries, however, are more
likely than those in most other industries to last less than 30 days.
Retail trade accounted for 8 percent of layoff events and 6 percent of
initial claims during the month, largely in general merchandise stores and
eating and drinking places.
   
   Compared with October 1998, the largest decreases in initial claims
occurred in business services (-11,117).  The largest over-the-year
increases in initial claims occurred in transportation equipment (+6,401),
followed by industrial machinery and equipment (+4,354).
   
Geographic Distribution

   In October, the number of initial claims due to mass layoffs was higher
in the West (48,037) than in any other region.  (See table 3.)  Job losses

                                  - 2 -

in agricultural services accounted for 21 percent of the claims in the
West.  The fewest number of mass layoff initial claims was reported in the
Northeast region (12,495).
   
   Over-the-year decreases in mass layoff-related initial claims were
reported in the West, South, and Northeast regions, with the largest
decrease in the West (-33,640).  Among the divisions, lower levels of
initial claims over the year were reported mainly in the Pacific, with
sharply lower numbers of layoffs in business services.
   
   Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia reporting data for
October, California had the largest number of initial claims filed in mass
layoff events (41,919), primarily in agricultural services and business
services, followed by Illinois (9,682), Texas (9,409), Pennsylvania
(7,129), and Wisconsin (7,050).  These five states accounted for 67 percent
of all layoff events and 63 percent of all initial claimants for
unemployment insurance.  (See table 4.)
   
   From October 1998 to October 1999, California had the largest over-the-
year decrease in initial claims (-33,122).  Illinois reported the largest
over-the-year increase in initial claims (+7,155), mostly in industrial
machinery and equipment.
Technical Note
 
 
 
 The Mass Layoff Statistics (MLS) program is a federal-state program that
uses a standardized, automated approach to identifying, describing, and
tracking the effects of major job cutbacks, using data from each state's
unemployment insurance database.  Each month, states report on
establishments which have at least 50 initial claims filed against them
during a consecutive 5-week period.  These establishments then are
contacted by the state agency to determine whether these separations lasted
31 days or longer, and, if so, other information concerning the layoff is
collected.  States report on layoffs lasting more than 1 month on a
quarterly basis.
 
 A given month contains an aggregation of the weekly unemployment
insurance claims filings for the Sunday through Saturday weeks in that
month.  All weeks are included for the particular month, except if the
first day of the month falls on Saturday.  In this case, the week is
included in the prior month's tabulations.  This means that some months
will contain 4 weeks and others 5 weeks, and the number of weeks in a given
month may be different from year to year.  Therefore, analysis of over-the-
month and over-the-year change should take this calendar effect into
consideration.
 
 The MLS program resumed operations in April 1995 after it had been
terminated in November 1992 due to lack of funding.  Prior to April 1995,
monthly layoff statistics were not available.
 
 Information in this release will be made available to sensory
impaired individuals upon request.  Voice phone: 202-606-5886; 
TDD message referral phone number:  1-800-877-8339.
 
Definitions
 
 Initial claimant.  A person who files any notice of unemployment to
initiate a request either for a determination of entitlement to and
eligibility for compensation, or for a subsequent period of unemployment
within a benefit year or period of eligibility.
 
 Mass layoff event.  Fifty or more initial claims for unemployment
insurance benefits filed against an establishment during a 5-week period,
regardless of duration.
Table 1. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance, October 1997 to October 1999

  
                                                                 Extended mass layoffs 
                                                               lasting more than 30 days
               Date                                                                                    
                               Total mass layoffs                                     Event
                                                                                   realization
                                                                                     rate(1)
                                           Initial                   Initial          
                              Events      claimants      Events     claimants


             1997

 October ....................  1,414      139,297     
 November ...................  1,156      100,051     
 December ...................  1,634      172,029     

 Fourth Quarter .............  4,204      411,377         1,697       316,035          40.4     

             1998

 January ....................  2,360      255,203     
 February ...................    970       81,455     
 March ......................    762       78,210     

 First Quarter ..............  4,092      414,868         1,320       247,315          32.3     

 April ......................  1,253      132,476     
 May ........................  1,180      107,952     
 June .......................  1,208      183,590     

 Second Quarter .............  3,641      424,018         1,563       402,276          42.9     

 July .......................  2,220      286,055     
 August .....................    617       53,665     
 September ..................    637       79,629     

 Third Quarter ..............  3,474      419,349         1,234    (r)256,805	          35.5     

 October(r) .................  1,553      160,830     
 November ...................  1,372      162,537     
 December ...................  1,644      193,072     

 Fourth Quarter ............(r)4,569   (r)516,439         1,736    (r)326,109          38.0     

             1999

 January ....................  2,415      296,404     
 February ...................  1,076      117,223     
 March ......................    850       90,958     

 First Quarter ..............  4,341      504,585         1,509    (r)251,332          34.8     

 April ......................  1,250      161,269     
 May ........................  1,033      102,815     
 June .......................  1,140      130,951     

 Second Quarter .............  3,423      395,035      (r)1,445    (r)241,828       (r)42.2

 July .......................  1,741      221,334     
 August .....................    698       75,691     
 September ..................    717       75,288     

 Third Quarter ..............  3,156      372,313      (p)1,072    (p)153,142       (p)34.0

 October ....................  1,098      118,938     


1  The event realization rate is the percentage of events lasting more than 30 days.                 
p  = preliminary.
r  = revised.Table 2. Industry distribution: Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance,
October 1998 and October 1999
                                           		                       Initial claimants for
                                                         Mass layoff events        unemployment insurance
                           Industry

                                                         October       October      October      October
                                                          1998(r)       1999         1998(r)      1999

      Total(1) .......................................   1,553         1,098       160,830       118,938     

 Total, private ......................................   1,487         1,047       154,424       114,389     

   Agriculture .......................................     262           237        21,783        16,626     
   Nonagriculture ....................................   1,182           797       127,777        96,803     
     Manufacturing ...................................     497           374        58,826        55,679     
       Durable goods .................................     257           211        29,913        36,245     
         Lumber and wood products ....................      14            18         1,072         1,575     
         Furniture and fixtures ......................      16            18         1,279         2,660     
         Stone, clay, and glass products .............       6         ( 2 )           909         ( 2 )
         Primary metal industries ....................      30            16         3,080         2,216     
         Fabricated metal products ...................      23            19         1,828         1,698     
         Industrial machinery and equipment ..........      56            49         8,631        12,985     
         Electronic and other electrical equipment ...      50            26         5,507         2,536     
         Transportation equipment ....................      30            48         4,805        11,206     
         Instruments and related products ............      17         ( 2 )         1,323         ( 2 )
         Miscellaneous manufacturing industries ......      15         ( 2 )         1,479         ( 2 )

       Nondurable goods ..............................     240           163        28,913        19,434     
         Food and kindred products ...................     106            73        11,643         8,253                                               
         Tobacco products ............................   ( 2 )             -         ( 2 )             -
         Textile mill products .......................      25            18         4,286         3,203     
         Apparel and other textile products ..........      61            36         7,971         4,950     
         Paper and allied products ...................       8             8         1,134           613     
         Printing and publishing .....................      11             7           806           501     
         Chemicals and allied products ...............       9             5         1,203           442     
         Petroleum and coal products .................   ( 2 )             3         ( 2 )           230     
         Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products ..      12             8         1,244           759     
         Leather and leather products ................       4             5           289           483     

     Nonmanufacturing ................................     685           423        68,951        41,124     
       Mining ........................................      19             6         1,548           632     
       Construction ..................................      99            78         7,618         6,464     
       Transportation and public utilities ...........      31            20         2,413         2,099     
       Wholesale and retail trade ....................     167           106        17,620         8,780     
          Wholesale trade ............................      27            22         2,725         1,416     
          Retail trade ...............................     140            84        14,895         7,364     
       Finance, insurance, and real estate ...........      33            19         2,858         1,534     
       Services ......................................     336           194        36,894        21,615     

   Not identified ....................................      43            13         4,864           960     

 Government ..........................................      66            51         6,406         4,549     
   Federal ...........................................      15            16         1,771         1,607     
   State .............................................      22            20         2,119         1,697     
   Local .............................................      29            15         2,516         1,245     



      1  Data were reported by all states and the District of Columbia.  
      2  Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
      r = revised.
      NOTE:  Dash represents zero.
Table 3. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance by census region and
division, October 1998 and October 1999

                                   Mass layoff events          Initial claimants for
                                    			   unemployment insurance
   Census region and division
                                  October       October       October         October
                                   1998(r)        1999         1998(r)          1999


         United States(1) ........1,553         1,098         160,830         118,938       

 Northeast .......................  222           134          21,125          12,495       

     New England .................   30            23           2,474           2,317       
     Middle Atlantic .............  192           111          18,651          10,178       

 South ...........................  295           210          38,032          24,089       

     South Atlantic ..............  129            89          15,894           9,830       
     East South Central ..........   43            25           5,488           2,327       
     West South Central ..........  123            96          16,650          11,932       

 Midwest .........................  180           189          19,996          34,317       

     East North Central ..........  147           151          16,365          27,819       
     West North Central ..........   33            38           3,631           6,498       

 West ............................  856           565          81,677          48,037       

     Mountain ....................   36            31           3,120           2,738       
     Pacific .....................  820           534          78,557          45,299       


      1 See footnote 1, table 2.
      r = revised.
      NOTE:  The States (including the District of Columbia) that comprise the 
 various census divisions are: New England: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, 
 New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont; Middle Atlantic: New Jersey, New York, 
 and Pennsylvania; South Atlantic: Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia,
 Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia; East South 
 Central: Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee; West South Central: Arkansas, 
 Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas; East North Central: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, 
 and Wisconsin; West North Central: Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North
 Dakota, and South Dakota; Mountain: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New 
 Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming; and Pacific: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington.
Table 4. State distribution: Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance,
October 1998 and October 1999

                                                              Initial claimants for
                                     Mass layoff events       unemployment insurance
                                                                      
               State
                                   October       October      October       October
                                    1998(r)        1999        1998(r)        1999

    Total(1) ....................   1,553         1,098       160,830       118,938     

 Alabama ........................      13            12         1,492         1,302     
 Alaska .........................       6             3           458           198     
 Arizona ........................       5             7           528           546     
 Arkansas .......................      10            16         1,272         1,821     
 California .....................     776           499        75,041        41,919     
 Colorado .......................       8             4           690           336     
 Connecticut ....................   ( 2 )             3         ( 2 )           300     
 Delaware .......................   ( 2 )             -         ( 2 )             -
 District of Columbia ...........      -          ( 2 )             -         ( 2 )
 Florida ........................      41            34         3,428         2,215     
 Georgia ........................      15            12         1,625         1,257     
 Hawaii .........................   ( 2 )             4         ( 2 )           417     
 Idaho ..........................      11             6           817           588     

 Illinois .......................      30            43         2,527         9,682     
 Indiana ........................      14            11         1,153           947     
 Iowa ...........................       3             9           191         3,560     
 Kansas .........................       4         ( 2 )           517         ( 2 )
 Kentucky .......................       6             3           816           243     
 Louisiana ......................       6             5           437           477     
 Maine ..........................       3             5           215           549     
 Maryland .......................       6             4           455           250     
 Massachusetts ..................      20            12         1,691         1,279     
 Michigan .......................       8            30           566         3,345     
 Minnesota ......................      10             7         1,025           869     
 Mississippi ....................      17             6         2,578           459     
 Missouri .......................      16            21         1,898         1,979     

 Montana ........................       6         ( 2 )           612         ( 2 )
 Nebraska .......................       -             -             -             -
 Nevada .........................   ( 2 )            10         ( 2 )           921     
 New Hampshire ..................   ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )
 New Jersey .....................      27            19         2,471         2,075     
 New Mexico .....................       3         ( 2 )           233         ( 2 )
 New York .......................      31            11         3,674           974     
 North Carolina .................      13            12         1,121         1,457     
 North Dakota ...................       -             -             -             -
 Ohio ...........................      43            23         5,330         6,795     
 Oklahoma .......................       5             3         1,007           225     
 Oregon .........................      16            18         1,136         1,818     
 Pennsylvania ...................     134            81        12,506         7,129     

 Rhode Island ...................       3             -           209             -
 South Carolina .................      26            14         3,838         2,696     
 South Dakota ...................       -             -             -             -
 Tennessee ......................       7             4           602           323     
 Texas ..........................     102            72        13,934         9,409     
 Utah ...........................   ( 2 )             -         ( 2 )             -
 Vermont ........................       -         ( 2 )             -         ( 2 )
 Virginia .......................      25            12         4,712         1,821     
 Washington .....................      20            10         1,780           947     
 West Virginia ..................   ( 2 )             -         ( 2 )             -
 Wisconsin ......................      52            44         6,789         7,050     
 Wyoming ........................       -             -             -             -

 Puerto Rico ....................      68             8         8,388           673    


      1  See footnote 1, table 2.
      2  Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
      r = revised.
      NOTE:  Dash represents zero.