Internet address:  http://stats.bls.gov/newsrels.htm
Technical information:  (202) 606-6396      USDL 99-71
                                            For release: 10:00 A.M. EST
Media contact:                606-5902      Tuesday, March 23, 1999

                       MASS LAYOFFS IN DECEMBER 1998
   
   In December 1998, there were 1,608 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 190,070.
The number of layoff events was about the same as a year earlier, but
the number of initial claimants for unemployment insurance was higher
in December 1998 than in December 1997.  The total of layoff events from
January through December 1998, at 15,647, was somewhat higher than in
the prior year (14,960), and the total number of initial claimants, at
1,747,338, was also higher than in 1997 (1,542,543).  (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 establish-
ment and on the demographics of the laid-off workers.  See the Technical
Note for more detailed definitions.
   
   Because the 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.  For
example, 3,475 layoff events involving 419,391 initial claimants for
unemployment insurance occurred in July, August, and September of 1998
combined.  The third-quarter 1998 figures for mass layoffs lasting more
than 30 days, however, were 1,215 events and 201,522 claimants.  Thirty-
five percent of all mass layoffs in the July-September period lasted for
more than a month.  (See table 1.)  In all quarters for which data are
available, the proportion of mass layoffs that became "extended" mass
layoffs varied from about 31 to 47 percent.
   
Industry Distribution
   
   In December 1998, manufacturing industries accounted for 37 percent
of all mass layoff events and 42 percent of the initial claims filed.
Manufacturing industries that had the highest numbers of initial claimants
were industrial machinery and equipment (9,598), primarily in refrigeration
and heating equipment; electronic and other electrical equipment (9,466),
mostly in electron tubes; and food products (9,091), particularly in frozen 
and canned fruits and vegetables.  (See table 3.)
   
   In nonmanufacturing industries, services accounted for 17 percent of all
mass layoff events and 20 percent of all initial claims filed.  The layoffs
were predominantly in motion pictures (mostly in motion picture and video-
tape production) and business services (particularly in help supply
services).  Layoffs in the motion picture industry and help supply services
industry are more likely than those in other industries to last less than
30 days.  Construction accounted for 15 percent of layoff events and
11 percent of initial claimants during the month, and were concentrated
primarily in highway and street construction.  Retail trade contributed
9 percent to both layoff events and initial claims during the month,
largely in eating and drinking places.

                                  - 2 -

   Compared with December 1997, the largest increases in initial claims
occurred in motion pictures (6,827), industrial machinery and equipment
(5,301), business services (2,991), and automotive dealers and service
stations (2,878).  The largest over-the-year decreases in initial claims
occurred in the wholesale trade of durable goods (-1,783) and rubber and
miscellaneous plastics products (-1,701).
   
State Distribution
   
   Among the 49 states and the District of Columbia reporting data for
December, California had the largest number of initial claims filed in mass
layoff events (44,163), primarily in motion pictures, followed by Illinois
(15,226), Wisconsin (12,477), and Pennsylvania (12,444).  These four states
accounted for about 44 percent of all layoff events and initial claims.
(See table 2.)
   
   From December 1997 to December 1998, California  reported the largest
over-the-year rise in initial claims (9,537), primarily in motion pictures,
followed by South Carolina (7,615) and Texas (5,212).  Michigan had the
largest over-the-year decline in initial claims (-6,423), mostly in
transportation equipment, followed by Virginia (-5,999).
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-STAT; TDD
phone: 202-606-5897; TDD message referral phone number:  1-800-326-2577.
 
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 1996 to
December 1998
 
                                                            Extended mass layoffs         
              Date                                        lasting more than 30 days      
                                Total mass layoffs                                       Event                          
                                                                                       realization 
                               Events        Initial        Events        Initial        rate(1)
                                            claimants                    claimants
                                       
              1996

 October ...................... 1,289         131,850     
 November ..................... 1,433         130,774     
 December ..................... 1,824         204,123     
 
 Fourth quarter ............... 4,546         466,747        1,915         384,429       42.1     

              1997              

 January ...................... 2,139         212,860     
 February .....................   755          63,352     
 March ........................   783          84,069     

 First quarter ................ 3,677         360,281        1,317         253,209       35.8     

 April ........................ 1,269         152,168     
 May .......................... 1,152         101,476     
 June ......................... 1,238         121,256     

 Second quarter ............... 3,659         374,900        1,574         320,265       43.0     

 July ......................... 1,899         237,410     
 August .......................   973          99,513     
 September ....................   548          59,062     

 Third quarter ................ 3,420         395,985        1,077         216,844       31.5     

 October ...................... 1,414         139,297     
 November ..................... 1,156         100,051     
 December ..................... 1,634         172,029     

 Fourth quarter ............... 4,204         411,377        1,677         313,556       39.9     

              1998              

 January ...................... 2,360         255,203     
 February .....................   970          81,455     
 March ........................   762          78,210     

 First quarter ................ 4,092         414,868        1,299         243,155       31.7     

 April ........................ 1,253         132,476     
 May .......................... 1,180         107,952     
 June ......................... 1,208         183,590     

 Second quarter ............... 3,641         424,018        1,554         400,579       42.7     

 July ......................... 2,221         286,097     
 August .......................   617          53,665     
 September ....................   637          79,629     

 Third quarter ................ 3,475         419,391        1,215         201,522       35.0     

 October ...................... 1,553         160,830
 November(2) .................. 1,278         138,161
 December(2) .................. 1,608         190,070
     
   1 The event realization rate is the percentage of total mass layoff events lasting more than 30 days.                              
   2 Data exclude Wyoming.            
  

 Table 2. State distribution: Mass layoff events and initial claimants for 
unemployment insurance, December 1997 and December 1998
                                                        Initial claimants for
                                 Mass layoff events     unemployment insurance
                                                        
             State
                                December   December     December      December
                                  1997       1998         1997          1998

    Total(1) .................. 1,634      1,608       172,029       190,070    

 Alabama ......................     3          6           197           424     
 Alaska .......................     3          5           258           340     
 Arizona ......................     7          3           579           450     
 Arkansas .....................    17         12         1,915         1,493     
 California ...................   354        397        34,626        44,163     
 Colorado .....................    19         14         1,896         1,244     
 Connecticut ..................    11          -           953             -
 Delaware .....................     3          -           171             -
 District of Columbia ......... ( 2 )      ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )
 Florida ......................    39         46         2,431         3,083     
 Georgia ......................    17         10         1,545           809     
 Hawaii .......................     8          6           576           474     
 Idaho ........................    20         17         2,525         1,710    

 Illinois .....................    94        104        12,293        15,226     
 Indiana ......................    43         47         5,138         7,985     
 Iowa .........................    27         38         4,045         4,471     
 Kansas .......................    18          8         1,350           743     
 Kentucky .....................    13         23         2,598         2,103     
 Louisiana ....................    15         21           932         1,553     
 Maine ........................    11         14           913         1,112     
 Maryland .....................    21          4         2,067           302     
 Massachusetts ................    48         25         5,319         3,409     
 Michigan .....................    91         30         9,400         2,977     
 Minnesota ....................    39         36         4,755         4,697     
 Mississippi ..................     3          6           246           522     
 Missouri .....................    56         57         7,010        10,428     

 Montana ......................     4          -           217             -
 Nebraska .....................     -          4             -           448     
 Nevada .......................    20         24         2,188         2,059     
 New Hampshire ................     7      ( 2 )           521         ( 2 )
 New Jersey ...................    59         41         6,539         4,658     
 New Mexico ...................     3      ( 2 )           251         ( 2 )
 New York .....................    23         32         2,043         2,888     
 North Carolina ...............    12          9           866           705     
 North Dakota ................. ( 2 )      ( 2 )         ( 2 )         ( 2 )
 Ohio .........................    67         69         6,704         5,813     
 Oklahoma .....................    13         14         1,513         1,232     
 Oregon .......................    36         37         3,692         4,089     
 Pennsylvania .................   126        135         9,960        12,444     

 Rhode Island .................    11          4         1,107           661     
 South Carolina ...............    15         62         1,539         9,154     
 South Dakota .................     -          -             -             -
 Tennessee ....................    10         14           893         1,859     
 Texas ........................    49         82         5,749        10,961     
 Utah .........................     9          7         1,021           708     
 Vermont ......................     -      ( 2 )             -         ( 2 )
 Virginia .....................    57         34        10,713         4,714     
 Washington ...................    24         36         2,021         4,629     
 West Virginia ................     3      ( 2 )           175         ( 2 )
 Wisconsin ....................   104         68        10,477        12,477     
 Wyoming ......................     -      ( 1 )             -         ( 1 )

 Puerto Rico ..................    14          5         1,252           622     

   1  For December 1998, data were reported by the District of Columbia and all states, except Wyoming.                                 
   2  Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.     
   NOTE: Data for total mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance 
have been revised for December 1997 due to the inclusion of new data for Louisiana and Oklahoma.  
Dash represents zero.
Table 3. Industry distribution: Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance,
December 1997 and December 1998

                                                                                                Initial claimants for
                                                                     Mass layoff events         unemployment insurance
                             Industry

                                                                   December    December        December        December
                                                                     1997        1998            1997            1998
           
      Total(1)  ................................................... 1,634        1,608         172,029         190,070     

 Total, private ................................................... 1,585        1,561         168,055         184,619     

   Agriculture ....................................................    88           89           6,494           6,043     
   Nonagriculture ................................................. 1,471        1,437         157,900         175,134     
     Manufacturing ................................................   630          598          74,177          79,476     
       Durable goods ..............................................   309          315          40,290          47,465     
         Lumber and wood products .................................    57           41           6,283           4,888     
         Furniture and fixtures ...................................    15           14           2,652           2,419     
         Stone, clay, and glass products ..........................    38           28           3,903           3,497     
         Primary metal industries .................................    18           27           2,241           3,554     
         Fabricated metal products ................................    39           22           4,588           3,121     
         Industrial machinery and equipment .......................    26           51           4,297           9,598     
         Electronic and other electrical equipment ................    40           53           6,588           9,466     
         Transportation equipment .................................    53           36           6,461           5,139     
         Instruments and related products .........................     8           16             594           1,765     
         Miscellaneous manufacturing industries ...................    15           27           2,683           4,018     

       Nondurable goods ...........................................   321          283          33,887          32,011     
         Food and kindred products ................................    96           79           9,939           9,091     
         Tobacco products .........................................     4            4             275             355     
         Textile mill products ....................................    41           48           6,238           7,056     
         Apparel and other textile products .......................    82           68           7,465           6,559     
         Paper and allied products ................................    12           15             999           1,719     
         Printing and publishing ..................................    10           11             975           1,237     
         Chemicals and allied products ............................     6            4             390             302     
         Petroleum and coal products ..............................    19           11           1,543           1,174     
         Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products ...............    39           31           3,975           2,274     
         Leather and leather products .............................    12           12           2,088           2,244     

     Nonmanufacturing .............................................   841          839          83,723          95,658     
       Mining .....................................................    14           26           1,040           2,163     
       Construction ...............................................   275          249          20,248          19,983     
       Transportation and public utilities ........................   105           91          12,153          12,409     
       Wholesale and retail trade .................................   186          182          20,655          21,103     
          Wholesale trade .........................................    36           36           5,894           3,855     
          Retail trade ............................................   150          146          14,761          17,248     
       Finance, insurance, and real estate ........................    17           16           1,374           1,047     
       Services ...................................................   244          275          28,253          38,953     

   Not identified .................................................    26           35           3,661           3,442     

 Government .......................................................    49           47           3,974           5,451     
   Federal ........................................................    13           12           1,301           1,084     
   State ..........................................................     5            9             527           2,223     
   Local ..........................................................    31           26           2,146           2,144     

      
    1 For December 1998, data were reported by the District of Columbia and all states, except Wyoming.                                
NOTE: Data for total mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance 
have been revised for December 1997 due to the inclusion of new data for Louisiana and Oklahoma.