Technical information:  (202) 691-6392     USDL 04-1679
http://www.bls.gov/mls/
                                           For release: 10:00 A.M. EDT
Media contact:                691-5902     Thursday, August 26, 2004
                                     
                                     
            EXTENDED MASS LAYOFFS IN THE SECOND QUARTER OF 2004
   
   
   In the second quarter of 2004, 1,233 mass layoff actions were taken 
by employers that resulted in the separation of 233,852 workers from 
their jobs for at least 31 days, according to preliminary figures re-
leased by the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics.  
Both the total number of layoff events and the number of separations 
were sharply lower than in April-June 2003 and were the lowest for a 
second quarter since 2000.  (See table A.)  The decline over the year 
was most notable in transportation equipment manufacturing, adminis-
trative and support services, air transportation, and general mer-
chandise stores.  In the second quarter of 2004, the national unem-
ployment rate was 5.5 percent, not seasonally adjusted; a year earlier 
it was 6.1 percent.  Private nonfarm payroll employment, not seasonally 
adjusted, increased by 1.3 percent or 1,383,000 jobs from April-June 2003 
to April-June 2004.  Extended mass layoffs that involve the movement of 
work within the same company or to a different company, domestically or 
outside the U.S., occurred in over 11 percent of the nonseasonal layoff 
events and accounted for about 12 percent of the worker separations.  
(See table B.)
   
   The completion of seasonal work accounted for 37 percent of all events
and 43 percent of separations during the period--the highest share of total
separations for any second quarter since data became available in 1995.
Layoffs due to internal company restructuring represented 16 percent of
events and resulted in 35,119 separations, the lowest level for a second
quarter since 1998.  Permanent closure of worksites occurred in 13 percent
of all events and affected 30,263 workers, the lowest second-quarter level
since 1995.
   
Industry Distribution of Extended Layoffs
   
   Extended mass layoff separations occurred in 348 of the 1,197 detailed
industries for which data are available for the second quarter 2004.  This
is the fewest number of industries to have at least one extended mass
layoff event in a second quarter since 2000.
   
   Manufacturing industries accounted for 21 percent of private nonfarm
layoff events and 17 percent of separations during April-June 2004.  (See
table 1.)  The 39,865 worker separations in manufacturing were the fewest
for manufacturing for any quarter since 1995.  Layoff activity in this
sector was concentrated in food manufacturing (9,830), followed by trans-
portation equipment manufacturing (6,620) and fabricated metal products 
(3,054).
                               
                               - 2 -
  
Table A.  Selected measures of extended mass layoff activity 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Period          | Layoff events|  Separations | Initial claimants
-------------------------|--------------|--------------|-------------------
          2000           |              |              |
January-March............|     1,081    |    202,500   |     180,205
April-June...............|     1,055    |    205,861   |     186,759
July-September...........|       817    |    174,628   |     158,394
October-December.........|     1,638    |    332,973   |     320,909
          2001           |              |              |
January-March............|     1,546    |    304,171   |     306,535
April-June...............|     1,828    |    430,499   |     358,611
July-September...........|     1,629    |    330,391   |     336,298
October-December.........|     2,372    |    459,771   |     456,068
          2002           |              |              |
January-March............|     1,611    |    299,266   |     292,998
April-June...............|     1,624    |    344,606   |     299,598
July-September...........|     1,186    |    255,152   |     254,955
October-December.........|     1,916    |    373,307   |     370,592
          2003           |              |              |
January-March(r).........|     1,502    |    286,947   |     297,608
April-June(r)............|     1,799    |    368,273   |     348,966
July-September(r)........|     1,190    |    236,322   |     227,878
October-December(r)......|     1,690    |    325,302   |     326,261
          2004           |              |              |
January-March(r).........|     1,339    |    276,302   |     236,521
April-June(p)............|     1,233    |    233,852   |     178,381
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
  r = revised.                          
  p = preliminary.

   Transportation and warehousing accounted for 11 percent of private
nonfarm layoff events and 13 percent of separations, primarily in school
and employee bus transportation (21,383).  Layoffs in the accommodation 
and food services sector comprised 9 percent of events and 11 percent of
separations, mostly among food service contractors.  Cutbacks in arts,
entertainment, and recreation accounted for 4 percent of events and 10
percent of separations, mainly in skiing facilities.  The administrative
and waste services sector accounted for an additional 10 percent of events
and 9 percent of separations during the quarter, mostly in temporary help
services and professional employer organizations.  Health care and social
assistance accounted for an additional 13 percent of events and 9 percent
of separations during the quarter, primarily in child day care services.
   
   Information technology-producing industries (communication equipment,
communications services, computer hardware, and software and computer
services) accounted for 4 percent of layoff events and 8,578 worker sepa-
rations in the second quarter, down from 7 percent of layoff events and
22,334 separations for the same period a year ago.  (See table 6.)  This
also marked the fewest number of separations in the industry grouping for 
a second quarter since 1999.  Layoffs in the information technology-pro-
ducing industries were most numerous in communications services, 3,588
separations, followed by those in software and computer services.
   
                                  - 3 -

Table B.  Extended mass layoff events and separations, selected measures
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
                               |   Layoff events      |      Separations        
                               |----------------------|---------------------
            Measure            |     I    |     II    |     I    |   II
                               |   2004r  |    2004p  |   2004r  |  2004p                                                  
-------------------------------|----------|-----------|----------|---------
                               |          |           |  276,302 | 233,852
 Total private nonfarm.........|   1,339  |   1,233   |          |
                               |          |           |          |
   Total, excluding seasonal   |          |           |  212,830 | 118,720
    and vacation events(1).....|     980  |     701   |          |
                               |          |           |          |
     Total, movement of work...|     113  |      80   |   19,978 |  14,450
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

  1  The questions on movement of work were not asked of employers when the
reason for layoff was either seasonal work or vacation period.
  r = revised.
  p = preliminary.
   
Reasons for Extended Layoff
   
   Layoffs due to the completion of seasonal work accounted for 37 percent
of the extended layoff events and resulted in 101,457 separations in the
second quarter.  (See table 2.)  Seasonal layoffs were most numerous among
workers in amusements, gambling, and recreation, in transit and ground pas-
senger transportation, and in food services and drinking places.
   
   Contract completion accounted for 17 percent of events and resulted in
33,447 separations during the second quarter.  These layoffs were primarily
in administrative and support services, followed by those in specialty
trade contractors and building construction.
   
   Internal company restructuring (bankruptcy, business ownership change,
financial difficulty, and reorganization) accounted for 16 percent of
layoff events and resulted in 35,119 separations.  The number of such
separations was the lowest for a second quarter since 1998.  These lay-
offs were mostly among workers in hospitals, in credit intermediation and
related activities, and in telecommunications.  In the second quarter of
2003, layoff events for these reasons represented 20 percent of events and
involved 80,753 workers.
   
Movement of Work
   
   In the second quarter of 2004, 80 extended mass layoff events involved
the movement of work; this was about 11 percent of total extended mass
layoff events, excluding seasonal and vacation events.  These movements 
of work could have been to other U.S. locations or to locations outside 
of the U.S., and they could have occurred either within the same company 
or to other companies.  The extended mass layoff events involving move-
ments of work were associated with the separation of 14,450 workers, about 
12 percent of all separations resulting from nonseasonal/nonvacation mass
layoff events.  Revised data from the first quarter of 2004 show there 
were 113 extended mass layoff events and 19,978 separations involving the
movement of work.  (See table B.)  (First quarter 2004 marked the initial
reporting of job loss data relating to the movement of work in the Bureau's
Mass Layoff Statistics program.  In the first issuance of data, BLS was
able to provide the number of separations specifically associated with 
the movement of work within the same company or to other companies, both
domestically or outside the U.S.  However, BLS is unable to report similar
information with the issuance of second quarter 2004 data because a high
percentage of employers were not able to provide such data.  See the box
note at the end of the release for more information.)
                                  
                                  - 4 -

Table C.  Relocations of work actions by employers            
---------------------------------------------------
                          |  Relocations of work
          Actions         |------------------------
                          |     I    |     II
                          |   2004r  |    2004p
--------------------------|----------|-------------
Movement of work..........|    126   |      98
                          |          |
      By location         |          |
                          |          |
  Out-of-country reloca-  |          |
    tions.................|     38   |      30
    Within company........|     21   |      17
    Different company.....|     17   |      13
                          |          |
  Domestic relocations....|     84   |      63
    Within company .......|     66   |      51
    Different company.....|     18   |      12
                          |          |
  Unable to assign place  |          |
    of relocation.........|      4   |       5
                          |          |      
        By company        |          |
                          |          |
  Within company..........|     89   |      71
    Domestic..............|     66   |      51
    Out of country........|     21   |      17
    Usable to assign......|      2   |       3
                          |          |
  Different company.......|     37   |      27
    Domestic..............|     18   |      12
    Out of country........|     17   |      13
    Unable to assign......|      2   |       2
--------------------------------------------------
   r = revised.
   p = preliminary.
   
   Among the 80 extended mass layoff events with reported relocation of
work, 66 percent were permanent closures of worksites, which affected
10,215 workers.  In comparison, for the 1,233 total layoff events reported
for the second quarter of 2004, only 13 percent involved permanent closure
of worksites.
   
   Of the layoffs involving movement of work, sixty-four percent of the
events and 62 percent of the laid-off workers were from manufacturing
industries during the second quarter of 2004.  (See table 7.)  Among all
private nonfarm extended layoffs, manufacturing accounted for 21 percent 
of the events and 17 percent of the separations.
                                  
   Internal company restructuring (bankruptcy, business ownership change,
financial difficulty, and reorganization) accounted for 68 percent of
layoff events associated with work relocation and resulted in 9,186 se-
parations during the second quarter.  (See table 8.)  Most of these were
due to reorganization within the company.  In contrast, only 16 percent of
the layoff events in the total private nonfarm economy were because of
internal company restructuring.

                                  - 5 -

     Table D.  Summary of employer expectations of a recall from
     extended layoff, second quarter 2003-second quarter 2004
     
     ---------------------------------------------------------------  
                          |          Percentage of events
      Nature of the recall|-----------------------------------------
                          |   II  |  III  |   IV  |    I   |   II
                          |  2003 |  2003 |  2003 |  2004r |  2004p
     ---------------------|-------|-------|-------|--------|--------
                          |       |       |       |        |
     Anticipate a recall..|  43.2 |  32.0 |  58.2 |  39.6  |  56.0
                          |       |       |       |        |        
           Timeframe      |       |       |       |        |         
                          |       |       |       |        |         
     Within 6 months......|  84.3 |  84.5 |  85.5 |  82.5  |  84.6   
       Within 3 months....|  55.1 |  58.3 |  37.3 |  48.7  |  56.2   
                          |       |       |       |        |         
             Size         |       |       |       |        |         
                          |       |       |       |        |         
     At least half........|  87.6 |  86.9 |  91.7 |  86.4  |  92.0   
       All workers........|  49.2 |  44.1 |  45.0 |  35.3  |  52.3   
     ---------------------------------------------------------------         
       r = revised.
       p = preliminary.
   
   Among the regions, the South accounted for the largest proportion of
workers in extended mass layoffs associated with the movement of work 
(40 percent) in the second quarter of 2004, followed by the Midwest (31
percent), the West (20 percent), and the Northeast (9 percent).  (See 
table 9.)
   
   The 80 extended mass layoff events discussed above generated 98
identifiable relocations of work.  (An identifiable relocation of work
occurs when the employer could provide sufficient information on both 
the new location of work and/or the number of workers affected by the 
movement.  Some extended mass layoff events generate more than one re-
location of work.  For example, when an employer moves work to two new 
locations that would be counted as two relocations of work.)  More than 
7 in 10 relocations (71 out of 98) associated with movement of work oc-
curred among establishments within the same company.  (See table C.)  
In 72 percent of these relocations, the work activities were reassigned 
to places elsewhere in the U.S.  About one-third of the movement-of-work 
situations involved out-of-country moves (30 out of 98).  More than half 
(17 events) of these out-of-country moves were within the same company.  
In the 27 events where work activities were reassigned to another com-
pany under contractual arrangements, half of the instances involved re-
location of work to companies within the U.S. and half to companies out-
side of the U.S. 

Recall Expectations
   
   Fifty-six percent of employers reporting an extended layoff in the
second quarter of 2004 indicated they anticipated some type of recall.
This compares with 43 percent of the employers anticipating a recall a 
year earlier.  (See table D.)  Most of the employers not expecting a 
recall were in administrative and support services, professional and 
technical services, and credit intermediation and related activities.
   
   Among establishments expecting a recall, most employers expected to
recall over one-half of the separated employees and to do so within 6
months.  Fifty-two percent of the employers expected to extend the of-
fer to all laid-off workers, the highest proportion for a second quarter 
since 2000.

                                  - 6 -

Table E.  Distribution of extended layoff events by size of layoff,
April-June 2004p
-------------------------------------------------------------------
                 |      Layoff events     |       Separations
      Size       |------------------------|------------------------
                 |   Number  |   Percent  |  Number  |   Percent
-----------------|-----------|------------|----------|-------------
    Total........|   1,233   |    100.0   |  233,852 |    100.0
                 |           |            |          |
50-99............|     491   |     39.8   |   34,622 |     14.8
100-149..........|     266   |     21.6   |   31,537 |     13.5
150-199..........|     152   |     12.3   |   25,789 |     11.0
200-299..........|     137   |     11.1   |   32,546 |     13.9 
300-499..........|     115   |      9.3   |   42,632 |     18.2
500-999..........|      53   |      4.3   |   35,480 |     15.2
1,000 or more....|      19   |      1.5   |   31,246 |     13.4
-------------------------------------------------------------------
  p = preliminary.
   
   Excluding layoff events due to seasonal work and vacation period (in
which 95 percent of the employers expected a recall), employers expected 
to recall laid-off workers in 26 percent of the events, higher than a year
earlier when 21 percent of employers expected a recall.  In layoff events
due to internal company restructuring, employers anticipated a recall in
only 4 percent of the events.
   
Size of Extended Layoff
   
   Layoff events during the second quarter continued to be concentrated 
at the lower end of the extended layoff-size spectrum, with 61 percent
involving fewer than 150 workers.  These events, however, accounted for
only 28 percent of all separations.  (See table E.)  Separations involving
500 or more workers accounted for 29 percent of all separations, down from
34 percent a year earlier.  The average size of layoffs (as measured by
separations per layoff event) differed widely by industry, ranging from a
low of 72 separations in educational services to a high of 646 in
amusements, gambling, and recreation.
   
Initial Claimant Characteristics
   
   A total of 178,381 initial claimants for unemployment insurance were
associated with extended mass layoffs in the second quarter of 2004.  Of
these claimants, 18 percent were black, 14 percent were Hispanic, 55
percent were women, and 20 percent were 55 years of age or older.  (See
table 3.)  Thirty-six percent of claimants were 30 to 44 years of age.
Among the civilian labor force for the same period, 11 percent were black,
13 percent were Hispanic, 46 percent were women, and 15 percent were 55
years of age or older.  Thirty-six 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 highest in the Midwest (71,457), followed by the West
(67,070), the South (54,954), and the Northeast (40,371).  (See table 4.)
Extended mass layoffs in the Midwest were mainly in transit and ground
passenger transportation and in food services and drinking places.
   
   All four regions reported over-the-year decreases in separations, with
the largest decrease occurring in the West (-40,148), followed by the
Northeast (-37,917), the South (-36,022), and the Midwest (-20,334).  Each
of the nine geographic divisions reported over-the-year declines in laid-
off workers, with the largest declines in the Pacific (-35,011), Middle
Atlantic (-26,472), and South Atlantic (-23,887) divisions.

                                  - 7 -       

Table F.  Mass layoff events and separations, metropolitan areas
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                          |     Events    |    Separations            
            Metropolitan area             |---------------|------------------
                                          |   II  |  II   |   II    |   II    
                                          |  2003 | 2004p |  2003   |  2004p 
------------------------------------------|-------|------ |---------|-------- 
Total, nonmetropolitan areas..............|  280  |  173  |  47,043 |  31,890
                                          |       |       |         |              
Total, 331 metropolitan areas.............|  957  |  676  | 173,065 | 111,748
                                          |       |       |         |
    Chicago, Ill. ........................|   57  |   45  |  11,637 |  10,587
    Los Angeles-Long Beach, Calif. .......|   51  |   28  |  13,934 |   4,658
    Riverside-San Bernardino, Calif. .....|   14  |   13  |   2,107 |   4,427
    Sacramento, Calif. ...................|    7  |    9  |   3,336 |   4,355
    New York, N.Y. .......................|   23  |   18  |   4,509 |   3,467
    Philadelphia, Pa.-N.J. ............. .|   20  |   20  |   2,181 |   2,433
    Jacksonville, Fla. ...................|    6  |    9  |     964 |   2,186
    Houston, Texas........................|   17  |   16  |   2,537 |   2,127
    Detroit, Mich. .......................|   25  |   21  |   5,378 |   2,092
    West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, Fla. .....|    9  |    7  |   2,215 |   1,980
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  p = preliminary.   

   Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, the largest number
of worker separations occurred in California (39,472), followed by Illinois
(29,572) and Florida (20,578).  These three states accounted for 32 percent
of total layoff events and 38 percent of the separations during the second
quarter of 2004.  They were followed by Pennsylvania (11,277), Ohio (11,246), 
Colorado (10,903), and New Jersey (10,057).  (See table 5.)  After excluding 
the substantial impact of seasonal work, California still reported the most 
laid-off workers (25,167), largely due to layoffs in administrative and sup-
port services, social assistance, hospitals, and professional and technical 
services.
   
   Over the year, California reported the greatest decrease in laid-off
workers (-28,779), followed by New York (-19,725), Massachusetts (-12,236),
and Florida (-11,642).  The largest increase occurred in Ohio (+4,938).   
   
   Fifty-five percent of events and 48 percent of separations occurred in
metropolitan areas in the second quarter of 2004, compared with 53 percent
of events and 47 percent of separations during the second quarter of 2003.
Among the 331 metropolitan areas, Chicago, Ill., reported the highest
number of separations, 10,587.  Next were Los Angeles-Long Beach, Calif.,
with 4,658 separations, Riverside-San Bernardino, Calif., with 4,427, and
Sacramento, Calif., with 4,355.  (See table F.)  Employers located in
nonmetropolitan areas separated 31,890 workers in mass layoffs, down from
47,043 workers in the second quarter of 2003.   

Note
   
   The quarterly series on extended mass layoffs cover 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.  Approximately 30 days after a mass layoff is
triggered at an establishment, the employer is contacted for additional
information.  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 quar-
ters should not be used as an indicator of trend.
   
   For additional information about the program, see the Technical Note.
   
                      ______________________________

   The report on Mass Layoffs in July 2004 is scheduled to be released on
Tuesday, August 31, 2004.

                                  - 8 -

  ---------------------------------------------------------------------
 |    NOTE:  The fourth quarter of 2003 marked the final release of    |
 | extended mass layoff data for the total economy.  Due to budget     |
 | constraints in the Mass Layoff Statistics (MLS) program, begin-     |
 | ning with data for the first quarter of 2004, the scope of quar-    |
 | terly extended mass layoffs and plant closings has been rede-       |
 | fined to cover only the private nonfarm economy.  Quarterly in-     |
 | formation on layoff events in agriculture and government is no      |
 | longer collected.  However, the monthly reporting of the MLS        |
 | program, which is based only on administrative data, is unaffect-   |
 | ed and will continue to cover the total economy.                    |
 |                                                                     |
 |   Also beginning with first quarter 2004, the reasons for layoff    |
 | presented in table 2 of this release have been revised.  "Domestic  |
 | relocation" and "overseas relocation" are no longer being collect-  |
 | ed or reported.  Rather, information on domestic and out-of-country |
 | moves is collected and reported as part of additional questions     |
 | that address the movement of work.                                  |
 |                                                                     |
 |   The initial report on movement of work for the first quarter of   |
 | 2004 contained estimates of worker separations or job loss specifi- |
 | cally associated with the movement of work within the same company  |
 | or to other companies, domestically or outside the U.S. (See USDL   |
 | 04-1038, June 10, 2004.)  While the total number of separations in  |
 | extended mass layoff events associated with the movement of work    |
 | is known for the second quarter (14,450 laid-off workers in 80      |
 | events), it is not possible to disaggregate the number of separa-   |
 | tions due to relocations domestically or outside the U.S., within   |
 | the same company or to other companies.  The reason for this is     |
 | that employers were unable to provide such information in 31 of the |
 | 98 relocations.  The Bureau of Labor Statistics is exploring ways   |
 | to obtain more detailed responses so that resumption of the publi-  |
 | cation of job loss specifically associated with the movement of     |
 | work within the same company or to other companies, domestically or |
 | outside the U.S., may resume in the future.                         |
  ---------------------------------------------------------------------
   
   
   



Technical Note
 

   The  Mass Layoff Statistics (MLS) program is a federal-state program 
which identifies, describes, and tracks the effects of major job cutbacks, 
using data from each state's unemployment insurance database.  Establish-
ments 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, gender, 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.

Definitions
   
   Establishment.  A unit at a single physical location at which predomi-
nantly 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.
   
   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 complete 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.

Movement of work concepts and questions
   
   Because of the employer interview component, the BLS decided to use 
the MLS program as a vehicle for collecting additional information on
offshoring and outsourcing associated with job loss, by adding questions
that address movement of work.  The term "moving work" means that the
company experiencing the layoff has reassigned work activities that were
performed at a worksite by the company's employees (1) to another work-
site within the company; (2) to another company under formal arrangements 
at the same worksite; or (3) to another company under formal arrangements 
at another worksite.  The type of work activities subject to movement can
include accounting, customer service, cleaning, warehousing, etc.
   
   "Overseas relocation" is the movement of work from within the U.S. to
locations outside of the U.S. "Overseas relocation" can occur within the
same company and involve movement of work to a different location of that
company outside of the U.S., or to a different company altogether.

   "Domestic relocation" is the movement of work to other locations inside 
the U.S., either within the same company or to a different company.
  
   "Overseas relocation" and "domestic relocation" are no longer used in the
same way as they were in earlier extended mass layoff news releases.  There-
fore, the data presented in this news release are not comparable to those 
that were presented in earlier news releases.
   
   Questions on movement of work and location are asked for all identified
layoff events when the reason for separation is other than "seasonal work"
or "vacation period."  Seasonal and vacation layoff events were excluded
because movement of work appears unlikely.
   
   Questions on movement of work are asked after the analyst verifies that 
a layoff in fact occurred and lasted more than 30 days, and obtained the
total number of workers separated from jobs, the date the layoff began, and
the economic reason for the layoff.  If the reason for layoff is other than
seasonal or vacation, the employer was asked the following:
  
   (1) "Did this layoff include your company moving work from this lo-
cation(s) to a different geographic location(s) within your company?"
  
   (2) "Did this layoff include your company moving work that was performed
in-house by your employees to a different company, through contractual ar-
rangements?"
  
   A "yes" response to either question is followed by:
  
   "Is the location inside or outside of the U.S.?" and "How many of the
layoffs were a result of this relocation?"
  
   Layoff actions are classified as "overseas relocation" if the employer
responds "yes" to questions 1 and/or 2, and indicates that the location(s)
was outside of the U.S.  Domestic relocation is determined if the employer
responds "yes" to questions 1 and/or 2 and indicates that the location(s)
was within the U.S.
  
   After asking the movement of work questions, the employer interview
continues and responses are obtained for questions on recall expectations
and open/closed status of the worksite.

Reliability of the data
   
   The identification of establishments and layoff events in the MLS 
program and associated characteristics of claimants is based on admin-
istrative data on covered establishments an unemployment insurance claims, 
and, therefore, is not subject to issues associated with sampling error.
Nonsampling errors such as typographical errors may occur but are not
likely to be significant.  While the MLS establishments and layoff events
are not subject to sampling error, and all such employers are asked the
employer interview questions, the employer responses are subject to non-
sampling error.  Nonsampling error can occur for many reasons, including
the inability to obtain information for all respondents, inability or
unwillingness of respondents to provide correct information, and errors
made in the collection or processing of the data.  For the second quarter
of 2004, outright refusal to participate in the employer interview accounted 
for 4.8 percent of all private nonfarm events.  Although included in the 
total number of relocations involving the movement of work, for the second 
quarter, employers in 31 relocations were unable to provide the number of 
separations specifically associated with the movement of work, 14 of which 
involved out-of-country moves.
 
Other information
   
   Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired
individuals upon request.  Voice phone: 202-691-5200; TDD message referral
phone: 1-800-877-8339.

    
 
 

Table 1. Industry distribution: Extended mass layoff events, separations, and initial claimants for unemployment insurance,
private nonfarm sector, selected quarters, 2003 and 2004

                                                                                                           Initial claimants for   
                                                        Layoff events               Separations            unemployment insurance  
                      Industry                    
                                                      II      I      II        II        I       II         II        I       II   
                                                     2003   2004r   2004p     2003     2004r    2004p      2003r    2004r    2004p 


      Total, private nonfarm (1) .................  1,799   1,339   1,233    368,273  276,302  233,852    348,966  236,521  178,381

    Mining .......................................     10      14   ( 2 )      2,705    1,421    ( 2 )      2,701    1,681    ( 2 )
    Utilities ....................................      8       5   ( 2 )        924      620    ( 2 )        996      664    ( 2 )
    Construction .................................    143     250     108     20,741   29,055   15,018     23,194   33,065   15,205
    Manufacturing ................................    549     421     265    104,737   65,705   39,865    109,950   66,889   35,026
         Food ....................................     93      78      64     18,018   14,074    9,830     17,712   13,258    9,509
         Beverage and tobacco products ...........      4      10   ( 2 )      1,082    1,788    ( 2 )      1,000    1,693    ( 2 )
         Textile mills ...........................     25      14      12      4,199    2,074    1,727      4,642    2,155    1,247
         Textile product mills ...................      6       7       8        604    1,099    1,462        678    1,070    1,433
         Apparel .................................     30      19      11      3,535    2,514    1,584      3,700    2,128    1,026
         Leather and allied products .............      7       4   ( 2 )        947      689    ( 2 )        839      612    ( 2 )
         Wood products ...........................     16      16       7      2,357    2,021      758      4,146    2,438      543
         Paper ...................................     12      16       9      1,689    2,121    1,108      1,850    2,514      882
         Printing and related support activities .     17      14      12      1,858    1,866    1,551      2,046    1,574    1,062
         Petroleum and coal products .............      3       5       -        559      392        -        574      455        -

         Chemicals  ..............................     13      16       6      4,463    2,321      887      3,272    1,887      735
         Plastics and rubber products ............     15      20      12      1,712    2,690    1,149      2,514    2,364      915
         Nonmetallic mineral products ............     11      22   ( 2 )      1,815    3,022    ( 2 )      1,712    2,521    ( 2 )
         Primary metals ..........................     29      15       6      7,270    3,086    1,067      6,501    2,950      974
         Fabricated metal products ...............     32      22      18      5,261    2,550    3,054      5,547    2,674    2,018
         Machinery ...............................     36      21      13      7,373    2,264    1,526      6,417    3,090    1,407
         Computer and electronic products ........     71      33      13     11,109    4,120    1,697     11,379    5,015    1,537
         Electrical equipment and appliances .....     18      14       8      2,922    2,414    1,466      3,572    2,752    1,457
         Transportation equipment ................     65      41      37     21,336    9,715    6,620     25,332   10,544    7,055
         Furniture and related products ..........     34      21      17      4,914    3,273    2,134      4,801    3,780    1,814
         Miscellaneous manufacturing .............     12      13       7      1,714    1,612    1,461      1,716    1,415      657

    Wholesale trade ..............................     47      32      19      7,060    4,521    2,973      5,444    3,891    2,078
    Retail trade .................................    114     148      75     26,100   91,984   13,012     24,544   45,660   11,882
    Transportation and warehousing ...............    162      38     130     42,355    7,034   30,902     44,604    6,896   23,888
    Information ..................................     76      50      41     22,359   10,491    7,463     21,754   11,328    6,630
    Finance and insurance ........................     52      51      35      9,776    8,942    5,930      8,866   10,454    5,085
    Real estate and rental and leasing ...........      6   ( 2 )   ( 2 )        915    ( 2 )    ( 2 )        864    ( 2 )    ( 2 )
    Professional and technical services ..........     75      34      57     16,433    4,574   14,301     13,681    5,100   11,477
    Management of companies and enterprises ......      9       5       8      1,775      515    1,045      2,064      841      705
    Administrative and waste services ............    172     147     119     35,295   28,944   21,782     31,157   29,194   16,655
    Educational services .........................     11   ( 2 )       4      3,200    ( 2 )      289      2,548    ( 2 )      247
    Health care and social assistance ............    139      31     155     20,981    4,522   21,473     17,651    3,824   15,486
    Arts, entertainment, and recreation ..........     55      20      50     16,877    2,547   22,939      6,256    2,426    4,847
    Accommodation and food services ..............    117      69     105     28,491   11,228   26,595     25,523   11,861   21,734
    Other services, except public administration .     51      15      54      7,055    2,973    8,353      6,675    1,557    6,212

    Unclassified .................................      3       3       1        494      293       51        494      345       51
          

    1 For the second quarter of 2004, data on layoffs were reported by employers in all states and the District of Columbia. Due to
budget constraints in the MLS program, beginning with data for the first quarter of 2004, the scope of quarterly extended mass
layoffs and plant closings has been redefined to cover only the private nonfarm economy. Quarterly information on layoff events in
agriculture and government are no longer being collected. However, the monthly reporting of the MLS program in the release, Mass
Layoffs, which is based only on administrative data, will be unaffected and will continue to cover the total economy. 
    2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
    p = preliminary.
    r = revised.
    NOTE: Dash represents zero. 




Table 2. Reason for layoff: Extended mass layoff events, separations, and initial claimants for unemployment insurance,
private nonfarm sector, selected quarters, 2003 and 2004

                                                                                                      Initial claimants for     
                                          Layoff events                     Separations               unemployment insurance    
         Reason for layoff        
                                       II        I        II           II        I        II           II         I        II   
                                      2003     2004r     2004p        2003     2004r     2004p        2003r     2004r     2004p 


   Total, private nonfarm (1) ....   1,799     1,339     1,233      368,273   276,302   233,852      348,966   236,521   178,381

Automation .......................       -     ( 2 )         -            -     ( 2 )         -            -     ( 2 )         -
Bankruptcy .......................      65        29        15       16,458     9,135     2,451       13,358     6,342     1,574
Business ownership change ........      30        35        24        9,789     5,298     5,484        5,530     5,449     4,084
Contract cancellation ............      39        29        28        5,595     4,762     4,598        6,840     3,477     2,863
Contract completed ...............     246       198       209       42,104    62,127    33,447       45,570    42,301    30,389
Domestic relocation ..............      26     ( 3 )     ( 3 )        4,170     ( 3 )     ( 3 )        3,844     ( 3 )     ( 3 )
Energy-related ...................   ( 2 )         -         -        ( 2 )         -         -        ( 2 )         -         -
Environment-related ..............       3         -     ( 2 )          884         -     ( 2 )          711         -     ( 2 )
Financial difficulty .............      98        87        33       24,188    16,301     6,722       20,695    14,762     2,799
Import competition ...............      32        15         8        5,660     1,439     1,606        5,571     1,781       753
Labor dispute ....................       3         4        10        1,085    21,271     1,854          992     3,042     1,439
Material shortage ................       5     ( 2 )     ( 2 )          618     ( 2 )     ( 2 )        1,041     ( 2 )     ( 2 )

Model changeover .................   ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )        ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )        ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )
Natural disaster .................   ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )        ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )        ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )
Non-natural disaster .............   ( 2 )         -         -        ( 2 )         -         -        ( 2 )         -         -
Overseas relocation ..............      18     ( 3 )     ( 3 )        4,205     ( 3 )     ( 3 )        3,296     ( 3 )     ( 3 )
Plant or machine repair ..........       7     ( 2 )         6        1,161     ( 2 )       916          808     ( 2 )       923
Product line discontinued ........      10        10         8        1,829     2,060     1,403        2,454     1,575     1,259
Reorganization within company ....     174       172       121       30,318    29,158    20,462       30,544    33,284    16,864
Seasonal work ....................     465       356       452      108,517    63,045   101,457       87,838    56,814    68,037
Slack work .......................     263       173       104       40,363    21,060    15,461       51,566    28,769    16,829
Vacation period ..................      71         3        80       14,439       427    13,675       13,395       526    10,090
Weather-related ..................       3        16     ( 2 )        2,456     1,465     ( 2 )        2,463     1,724     ( 2 )
Other ............................      37        65        32        7,828    12,638     5,119        6,137    10,553     3,527
Not reported .....................     197       140        96       44,295    24,407    18,102       43,684    24,358    16,108


    1 See footnote 1, table 1.
    2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
    3 Beginning with data for 2004, these reasons for layoff are no longer used. 
    p = preliminary.
    r = revised.
    NOTE: Dash represents zero. 




Table 3. State and selected claimant characteristics: Extended mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance,
private nonfarm sector, first and second quarters, 2004

                                                       Total                                Percent of total                        
                                                      initial                           Hispanic                     Persons age 55
                                  Layoff events      claimants           Black           origin          Women          and over   
           State                
                                    I      II        I       II         I     II        I     II        I      II       I      II 
                                  2004r   2004p    2004r    2004p     2004r  2004p    2004r  2004p    2004r  2004p    2004r  2004p

  Total, private nonfarm (1) ...  1,339   1,233   236,521  178,381     13.8   18.2     15.5   14.0     40.7   55.0     15.2   19.6

Alabama ........................      4       7       882    1,224     35.5   60.0      6.9    3.8     38.0   39.5      9.1   16.7
Alaska .........................      5       9       426    1,140      2.6    3.0     10.8   21.4     27.9   39.3     10.8   19.5
Arizona ........................     11       8     1,915    1,476      5.9    2.7     32.5   57.6     47.2   61.5     12.0   11.7
Arkansas .......................  ( 2 )       9     ( 2 )      650     37.6   56.3      1.6    1.4     75.5   78.0     14.6   11.2
California .....................    234     164    47,240   23,700     10.8    9.7     30.3   34.4     48.5   54.4     11.3   16.5
Colorado .......................      9      15     1,053    2,107      4.9    7.7     34.1   21.3     25.9   59.6     15.3   17.5
Connecticut ....................     13      20     1,853    2,296     19.9   12.2     18.3    6.8     53.3   66.5     17.9   18.7
Delaware .......................      3       3     1,119      238      6.9   49.6      4.0   10.1     17.5   84.0     10.8   12.6
District of Columbia ...........      -   ( 2 )         -    ( 2 )        -   59.4        -    6.3        -   42.2        -   14.1
Florida ........................     94     116    16,066   15,306     15.4   19.8     33.3   31.9     47.2   49.7     18.6   21.4
Georgia ........................     27      28     5,896    4,218     44.0   65.8      2.6    3.3     38.0   68.4     20.6   14.3
Hawaii .........................      5       5       661      494      1.2    1.4     26.8   15.0      9.7   55.9     10.1    9.7
Idaho ..........................      5       3       474      207      1.1    1.0      4.6    3.9     19.0   26.6     16.7   16.4

Illinois .......................    118     111    19,706   21,574     21.1   23.4     15.2    8.5     40.3   53.1     14.0   18.8
Indiana ........................     28      24     5,140    3,112      6.8   19.8      3.2    2.7     34.6   57.6     18.0   25.0
Iowa ...........................     11       3     1,777      286      2.3     .3      2.4     .3     40.2   69.2     12.8   31.8
Kansas .........................      9      13       832    1,853     12.6   15.5      4.6    2.4     47.5   53.5     16.2   11.9
Kentucky .......................     13      21     1,692    2,266     23.6    7.7       .1     .9     53.0   48.9     12.4   14.4
Louisiana ......................      9      26       823    2,695     47.4   63.8      3.5    1.8     24.4   73.8     13.5   17.5
Maine ..........................     11       6     1,706      810       .6     .7       .2     .2     28.1   34.4     19.6   13.5
Maryland .......................  ( 2 )       4     ( 2 )      460      8.0   21.3        -    2.0     50.0   41.5     13.8   30.2
Massachusetts ..................     23      28     3,026    4,051      8.4   12.4      2.8    3.9     43.8   57.2     13.8   23.5
Michigan .......................     78      64    17,204    8,520     12.3   17.5      4.2    2.8     41.7   63.6     14.2   18.8
Minnesota ......................     23      23     2,880    2,125      4.3    8.4      4.5    8.5     38.9   53.4     14.9   19.0
Mississippi ....................      3       6       254      585     85.4   73.7       .4     .3     47.6   55.2     17.3   17.6
Missouri .......................     18      14     1,822    1,783      9.0   18.3       .9     .3     24.5   70.1     14.2   26.9

Montana ........................      4       4       346      322        -     .3      1.2    4.7      9.5   58.7     18.8    9.3
Nebraska .......................      6       6       617      652     17.2   20.9     16.2    4.4     29.5   55.1     11.2   25.6
Nevada .........................      6       4     2,642      593     11.0   23.9     15.2   15.3     35.8   54.8     27.3   19.2
New Hampshire ..................      3   ( 2 )       679    ( 2 )      7.4    2.3     25.2      -     43.9   60.2     16.6   29.5
New Jersey .....................     48      43     7,425    9,545     23.6   13.5     10.8    9.2     44.4   72.9     25.6   34.6
New Mexico .....................  ( 2 )       3     ( 2 )      295      1.1    3.7     25.8   49.2     13.5   35.6      5.6    7.5
New York .......................    124      42    21,620    6,362     11.5   16.3      6.7    7.2     34.8   45.4     15.0   16.3
North Carolina .................     16      19     2,048    1,971     49.0   41.7      4.5    2.1     48.2   53.7     23.7   21.6
North Dakota ...................      3       -       360        -       .3      -       .3      -     11.7      -     20.8      -
Ohio ...........................     78      82    10,446    9,708     12.8   17.6      1.5    2.0     27.9   50.8     13.5   15.7
Oklahoma .......................      9       5     1,234      485      5.0    6.8      9.2    5.6     33.4   45.4     21.1   14.2
Oregon .........................     23      22     3,837    3,222      1.9    2.5     19.3   16.0     54.3   62.2     17.5   25.5
Pennsylvania ...................     77      79    16,596   14,452      9.2    8.9      2.1    1.8     38.9   53.0     18.7   25.0

Rhode Island ...................      7       8       562    1,170      1.6    5.8     12.6    7.4     45.6   76.1     28.5   23.4
South Carolina .................      8      11     1,109    1,590     57.2   55.6      1.4      -     56.3   80.3      4.4    1.8
South Dakota ...................  ( 2 )   ( 2 )     ( 2 )    ( 2 )      1.2    1.1      2.3    1.7     28.7   59.9     11.7   28.2
Tennessee ......................     11       9     1,435      903     18.2   22.7        -      -     51.8   57.0     20.1   21.2
Texas ..........................     44      47    11,707    8,706     16.0   14.0     42.6   46.6     34.4   31.2     11.2   10.9
Utah ...........................      5       5       622      399      1.0    1.0     10.0    8.8     37.5   71.9     11.9   12.5
Vermont ........................      3       7       167    1,236        -     .8      1.2     .2     25.7   41.1     12.6   16.2
Virginia .......................     12      23     2,071    2,704     42.8   58.9      1.5    1.6     56.4   67.0     22.0   16.5
Washington .....................     24      16     4,197    1,536      4.3    6.1     14.4   12.1     37.1   37.0     16.5   12.4
West Virginia ..................      4       5       877      459       .7     .4        -      -     27.6   29.0     13.2   19.2
Wisconsin ......................     63      58    10,558    8,502      4.7   11.4      8.1    3.5     31.3   59.8     14.3   26.1
Wyoming ........................  ( 2 )   ( 2 )     ( 2 )    ( 2 )      3.8      -      5.1      -     78.3   28.1     14.0    1.6

Puerto Rico ....................      8      14     1,474    2,230    ( 3 )  ( 3 )    ( 3 )  ( 3 )     63.6   51.4     11.0    8.3


    1 See footnote 1, table 1.
    2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
    3 Data are not available. 
    p = preliminary.
    r = revised.
    NOTE: Dash represents zero. 




Table 4. Census region and division: Extended mass layoff events, separations, and initial claimants for unemployment insurance,
private nonfarm sector, selected quarters, 2003 and 2004

                                                                                                   Initial claimants for   
                                       Layoff events                     Separations               unemployment insurance  
   Census region and division  
                                    II        I        II           II        I        II           II        I       II   
                                   2003     2004r     2004p        2003     2004r     2004p        2003r    2004r    2004p 

        United States( 1 ) ....   1,799     1,339     1,233      368,273   276,302   233,852      348,966  236,521  178,381

Northeast .....................     366       309       234       78,288    45,746    40,371       78,496   53,634   40,010

    New England ...............      97        60        70       23,348     8,360    11,903       14,325    7,993    9,651
    Middle Atlantic ...........     269       249       164       54,940    37,386    28,468       64,171   45,641   30,359

South .........................     490       260       340       90,976    46,739    54,954       85,914   47,715   44,524

    South Atlantic ............     299       165       210       58,903    32,238    35,016       49,670   29,324   27,010
    East South Central ........      67        31        43       10,036     4,424     7,684        8,983    4,263    4,978
    West South Central ........     124        64        87       22,037    10,077    12,254       27,261   14,128   12,536

Midwest .......................     447       437       400       91,791    72,741    71,457       97,103   71,513   58,292

    East North Central ........     354       365       339       73,719    62,030    61,300       78,620   63,054   51,416
    West North Central ........      93        72        61       18,072    10,711    10,157       18,483    8,459    6,876

West ..........................     496       333       259      107,218   111,076    67,070       87,453   63,659   35,555

    Mountain ..................      96        42        43       22,858     7,911    17,721       13,713    7,298    5,463
    Pacific ...................     400       291       216       84,360   103,165    49,349       73,740   56,361   30,092


    1 See footnote 1, table 1.
    p = preliminary.
    r = revised.
    NOTE: The States (including the District of Columbia) that comprise the 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,
private nonfarm sector, selected quarters, 2003 and 2004

                                                                                                       Initial claimants for     
                                          Layoff events                      Separations               unemployment insurance    
           State                
                                       II        I        II           II        I        II           II         I        II   
                                      2003     2004r     2004p        2003     2004r     2004p        2003r     2004r     2004p 

  Total, private nonfarm (1) ...     1,799     1,339     1,233      368,273   276,302   233,852      348,966   236,521   178,381

Alabama ........................        16         4         7        2,440       882     1,200        2,440       882     1,224
Alaska .........................         8         5         9        1,129       426     1,140        1,070       426     1,140
Arizona ........................        28        11         8        4,422     1,918     1,236        4,026     1,915     1,476
Arkansas .......................         6     ( 2 )         9        1,239     ( 2 )     1,724          588     ( 2 )       650
California .....................       313       234       164       68,251    91,415    39,472       60,544    47,240    23,700
Colorado .......................        19         9        15        8,245       904    10,903        3,130     1,053     2,107
Connecticut ....................        16        13        20        3,695     2,545     4,800        3,512     1,853     2,296
Delaware .......................         3         3         3          256     1,127       285          256     1,119       238
District of Columbia ...........     ( 2 )         -     ( 2 )        ( 2 )         -     ( 2 )        ( 2 )         -     ( 2 )
Florida ........................       157        94       116       32,220    16,982    20,578       24,564    16,066    15,306
Georgia ........................        39        27        28       10,309     7,354     5,281        8,580     5,896     4,218
Hawaii .........................         7         5         5          690       562       822          710       661       494
Idaho ..........................        13         5         3        1,900       672       510        1,926       474       207

Illinois .......................       136       118       111       32,809    24,348    29,572       29,163    19,706    21,574
Indiana ........................        45        28        24       10,243     5,125     4,244       10,635     5,140     3,112
Iowa ...........................         4        11         3          486     1,879       513          354     1,777       286
Kansas .........................        11         9        13        2,385     1,688     2,762        4,802       832     1,853
Kentucky .......................        22        13        21        3,636     1,919     3,663        3,122     1,692     2,266
Louisiana ......................        29         9        26        3,971     1,333     3,756        3,529       823     2,695
Maine ..........................        13        11         6        2,753     1,849     1,768        1,378     1,706       810
Maryland .......................         9     ( 2 )         4        2,222     ( 2 )       651        1,951     ( 2 )       460
Massachusetts ..................        45        23        28       14,441     2,552     2,205        6,850     3,026     4,051
Michigan .......................        66        78        64       14,990    10,862     7,591       17,537    17,204     8,520
Minnesota ......................        37        23        23        5,960     3,339     3,312        5,880     2,880     2,125
Mississippi ....................        10         3         6        1,434       369     1,342          956       254       585
Missouri .......................        30        18        14        7,948     2,468     2,786        6,460     1,822     1,783

Montana ........................        10         4         4        1,903       335       951        1,185       346       322
Nebraska .......................         7         6         6          708       852       643          594       617       652
Nevada .........................         7         6         4          932     2,853       810          784     2,642       593
New Hampshire ..................         6         3     ( 2 )          543       672     ( 2 )          635       679     ( 2 )
New Jersey .....................        67        48        43       13,467     7,252    10,057       14,228     7,425     9,545
New Mexico .....................        12     ( 2 )         3        2,329     ( 2 )       746        1,637     ( 2 )       295
New York .......................       108       124        42       26,859    20,558     7,134       23,537    21,620     6,362
North Carolina .................        45        16        19        7,410     2,457     2,828        7,446     2,048     1,971
North Dakota ...................     ( 2 )         3         -        ( 2 )       350         -        ( 2 )       360         -
Ohio ...........................        52        78        82        6,308    11,837    11,246       11,749    10,446     9,708
Oklahoma .......................        20         9         5        5,189     1,072       449        5,918     1,234       485
Oregon .........................        27        23        22        3,300     6,625     4,558        3,763     3,837     3,222
Pennsylvania ...................        94        77        79       14,614     9,576    11,277       26,406    16,596    14,452

Rhode Island ...................         7         7         8          840       552     1,806          874       562     1,170
South Carolina .................        11         8        11        1,442     1,069     1,512        1,734     1,109     1,590
South Dakota ...................     ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )        ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )        ( 2 )     ( 2 )     ( 2 )
Tennessee ......................        19        11         9        2,526     1,254     1,479        2,465     1,435       903
Texas ..........................        69        44        47       11,638     6,842     6,325       17,226    11,707     8,706
Utah ...........................         7         5         5        3,127       900     2,465        1,025       622       399
Vermont ........................        10         3         7        1,076       190     1,236        1,076       167     1,236
Virginia .......................        28        12        23        4,056     1,731     3,276        4,569     2,071     2,704
Washington .....................        45        24        16       10,990     4,137     3,357        7,653     4,197     1,536
West Virginia ..................         6         4         5          937     1,410       541          519       877       459
Wisconsin ......................        55        63        58        9,369     9,858     8,647        9,536    10,558     8,502
Wyoming ........................         -     ( 2 )     ( 2 )            -     ( 2 )     ( 2 )            -     ( 2 )     ( 2 )

Puerto Rico ....................        13         8        14        1,333     1,229     2,005        2,661     1,474     2,230


    1 See footnote 1, table 1.
    2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
    p = preliminary. 
    r = revised.
    NOTE: Dash represents zero. 




Table 6. Information technology-producing industries: Extended mass layoff events and separations, private nonfarm sector, 1996-2004

                                                              Information technology-producing industries(1)
                       Total extended         
       Year             mass layoffs           Computer             Software and          Communications        Communications    
                                              hardware(2)        computer services(3)      equipment(4)           services(5)                            
                                                                                                                                     
                     Layoff                 Layoff                Layoff                 Layoff                 Layoff    
                     events   Separations   events  Separations   events    Separations  events   Separations   events  Separations

       1996

First quarter ....   1,263      246,820       27       6,377          11       9,008         6         900          15       3,541     
Second quarter ...   1,130      209,688       23       4,475       ( 6 )       ( 6 )        10       1,359           4         615     
Third quarter ....     847      181,569       28       3,818       ( 6 )       ( 6 )         8       1,710           5       1,290     
Fourth quarter ...   1,520      310,045       22       3,214       ( 6 )       ( 6 )         8       1,354           9       1,166     
    
    Total ........   4,760      948,122      100      17,884          20      10,724        32       5,323          33       6,612     

       1997

First quarter ....   1,141      226,735       15       2,644           7         899         7         504           9       1,602     
Second quarter ...   1,303      280,255       16       2,532           8         863         4         553       ( 6 )       ( 6 )
Third quarter ....     851      172,392       15       3,091           6         682         6         983       ( 6 )       ( 6 ) 
Fourth quarter ...   1,376      268,461       18       3,667           4         762         6         475           4         819     
    
    Total ........   4,671      947,843       64      11,934          25       3,206        23       2,515          18       3,237     

       1998

First quarter ....   1,115      178,251       29       5,212           8       1,550         7         725           9       1,685     
Second quarter ...   1,333      336,536       37       8,455           5         357         7       1,317           5         650     
Third quarter ....   1,028      201,186       63      11,066           5       1,175        12       3,031           5       1,051     
Fourth quarter ...   1,383      275,272       37      11,336           5         974         7       1,898           6         764     
    
    Total ........   4,859      991,245      166      36,069          23       4,056        33       6,971          25       4,150     

       1999

First quarter ....   1,262      230,711       35       4,363          10       1,796        10       1,600           6       1,002     
Second quarter ...   1,194      246,251       28       3,891           7       1,731         8       1,097       ( 6 )       ( 6 )
Third quarter ....     898      184,429       22      11,546           7       1,141         5         840       ( 6 )       ( 6 ) 
Fourth quarter ...   1,202      240,060       18       2,757           5         526         4         807           6       1,430     
    
    Total ........   4,556      901,451      103      22,557          29       5,194        27       4,344          18       3,930     

       2000

First quarter ....   1,081      202,500       22       5,195          14       2,717         9       1,402           4         771     
Second quarter ...   1,055      205,861       18       8,862          22       9,114         7         805           7         977     
Third quarter ....     817      174,628       10       1,678          12       1,422         4       1,465           6       1,280     
Fourth quarter ...   1,638      332,973       16       3,070          22       3,521         5         946           7       1,020     
    
    Total ........   4,591      915,962       66      18,805          70      16,774        25       4,618          24       4,048     

       2001

First quarter ....   1,546      304,171       91      20,991          44       7,963        22       4,441          24       5,312     
Second quarter ...   1,828      430,499      161      38,986          87      12,943        36      12,109          28       6,386     
Third quarter ....   1,629      330,391      142      24,813          55       6,820        39       8,200          36       7,134     
Fourth quarter ...   2,372      459,771      109      17,797          56       8,290        43      10,124          48      11,252     
    
    Total ........   7,375    1,524,832      503     102,587         242      36,016       140      34,874         136      30,084     

       2002

First quarter ....   1,611      299,266       84      18,574          39       4,442        32       8,192          42       6,664     
Second quarter ...   1,624      344,606       69      11,764          49       5,454        27       4,870          53       8,538     
Third quarter ....   1,186      255,152       76      15,017          42       5,415        34       6,529          42       7,945     
Fourth quarter ...   1,916      373,307       74      14,298          32       7,071        19       3,645          39       8,987     
    
    Total ........   6,337    1,272,331      303      59,653         162      22,382       112      23,236         176      32,134     

       2003

First quarter ....   1,502      286,947       71      11,900          33       5,689        23       4,402          41       6,591     
Second quarter ...   1,799      368,273       54       9,221          27       4,124        21       3,098          29       5,891     
Third quarter ....   1,190  (r) 236,322       46       6,488          26       4,433         9       1,289          15    (r)2,593
Fourth quarter ...   1,690  (r) 325,302       25       5,080          14       1,984         9       1,619          28       6,635     
    
    Total ........   6,181 (r)1,216,844      196      32,689         100      16,230        62      10,408         113   (r)21,710

       2004

First quarter(r) .   1,339      276,302       27       3,222          16       2,992         8         894          23       4,197     
Second quarter(p).   1,233      233,852       16       1,862          20       3,128         -           -          17       3,588     


   1 Information technology-producing industries are defined in Digital Economy 2003, Economics and Statistics Administration, 
U.S. Department of Commerce.                                                                                      
   2 The industries included in this grouping, based on the 2002 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), are: 
semiconductor machinery manufacturing; office machinery manufacturing; electronic computer manufacturing; computer storage 
device manufacturing; computer terminal manufacturing; other computer peripheral equipment mfg.; electron tube manufacturing; 
bare printed circuit board manufacturing; semiconductors and related device mfg.; electronic capacitor manufacturing; 
electronic resistor manufacturing; electronic coils, transformers, and inductors; electronic connector manufacturing; 
printed circuit assembly manufacturing; other electronic component manufacturing; industrial process variable instruments; 
electricity and signal testing instruments; analytical laboratory instrument mfg.; computer and software merchant wholesalers; 
and computer and software stores.                                                                                                
   3 The industries included in this grouping, based on the 2002 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), are: 
software publishers; internet service providers; web search portals; data processing and related services; computer and 
software merchant wholesalers; computer and software stores; custom computer programming services; computer systems design 
services; computer facilities management services; other computer related services; office equipment rental and leasing; 
and computer and office machine repair.
   4 The industries included in this grouping, based on the 2002 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), are: 
telephone apparatus manufacturing; audio and video equipment manufacturing; broadcast and wireless communications equip.; 
fiber optic cable manufacturing; software reproducing; and magnetic and optical recording media mfg. 
   5 The industries included in this grouping, based on the 2002 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), are: 
wired telecommunications carriers; cellular and other wireless carriers; telecommunications resellers; cable and other 
program distribution; satellite telecommunications; other telecommunications; and communication equipment repair. 
   6 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
   Note: Dash represents zero.
   p = preliminary.    
   r = revised.      




Table 7. Industry distribution: Extended mass layoff events and separations associated with the
movement of work, first and second quarters 2004
                                               
                                                       Layoff events          Separations

                      Industry                    
                                                        I         II          I           II 
                                                      2004r      2004p      2004r       2004p
          
          
          Total, private nonfarm (1) .............      113         80     19,978      14,450
   								        
   Mining ........................................        -          -          -           -
   Utilities .....................................    ( 2 )          -      ( 2 )           -
   Construction ..................................        -      ( 2 )          -       ( 2 )
   Manufacturing .................................       74         51     12,587       8,937
       Food ......................................        8      ( 2 )      1,478       ( 2 )
       Beverage and tobacco products .............    ( 2 )          -      ( 2 )           -
       Textile mills .............................        3          4        810         537
       Textile product mills .....................    ( 2 )          4      ( 2 )         868
       Apparel ...................................        5          4      1,237         847
       Leather and allied products ...............    ( 2 )          -      ( 2 )           -
       Wood products .............................    ( 2 )          -      ( 2 )           -
       Paper .....................................        4      ( 2 )        295       ( 2 )
       Printing and related support activities ...        3      ( 2 )        264       ( 2 )
       Petroleum and coal products ...............        -          -          -           -
								        
       Chemicals .................................        4      ( 2 )        634       ( 2 )
       Plastics and rubber products ..............        5          5      1,134         632
       Nonmetallic mineral products ..............        -          -          -           -
       Primary metal .............................    ( 2 )          -      ( 2 )           -
       Fabricated metal products .................    ( 2 )          6      ( 2 )       1,079
       Machinery .................................        6      ( 2 )        870       ( 2 )
       Computer and electronic products ..........        7          5        785         953
       Electrical equipment and appliance ........        6      ( 2 )      1,079       ( 2 )
       Transportation equipment ..................        7          3      1,737         396
       Furniture and related products ............        4          8        497       1,026
       Miscellaneous manufacturing ...............        4      ( 2 )        739       ( 2 )
								        
   Wholesale trade ...............................        4          5        915         610
   Retail trade ..................................        4          6        540       1,039
   Transportation and warehousing ................        5      ( 2 )      1,152       ( 2 )
   Information ...................................        8          4      1,780         771
   Finance and insurance .........................        5      ( 2 )        684       ( 2 )
   Real estate and rental and leasing ............        -          -          -           -
   Professional and technical services ...........    ( 2 )      ( 2 )      ( 2 )       ( 2 )
   Management of companies and enterprises .......    ( 2 )          -      ( 2 )           -
   Administrative and waste services .............        4      ( 2 )        647       ( 2 )
   Educational services ..........................        -          -          -           -
   Health care and social assistance .............    ( 2 )          -      ( 2 )           -
   Arts, entertainment, and recreation ...........        -      ( 2 )          -       ( 2 )
   Accommodation and food services ...............        -          -          -           -
   Other services, except public administration ..        3          -        311           -
								        
 Unknown .........................................        -	     -	        -           -
    
    
    1 See footnote 1, table 1.
    2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
    p = preliminary.  
    r = revised.
    NOTE: Dash represents zero. 




Table 8. Reason for layoff:  Extended mass layoff events and separations associated with the movement
of work, first and second quarters 2004


                                      Layoff events               Separations   
        Reason for layoff        
                                       I        II               I          II        
                                     2004r     2004p           2004r       2004p

   Total, private nonfarm (1) ....     113        80          19,978      14,450

Automation .......................   ( 2 )         -           ( 2 )           -
Bankruptcy .......................       -     ( 2 )               -       ( 2 )
Business ownership change ........       6         8             669       1,580
Contract cancellation ............   ( 2 )     ( 2 )           ( 2 )       ( 2 )
Contract completed ...............   ( 2 )     ( 2 )           ( 2 )       ( 2 )
Environment-related ..............       -         -               -           -
Financial difficulty .............      13     ( 2 )           3,492       ( 2 )
Import competition ...............   ( 2 )         4           ( 2 )         913
Labor dispute ....................       -         -               -           -
Material shortage ................       -         -               -           -

Model changeover .................       -         -               -           -
Natural disaster .................       -         -               -           -
Plant or machine repair ..........       -         -               -           -
Product line discontinued ........   ( 2 )     ( 2 )           ( 2 )       ( 2 )
Reorganization within company ....      59        42           9,829       7,324
Seasonal work ....................   ( 3 )     ( 3 )           ( 3 )       ( 3 )
Slack work .......................       5         5             735       1,374
Vacation period ..................   ( 3 )     ( 3 )           ( 3 )       ( 3 )
Weather-related ..................       -         -               -           -
Other ............................      23         9           4,191       1,798
Not reported .....................       -         -               -           -


    1 See footnote 1, table 1.
    2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
    3 The questions on movement of work were not asked of employers when the reason for layoff was 
  either seasonal work or vacation period. 
    p = preliminary.
    r = revised.
    NOTE: Dash represents zero. 




Table 9. Census region and division:  Extended mass layoff events and separations associated with the
movement of work, first and second quarters 2004

                    
                             Layoff events          Separations  
   Region and division 
                                I       II            I         II
                              2004r    2004p        2004r     2004p
       
       
       United States (1) ..    113       80       19,978     14,450

Northeast .................     14        9        2,691      1,335          
    
    New England ...........      3        4          508        613
    Middle Atlantic .......     11        5        2,183        722

South .....................     30       33        5,889      5,712
    
    South Atlantic ........     18       17        3,172      2,634
    East South Central ....      5       11          956      2,161
    West South Central ....      7        5        1,761        917

Midwest ...................     37       22        6,442      4,442
    
    East North Central ....     31       19        5,165      3,427
    West North Central ....      6        3        1,277      1,015

West ......................     32       16        4,956      2,961
    
    Mountain ..............  ( 2 )    ( 2 )        ( 2 )      ( 2 )
    Pacific ...............  ( 2 )    ( 2 )        ( 2 )      ( 2 )


    1 See footnote 1, table 1.
    2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
    p = preliminary.
    r = revised.
    NOTE: The States (including the District of Columbia) that comprise the 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: Iliinois, 
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.