1
Technical information:
http://www.bls.gov/mls/
USDL 06-122
(202) 691-6392
For release: 10:00 A.M. EST
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
691-5902
Media contact:
MASS LAYOFFS IN DECEMBER 2005 AND ANNUAL AVERAGES FOR 2005
In December 2005, employers took 1,308 mass layoff actions, seasonally adjusted, as measured by
new filings for unemployment insurance benefits during the month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S.
Department of Labor reported today. Each action involved at least 50 persons from a single establishment,
and the number of workers involved totaled 149,565. (See table 1.) The number of layoff events in December rose by 103 from November, and the number of associated initial claims increased by 28,782. In
the manufacturing sector, 365 mass layoff events were reported during December 2005, seasonally adjusted,
resulting in 49,641 initial claims. Both figures were higher than a month earlier. (See table 1.)
Chart 1. Mass-layoff events, seasonally
adjusted, January 2001-Decem ber 2005
Chart 2. Mass-layoff initial claim s, seasonally
adjusted, January 2001-Decem ber 2005
Events
Claims
3,000
300,000
2,500
250,000
2,000
Total
1,500
1,000
Total
200,000
150,000
Private nonf arm
500
100,000
Private nonfarm
50,000
Manuf acturing
0
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
Note: Shaded area represents recession period.
Manuf acturing
0
2002
2003
2004
2005
2001
Note: Shaded area represents recession period.
Revision of Seasonally Adjusted Mass Layoff Data
Seasonally adjusted mass layoff data have been revised using updated seasonal
adjustment factors that incorporate 2005 data. Seasonally adjusted estimates back to
January 2001 were subject to revision. The totals for each of the six seasonally adjusted
series for January-December 2005 (as originally published and as revised) will be available
at http://www.bls.gov/mls/home.htm, along with additional information about the revisions.
2
p
Table A. Industries with the largest mass-layoff initial claims in December 2005
December peak
Initial claims
Industry
Year
Initial claims
Highway, street, and bridge construction ...............
Temporary help services ........................................
School and employee bus transportation ................
Food service contractors .......................................
Automobile manufacturing ......................................
Motion picture and video production .....................
Professional employer organizations .......................
All other plastics product manufacturing .................
Ready-mix concrete manufacturing ........................
Travel trailer and camper manufacturing .................
20,088
16,656
14,464
12,926
9,021
5,286
3,534
3,322
3,232
2,970
2005
2005
2005
2005
2005
1998
2000
2002
2005
2005
20,088
16,656
14,464
12,926
9,021
16,192
4,032
5,563
3,232
2,970
p = preliminary.
Industry Distribution (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
In December, the 10 industries reporting the highest number of mass-layoff initial claims, not seasonally
adjusted, accounted for 91,499 initial claims, 36 percent of the total. (See table A.) Seven of these industries reached a series peak for December, on a not seasonally adjusted basis, in 2005. The two industries
with the highest number of initial claims were highway, street, and bridge construction, with 20,088, and temporary help services, with 16,656. Together, these two industries accounted for 14 percent of the 254,258
initial claims filed during the month.
The manufacturing sector accounted for 30 percent of all mass layoff events and 38 percent of all initial
claims filed in December 2005. A year earlier, manufacturing comprised 27 percent of events and 31 percent of initial claims. Within manufacturing, the number of claimants in December 2005 was highest in transportation equipment (34,508, largely automotive-related), followed by food manufacturing (10,681). (See
table 3.)
Construction accounted for 21 percent of events and 16 percent of initial claims filed in December, with
layoffs mainly from highway, street, and bridge construction. Eleven percent of all layoff events and initial
claims filed during the month were from administrative and waste services, largely from temporary help services. Accommodation and food services accounted for 7 percent of events and 8 percent of initial claims
in December, mostly from food service and drinking places. Transportation and warehousing accounted for
7 percent of events and 8 percent of initial claims during the month, largely in transit and ground passenger
transportation. An additional 5 percent of events and 4 percent of initial claims were from retail trade,
primarily from general merchandise stores.
Government establishments accounted for 4 percent of events and 3 percent of initial claims filed in
December, mostly from educational services and executive, legislative, and general government agencies.
On a not seasonally adjusted basis, the number of layoff events in December 2005, at 2,323, was up by
709 from a year earlier, and the number of associated initial claims rose by 92,987 to 254,258. These were
the highest event and initial claim totals for December since 2002. The largest over-the-year increases in initial claims were reported in transportation equipment manufacturing (+21,961), administrative and support
services (+14,365), heavy and civil engineering construction (+8,849), and transit and ground passenger
3
Table B. Number of mass layoff events and initial claimants
for unemployment insurance, 1996-2005
Year
Layoff events
1996 ...............
1997 ...............
1998 ...............
1999 ...............
2000 ...............
2001 ...............
2002 ...............
2003 ...............
2004 ...............
p
2005 ...............
14,111
14,960
15,904
14,909
15,738
21,467
20,277
18,963
15,980
16,466
Initial claimants for
unemployment insurance
1,437,628
1,542,543
1,771,069
1,572,399
1,835,592
2,514,862
2,245,051
1,888,926
1,607,158
1,795,341
p = preliminary.
transportation (+5,684). The largest over-the-year decrease in initial claims was in motion picture and sound
recording industries (-1,164).
Geographic Distribution (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
Among the four census regions, the largest number of initial claims in December due to mass layoffs was
in the Midwest (111,662). (See table 5.) Transportation equipment manufacturing and heavy and civil engineering construction accounted for 34 percent of the Midwest total. The West had the next largest number
of initial claims (53,396), followed by the South (46,303) and the Northeast (42,897).
The number of initial claimants from mass layoffs increased over the year in all of the four regions. The
largest increase occurred in the Midwest (+50,385), followed by the South (+16,355), the Northeast
(+15,510), and the West (+10,737). Each of the nine geographic divisions had over-the-year increases in
the number of initial claims associated with mass layoffs, with the largest in the East North Central (+43,083),
Middle Atlantic (+11,294), and the South Atlantic (+9,886) divisions.
Among the states, California recorded the highest number of initial claims filed due to mass layoff events
in December (38,926), mostly in administrative and support services and in motion picture and sound recording industries. Michigan had the next highest initial claims total, with 30,456, followed by Illinois (16,869),
Pennsylvania (16,249), and Wisconsin (13,071). These five states accounted for 46 percent of all mass
layoff events and 45 percent of all initial claims for unemployment insurance. (See table 6.)
Michigan had the largest over-the-year increase in the number of initial claims (+19,615), followed
by Ohio (+7,749) and Pennsylvania (+6,836). The largest over-the-year decrease occurred in Maryland
(-924).
Review of 2005
During 2005, 16,466 layoff events occurred in the nation, resulting in 1,795,341 initial claims filings for
unemployment insurance. In 2004, there were 15,980 events and 1,607,158 initial claimants. (See table B.)
4
Table C. Industries with the largest mass-layoff initial claims in 2005
2005
Industry
Initial claims
Temporary help services ...................................... 111,110
School and employee bus transportation ..............
73,797
Automobile manufacturing ....................................
54,800
Motion picture and video production .................... 54,769
Food service contractors ...................................... 49,942
Highway, street, and bridge construction ..............
45,581
Elementary and secondary schools .......................
36,743
Light truck and utility vehicle mfg. ........................
34,378
Professional employer organizations ...................... 30,882
Motor vehicle seating and interior trim mfg. ..........
22,329
p
2004
Rank
Initial claims
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
103,868
64,663
35,520
50,030
42,920
36,853
27,648
18,742
31,434
14,459
1
2
6
3
4
5
8
13
7
18
p = preliminary.
The 10 industries with the highest number of mass-layoff initial claims accounted for 29 percent of the total in 2005. (See table C.) In 2004, they comprised 27 percent of the total. Temporary help services and
school and employee bus transportation were ranked one and two among the 10 industries in both 2005 and
2004. Automobile manufacturing ranked three in 2005, as compared to six in the previous year.
Manufacturing accounted for 29 percent of all mass layoff events and 37 percent of initial claims filed
during 2005. A year earlier, manufacturing accounted for 29 percent of events and 35 percent of initial
claims. Initial claim filings were most numerous in transportation equipment, 253,681, followed by food
manufacturing, 76,926, and machinery manufacturing, 33,713. During 2005, the largest increase in initial
claims occurred in transportation equipment manufacturing (+90,655) and wood product manufacturing
(+6,370). The largest over-the-year decrease in initial claims occurred in food manufacturing (-5,188).
The number of initial claims filed in 2005 due to mass layoffs was higher in the Midwest (571,950)
than in any other region. Layoffs in transportation equipment manufacturing accounted for 30 percent of
the claims in the Midwest. Administrative and support services, heavy and civil engineering construction,
and food manufacturing accounted for an additional 16 percent of layoffs in that region in 2005. The fewest number of mass-layoff initial claims was reported in the Northeast region (280,628). In 2005, increases
in mass-layoff initial claims occurred in three of the four regions. The largest increases were in the South
(+129,944) and Midwest (+86,695). The West had the only over-the-year decrease (-38,296).
Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, California recorded the largest number of initial
claims filed in mass layoff events in 2005 (360,138), 20 percent of the national total. The states with the
next highest numbers of initial claims were Michigan (131,411), Louisiana (120,600), Ohio (113,165), and
Pennsylvania (99,183). Forty-eight percent of events and 46 percent of all initial claims were from these
five states.
Louisiana reported the largest over-the-year increase in initial claims (+104,081), largely due to the impacts of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The next largest increase occurred in Michigan (+32,287), followed
by Ohio (+26,315) and Mississippi (+25,587). The largest over-the-year decreases were reported in
California (-33,976) and Florida (-11,552).
5
Note
The monthly data series in this release cover mass layoffs of 50 or more workers beginning in a given
month, regardless of the duration of the layoffs. For private nonfarm establishments, 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”). The quarterly release provides more information on the industry classification and location of the establishment and on the demographics of the laid-off
workers. Because monthly figures include short-term layoffs of 30 days or less, the sum of the figures for
the 3 months in a quarter will be higher than the quarterly figure for mass layoffs of more than 30 days.
(See table 4.) See the Technical Note for more detailed definitions.
______________________________
The report on Extended Mass Layoffs in the Fourth Quarter of 2005 is scheduled to be released on
Thursday, February 9, 2006. The report on Mass Layoffs in January 2006 is scheduled to be released
on Thursday, February 23, 2006.
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, the number of weeks in a given month may
be different from year to year, and the number of weeks in a year
may vary. Therefore, analysis of over-the-month and over-theyear change in not seasonally adjusted series 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: 202-691-5200;
TDD message referral phone number: 1-800-877-8339.
Definitions
Initial claimant. A person who files any notice of
unemployment to initiate a request either for a determination of
entitlement to and eligibility for compensation, or for a
subsequent period of unemployment within a benefit year or
period of eligibility.
Mass layoff event. Fifty or more initial claims for
unemployment insurance benefits filed against an
establishment during a 5-week period, regardless of duration.
Seasonal adjustment
Effective with the release of data for January 2005, BLS
began publishing six seasonally adjusted monthly MLS series.
The six series are the numbers of mass layoff events and mass
layoff initial claims for the total, private nonfarm, and
manufacturing sectors.
Seasonal adjustment is the process of estimating and
removing the effect on time series data of regularly recurring
seasonal events such as changes in the weather, holidays, and
the beginning and ending of the school year. The use of
seasonal adjustment makes it easier to observe fundamental
changes in time series, particularly those associated with
general economic expansions and contractions.
The MLS data are seasonally adjusted using the X-12ARIMA seasonal adjustment method on a concurrent basis.
Concurrent seasonal adjustment uses all available monthly
estimates, including those for the current month, in developing
seasonal adjustment factors. Revisions to the most recent
5 years of seasonally adjusted data will be made once a
year with the issuance of December data. Before the data are
seasonally adjusted, prior adjustments are made to the
original data to adjust them for differences in the number of
weeks used to calculate the monthly data. Because weekly
unemployment insurance claims are aggregated to form
monthly data, a particular month’s value could be calculated
with 5 weeks of data in one year and 4 weeks in another. The effects of these differences could seriously distort
the seasonal factors if they were ignored in the seasonal
adjustment process. These effects are modeled in the X-12ARIMA program and are permanently removed from the final
seasonally adjusted series.
Table 1. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance, January 2002 to December 2005,
seasonally adjusted
Total
Date
Events
Private nonfarm
Initial
claimants
Events
Initial
claimants
Manufacturing
Events
Initial
claimants
2002
January ...................................................................
February .................................................................
March ......................................................................
April .........................................................................
May .........................................................................
June ........................................................................
July .........................................................................
August .....................................................................
September ..............................................................
October ...................................................................
November ...............................................................
December ...............................................................
1,815
1,805
1,670
1,681
1,723
1,620
1,635
1,478
1,911
1,774
1,652
1,841
210,217
207,097
187,811
186,095
190,797
170,724
179,806
162,040
218,875
186,940
178,402
198,678
1,670
1,657
1,515
1,494
1,559
1,443
1,460
1,324
1,747
1,582
1,507
1,659
197,065
195,251
175,831
168,902
177,743
156,813
164,944
150,118
203,849
169,660
167,335
184,368
733
704
615
590
610
550
564
569
617
625
613
661
100,182
93,234
74,351
68,210
73,953
70,936
74,834
67,779
80,528
73,904
71,693
84,048
2003
January ...................................................................
February .................................................................
March ......................................................................
April .........................................................................
May .........................................................................
June ........................................................................
July .........................................................................
August .....................................................................
September ..............................................................
October ...................................................................
November ...............................................................
December ...............................................................
1,358
1,825
1,782
1,722
1,719
1,716
1,642
1,517
1,562
1,558
1,393
1,426
131,963
190,928
175,671
174,608
184,003
164,299
163,179
171,861
147,383
156,814
141,383
144,456
1,168
1,647
1,595
1,564
1,542
1,524
1,442
1,367
1,374
1,336
1,244
1,265
117,636
178,363
160,170
163,607
170,961
148,542
148,299
158,049
133,383
138,691
129,231
132,324
387
646
617
640
625
636
580
551
484
427
401
434
48,685
78,819
72,409
83,303
86,535
68,143
74,070
74,602
56,472
52,009
50,460
50,994
2004
January ...................................................................
February .................................................................
March ......................................................................
April .........................................................................
May .........................................................................
June ........................................................................
July .........................................................................
August .....................................................................
September ..............................................................
October ...................................................................
November ...............................................................
December ...............................................................
1,421
1,293
1,364
1,381
1,189
1,390
1,329
1,436
1,283
1,302
1,350
1,188
142,704
132,640
140,957
141,909
111,173
141,948
137,724
131,807
125,344
129,237
135,036
120,602
1,223
1,145
1,234
1,207
1,030
1,226
1,185
1,243
1,155
1,181
1,202
1,038
124,192
120,811
132,152
126,106
98,230
129,344
126,945
116,672
115,499
119,653
122,954
109,508
395
362
407
341
314
360
371
342
344
369
407
293
48,519
39,360
60,296
37,686
37,405
45,398
53,248
38,192
45,691
47,888
47,517
33,123
1,465
1,135
1,204
1,278
1,194
1,184
1,248
1,145
2,219
1,114
1,205
1,308
153,676
120,190
133,935
139,575
129,214
128,430
131,136
127,592
283,772
104,584
120,783
149,565
1,330
1,010
1,071
1,145
1,059
1,065
1,107
1,006
1,975
986
1,074
1,185
143,295
109,964
124,273
128,478
117,660
119,271
118,994
116,011
237,831
94,798
109,680
138,234
380
350
384
390
359
349
356
334
438
328
359
365
58,778
43,966
56,253
60,726
52,055
53,930
49,070
48,904
53,399
45,475
45,069
49,641
2005
January ...................................................................
February .................................................................
March ......................................................................
April .........................................................................
May .........................................................................
June ........................................................................
July .........................................................................
August .....................................................................
September ..............................................................
October ...................................................................
p
November ..............................................................
Decemberp ..............................................................
p
= preliminary.
NOTE: Data have been revised to reflect updated seasonal adjustment factors.
Table 2. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance, January 2002 to December 2005,
not seasonally adjusted
Total
Date
Events
Private nonfarm
Initial
claimants
Events
Initial
claimants
Manufacturing
Events
Initial
claimants
2002
January ...................................................................
February .................................................................
March ......................................................................
April .........................................................................
May .........................................................................
June ........................................................................
July .........................................................................
August .....................................................................
September ..............................................................
October ...................................................................
November ...............................................................
December ...............................................................
2,146
1,382
1,460
1,506
1,723
1,584
2,042
1,248
1,062
1,497
2,153
2,474
263,777
138,808
161,316
165,814
179,799
162,189
245,294
128,103
124,522
171,100
240,171
264,158
2,028
1,253
1,335
1,378
1,571
1,266
1,819
1,151
957
1,270
1,860
2,324
252,245
129,849
151,305
153,216
166,801
136,424
226,892
119,874
114,736
149,327
216,237
252,807
892
481
500
461
488
336
907
427
352
493
719
984
128,825
58,784
59,613
50,897
52,720
42,130
135,271
48,668
43,755
64,655
92,712
126,826
2003
January ...................................................................
February .................................................................
March ......................................................................
April .........................................................................
May .........................................................................
June ........................................................................
July .........................................................................
August .....................................................................
September ..............................................................
October ...................................................................
November ...............................................................
December ...............................................................
2,315
1,363
1,207
1,581
1,703
1,691
2,087
1,258
868
1,523
1,438
1,929
225,430
124,965
113,026
161,412
174,204
157,552
226,435
133,839
82,647
158,240
138,543
192,633
2,130
1,222
1,099
1,470
1,538
1,336
1,815
1,163
756
1,265
1,234
1,793
210,918
116,264
104,468
152,937
160,729
127,743
206,901
124,131
73,914
137,706
123,524
182,750
822
435
390
499
499
389
946
405
271
438
408
648
90,244
48,161
41,063
62,349
61,278
40,845
136,410
52,620
31,428
53,741
48,419
77,915
2004
January ...................................................................
February .................................................................
March ......................................................................
April .........................................................................
May .........................................................................
June ........................................................................
July .........................................................................
August .....................................................................
September ..............................................................
October ...................................................................
November ...............................................................
December ...............................................................
2,428
941
920
1,458
988
1,379
2,094
809
708
1,242
1,399
1,614
239,454
84,201
92,554
157,314
87,501
134,588
253,929
69,033
68,972
127,918
130,423
161,271
2,226
832
847
1,316
878
1,077
1,860
745
637
1,101
1,201
1,487
220,687
76,577
87,782
142,657
78,786
110,804
234,877
63,876
63,102
117,375
115,549
152,092
848
240
258
343
219
222
885
194
189
372
412
436
89,551
23,043
34,686
36,172
22,141
27,307
145,895
17,698
25,808
48,265
44,243
50,726
2,564
810
806
1,373
986
1,157
1,981
645
1,662
905
1,254
2,323
263,952
74,644
88,937
158,582
101,358
120,463
244,216
67,582
213,281
91,941
116,127
254,258
2,421
722
733
1,263
891
941
1,745
598
1,505
757
1,079
2,168
253,409
68,372
83,793
148,133
93,332
103,307
222,377
63,484
179,042
80,694
102,182
242,753
823
230
246
395
249
216
856
188
318
249
363
706
108,985
24,931
33,030
59,129
30,424
32,783
136,210
22,531
47,497
37,276
41,442
96,382
2005
January ...................................................................
February .................................................................
March ......................................................................
April .........................................................................
May .........................................................................
June ........................................................................
July .........................................................................
August .....................................................................
September ..............................................................
October ...................................................................
p
November ..............................................................
Decemberp ..............................................................
p
= preliminary.
Table 3. Industry distribution: Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance
Initial claimants for
unemployment insurance
Mass layoff events
Industry
December
October
November
December
December
October
November
December
2004
2005
2005p
2005p
2004
2005
2005p
2005p
Total ......................................................................
1,188
1,114
1,205
1,308
120,602
104,584
120,783
149,565
Total, private nonfarm ...............................................
Manufacturing ..........................................................
1,038
293
986
328
1,074
359
1,185
365
109,508
33,123
94,798
45,475
109,680
45,069
138,234
49,641
Total .....................................................................
1,614
905
1,254
2,323
161,271
91,941
116,127
254,258
Total, private ................................................................
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting .................
1,527
40
850
93
1,187
108
2,237
69
154,496
2,404
87,226
6,532
109,395
7,213
246,748
3,995
Total, private nonfarm ...............................................
Mining ......................................................................
Utilities .....................................................................
Construction ............................................................
Manufacturing ..........................................................
Food ....................................................................
Beverage and tobacco products ..........................
Textile mills ..........................................................
Textile product mills .............................................
Apparel ................................................................
Leather and allied products .................................
Wood products ....................................................
Paper ...................................................................
Printing and related support activities .................
Petroleum and coal products ...............................
1,487
18
6
342
436
59
7
15
8
16
4
25
7
3
11
757
1,079
7
2,168
33
80,694
102,182
509
242,753
2,802
(2)
192
363
66
6
19
6
13
(2)
478
706
88
11
23
7
19
9
54
8
16
14
152,092
1,492
1,395
27,433
50,726
6,309
497
1,249
932
2,720
757
2,346
575
331
1,126
(2)
15,824
41,442
7,092
416
2,734
444
2,125
Chemicals ............................................................
Plastics and rubber products ...............................
Nonmetallic mineral products ..............................
Primary metals ....................................................
Fabricated metal products ...................................
Machinery ............................................................
8
30
32
23
34
16
8
11
8
9
12
9
7
19
11
17
20
24
10
60
58
40
38
31
Computer and electronic products ......................
Electrical equipment and appliances ...................
Transportation equipment ...................................
Furniture and related products ............................
Miscellaneous manufacturing ..............................
19
13
85
13
8
20
4
49
8
6
12
5
76
15
6
Wholesale trade ......................................................
Retail trade ..............................................................
Transportation and warehousing .............................
Information ..............................................................
Finance and insurance ............................................
Real estate and rental and leasing ..........................
Professional and technical services ........................
Management of companies and enterprises ...........
Administrative and waste services ..........................
Educational services ...............................................
Health care and social assistance ...........................
Arts, entertainment, and recreation .........................
Accommodation and food services .........................
Other services, except public administration ...........
Unclassified ............................................................
18
80
96
30
18
4
48
3
163
4
28
30
146
13
4
10
72
29
26
24
4
28
2
( )
132
(2)
7
22
53
3
5
Government .................................................................
Federal ....................................................................
State ........................................................................
Local ........................................................................
87
8
16
63
55
16
12
27
Seasonally adjusted
Not seasonally adjusted
1
1
Data were reported by all states and the District of Columbia.
2
Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
p
= preliminary.
2
( )
(2)
88
249
61
4
11
5
11
–
( )
748
–
(2)
2,353
479
574
(2)
(2)
(2)
40,395
96,382
10,681
800
3,823
743
2,297
1,032
5,319
943
1,870
1,478
669
2,327
3,168
2,246
2,546
2,218
682
1,097
759
1,037
863
1,288
510
1,469
1,005
1,475
1,751
2,910
862
5,605
5,756
4,265
3,815
3,091
16
18
144
27
15
2,039
3,741
12,547
1,096
1,287
1,764
1,061
15,841
762
688
1,001
554
11,665
1,804
676
1,290
3,716
34,508
2,769
1,719
21
61
45
21
14
3
34
2
( )
138
(2)
34
40
88
8
6
37
113
161
36
20
9
64
2
( )
259
5
35
26
158
19
4
1,853
8,092
10,687
8,002
1,455
249
5,955
296
13,192
245
2,539
1,967
14,923
1,342
249
812
5,666
2,697
5,300
1,656
244
2,967
2
( )
11,017
(2)
621
1,568
4,168
173
356
1,687
5,176
3,479
2,395
1,307
122
3,056
2
( )
11,350
(2)
2,555
3,623
8,204
668
436
3,214
10,856
19,173
6,572
1,284
1,203
6,663
2
( )
27,527
353
2,731
1,869
19,293
1,527
295
67
15
24
28
86
18
16
52
6,775
842
1,472
4,461
4,715
1,551
992
2,172
6,732
1,608
2,527
2,597
7,510
1,568
1,750
4,192
–
(2)
20
8
8
(2)
(2)
2
( )
9
2
( )
(2)
5,755
37,276
5,666
261
1,296
531
2,589
–
2
NOTE: Dash represents zero. Seasonally adjusted data have
been revised to reflect updated seasonal adjustment factors.
Table 4. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance, October 2003 to December 2005,
not seasonally adjusted
Private nonfarm
Total mass layoffs
Mass layoffs
Date
Events
Initial
claimants
Events
Initial
claimants
2003
October ..............................................
November ..........................................
December ..........................................
1,523
1,438
1,929
158,240
138,543
192,633
1,265
1,234
1,793
137,706
123,524
182,750
Fourth Quarter ...................................
4,890
489,416
4,292
443,980
January ..............................................
February .............................................
March .................................................
2,428
941
920
239,454
84,201
92,554
2,226
832
847
220,687
76,577
87,782
First Quarter .......................................
4,289
416,209
3,905
385,046
April ....................................................
May ....................................................
June ...................................................
1,458
988
1,379
157,314
87,501
134,588
1,316
878
1,077
142,657
78,786
110,804
Second Quarter .................................
3,825
379,403
3,271
332,247
July .....................................................
August ................................................
September .........................................
2,094
809
708
253,929
69,033
68,972
1,860
745
637
234,877
63,876
63,102
Third Quarter ......................................
3,611
391,934
3,242
361,855
October ..............................................
November ..........................................
December ..........................................
1,242
1,399
1,614
127,918
130,423
161,271
1,101
1,201
1,487
117,375
115,549
152,092
Fourth Quarter ...................................
4,255
419,612
3,789
385,016
January ..............................................
February .............................................
March .................................................
2,564
810
806
263,952
74,644
88,937
2,421
722
733
253,409
68,372
83,793
First Quarter .......................................
4,180
427,533
3,876
405,574
April ....................................................
May ....................................................
June ...................................................
1,373
986
1,157
158,582
101,358
120,463
1,263
891
941
148,133
93,332
103,307
Second Quarter .................................
3,516
380,403
3,095
344,772
July .....................................................
August ................................................
September .........................................
1,981
645
1,662
244,216
67,582
213,281
1,745
598
1,505
222,377
63,484
179,042
Third Quarter ......................................
4,288
525,079
3,848
464,903
October ..............................................
Novemberp .........................................
Decemberp .........................................
905
1,254
2,323
91,941
116,127
254,258
757
1,079
2,168
80,694
102,182
242,753
Fourth Quarterp ..................................
4,482
462,326
4,004
425,629
Extended mass layoffs
lasting more than 30 days
Events
Initial
claimants
Realization rates
Events
1
Initial
claimants
1,690
326,328
39.4
73.5
1,339
238,392
34.3
61.9
1,358
254,063
41.5
76.5
886
148,575
27.3
41.1
1,427
262,049
37.7
68.1
1,142
185,374
29.5
45.7
1,203
212,671
38.9
61.7
2004
2005
1
The event realization rate is the percentage of all private nonfarm
2.p
742
2,p
108,647
p
19.3
p
23.4
data on these layoffs become available. Experience suggests that the
mass layoff events lasting more than 30 days. The initial claimant realization
number of extended mass layoff events is generally revised upwards
rate is the percentage of all private nonfarm mass layoff initial claimants
by less than 10 percent and the number of initial claimants associated
associated with layoffs lasting more than 30 days.
2
These quarterly numbers are provisional and will be revised as more
with such events increases by 25-40 percent.
p
= preliminary.
Table 5. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance by census region and division,
not seasonally adjusted
Initial claimants for
unemployment insurance
Mass layoff events
Census region and division
December
2004
October
2005
November
2005p
December
2005p
December
2004
October
2005
November
2005p
December
2005p
United States 1 ....................................................
1,614
905
1,254
2,323
161,271
91,941
116,127
254,258
Northeast ....................................................................
285
175
218
445
27,387
15,362
19,125
42,897
New England ..........................................................
Middle Atlantic ........................................................
47
238
12
163
24
194
83
362
4,894
22,493
1,233
14,129
2,703
16,422
9,110
33,787
South ..........................................................................
288
158
279
371
29,948
17,616
31,437
46,303
South Atlantic .........................................................
East South Central .................................................
West South Central ................................................
140
76
72
85
25
48
165
42
72
180
113
78
13,620
8,995
7,333
8,903
4,194
4,519
14,596
5,296
11,545
23,506
14,562
8,235
Midwest ......................................................................
588
199
355
942
61,277
27,841
34,901
111,662
East North Central ..................................................
West North Central .................................................
414
174
154
45
279
76
708
234
42,598
18,679
21,404
6,437
27,180
7,721
85,681
25,981
West ...........................................................................
453
373
402
565
42,659
31,122
30,664
53,396
Mountain .................................................................
Pacific .....................................................................
60
393
32
341
50
352
88
477
5,295
37,364
3,285
27,837
4,552
26,112
7,995
45,401
1
See footnote 1, table 3.
p
= preliminary.
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 6. State distribution: Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance,
not seasonally adjusted
Initial claimants for
unemployment insurance
Mass layoff events
State
Total 1 ........................................................................
Alabama .......................................................................
Alaska ..........................................................................
Arizona .........................................................................
Arkansas ......................................................................
California ......................................................................
Colorado ......................................................................
Connecticut ..................................................................
Delaware ......................................................................
District of Columbia ......................................................
Florida ..........................................................................
Georgia ........................................................................
Hawaii ..........................................................................
Idaho ............................................................................
December
October
November
December
December
October
November
December
2004
2005
2005p
2005p
2004
2005
2005p
2005p
1,614
905
1,254
2,323
161,271
91,941
116,127
254,258
22
4
4
6
4
315
6
–
6
4
4
7
302
7
3
–
–
100
24
24
–
4
6
415
16
9
–
2,244
(2)
358
218
32,279
1,347
510
–
569
264
606
767
25,317
510
–
(2)
3,567
3,082
–
736
(2)
–
2,706
1,739
2,119
–
387
989
38,926
1,536
897
–
(2)
61
42
6
17
783
401
350
1,866
21,324
758
235
–
–
7,138
2,511
(2)
476
(2)
976
10,222
9,331
3,442
1,864
5,474
1,297
570
924
2,085
10,841
6,064
5,717
1,940
2,473
3,600
2,811
1,636
647
3,521
4,030
(2)
(2)
10
62
27
144
98
61
18
62
13
7
–
29
222
64
(2)
19
(2)
63
(2)
5,231
7
9
20
24
12
96
7
91
19
4
133
9
32
175
474
1,375
1,630
423
4,979
319
8,101
1,187
526
5,310
1,041
2,798
9,413
17
20
4
25
50
11
9
35
24
628
1,679
(2)
5
3
344
13
5
–
(2)
44
37
–
10
Illinois ...........................................................................
Indiana .........................................................................
Iowa .............................................................................
Kansas .........................................................................
Kentucky ......................................................................
Louisiana .....................................................................
Maine ...........................................................................
Maryland ......................................................................
Massachusetts .............................................................
Michigan ......................................................................
Minnesota ....................................................................
Mississippi ...................................................................
Missouri .......................................................................
(2)
41
Montana .......................................................................
Nebraska .....................................................................
Nevada ........................................................................
New Hampshire ...........................................................
New Jersey ..................................................................
New Mexico .................................................................
New York .....................................................................
North Carolina ..............................................................
North Dakota ................................................................
Ohio .............................................................................
Oklahoma ....................................................................
Oregon .........................................................................
Pennsylvania ...............................................................
6
18
17
5
46
5
88
16
6
67
13
23
104
Rhode Island ................................................................
South Carolina .............................................................
South Dakota ...............................................................
Tennessee ...................................................................
Texas ...........................................................................
Utah .............................................................................
Vermont .......................................................................
Virginia .........................................................................
Washington ..................................................................
West Virginia ................................................................
Wisconsin ....................................................................
Wyoming ......................................................................
7
11
(2)
15
40
4
8
21
24
3
65
–
Puerto Rico ..................................................................
10
99
68
36
16
38
16
7
7
15
115
55
(2)
–
36
16
(2)
5
35
14
13
(2)
10
3
(2)
5
6
41
18
4
8
6
4
6
(2)
30
(2)
52
16
–
33
3
5
81
(2)
(2)
11
34
29
20
6
23
36
(2)
13
(2)
32
3
36
10
(2)
52
4
16
126
(2)
4
–
7
38
–
3
7
16
–
31
(2)
11
18
–
11
25
3
7
10
29
(2)
102
(2)
12
(2)
111
–
(2)
1,219
4,777
431
678
2,836
2,149
276
6,894
–
10
706
1
See footnote 1, table 3.
p
2
Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
NOTE: Dash represents zero.
= preliminary.
(2)
5,288
8,974
510
1,240
(2)
451
669
6,276
1,579
356
1,773
(2)
(2)
650
4,986
2,503
16,869
12,226
7,058
1,779
9,866
868
449
–
3,229
30,456
6,016
(2)
2,640
(2)
7,912
695
447
764
770
(2)
1,144
682
2,605
2,315
1,386
8,631
766
8,907
1,999
320
13,059
780
3,830
16,249
(2)
2,710
215
(2)
2,248
(2)
4,806
1,423
–
4,820
500
675
7,075
(2)
3,239
201
3,197
841
(2)
5,607
596
1,610
9,986
(2)
(2)
428
–
559
3,037
–
212
573
1,527
–
2,651
2,251
–
905
5,053
218
1,285
1,570
2,695
(2)
10,176
(2)
(2)
(2)
13,071
–
1,202
1,698
854
2,441
3,376
291
2,408
5,598
1,069
708
3,638
2,135