For release 10:00 a.m. (EDT) Thursday, October 22, 2009
USDL-09-1272
Technical information: (202) 691-6392 • [email protected] • www.bls.gov/mls
Media contact:
(202) 691-5902 • [email protected]
MASS LAYOFFS – SEPTEMBER 2009
Employers took 2,561 mass layoff actions in September that resulted in the separation of 248,006
workers, seasonally adjusted, as measured by new filings for unemployment insurance benefits during
the month, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Each action involved at least 50 persons
from a single employer. The number of mass layoff events in September decreased by 129 from the
prior month, and the number of associated initial claims decreased by 11,301. Over the year, the number
of mass layoff events increased by 271, and associated initial claims increased by 7,285. Year-to-date
mass layoff events (23,745) and initial claims (2,410,208) both recorded program highs. In September,
856 mass layoff events were reported in the manufacturing sector, seasonally adjusted, resulting in
97,066 initial claims. Over the month, the number of manufacturing events decreased by 44, while
associated initial claims increased by 3,174. (See table 1.)
Chart 1. Mass layoff events, seasonally adjusted,
October 2004-September 2009
Events
3,500
Chart 2. Mass layoff initial claims, seasonally adjusted,
October 2004-September 2009
Claims
350,000
3,000
300,000
2,500
250,000
2,000
150,000
1,500
1,000
500
Total
200,000
Total
Private nonfarm
100,000
Manufacturing
Private nonfarm
Manufacturing
50,000
0
0
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
During the 22 months from December 2007 through September 2009, the total number of mass layoff
events (seasonally adjusted) was 47,230, and the number of initial claims filed (seasonally adjusted) in
those events was 4,804,642. (December 2007 was the start of a recession as designated by the National
Bureau of Economic Research.)
The national unemployment rate was 9.8 percent in September 2009, seasonally adjusted, little changed
from 9.7 percent the prior month and up from 6.2 percent a year earlier. In September, total nonfarm
payroll employment decreased by 263,000 over the month and by 5,785,000 from a year earlier.
Table A. Industries with the largest number of mass layoff initial claims in September 2009,
not seasonally adjusted
September peak
Industry
Initial claims
Year
Initial claims
1
Temporary help services ..................................
Construction machinery manufacturing ................
Discount department stores ................................
Farm machinery and equipment manufacturing ....
Automobile manufacturing ..................................
1
Professional employer organizations .................
Motion picture and video production ..................
Elementary and secondary schools .....................
Hotels and motels, except casino hotels ..............
Nonresidential electrical contractors ...................
1
2
5,635
3,452
3,446
2,982
2,646
2,548
2,431
2,033
1,996
1,759
2001
2009
2005
2009
2004
2008
1997
2005
2001
2009
12,752
3,452
3,550
2,982
2
( )
4,520
11,176
15,815
10,886
1,759
See the Technical Note for more information on these industries.
Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
Industry Distribution (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
The number of mass layoff events in September was 1,371 on a not seasonally adjusted basis; the number of associated initial claims was 123,177. (See table 2.) Over the year, the number of mass layoff
events increased by 79, while associated initial claims decreased by 6,409. Five of the 19 major industry
sectors reported program highs in terms of average weekly initial claimants for the month of September:
mining; utilities; wholesale trade; finance and insurance; and management of companies and enterprises.
(Average weekly analysis mitigates the effect of differing lengths of months. See the Technical Note.)
The manufacturing sector accounted for 33 percent of all mass layoff events and 42 percent of initial
claims filed in September 2009. A year earlier, manufacturing made up 28 percent of events and 36
percent of initial claims. Within manufacturing, the number of claimants in September was greatest in
machinery (12,389) and transportation equipment (7,331). (See table 3.) The construction sector accounted for 12 percent of mass layoff events and 9 percent of initial claims.
Of the 10 detailed industries with the largest number of mass layoff initial claims, 3 reached a series
high for September: nonresidential electrical contractors; farm machinery and equipment manufacturing;
and construction machinery manufacturing. This September, the industry with the largest number of
initial claims was temporary help services. (See table A.)
Geographic Distribution (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
Among the 4 census regions, the Midwest registered the highest number of initial claims in September
due to mass layoffs (38,137), followed by the West (37,480) and the South (28,943). (See table 5.) Initial claims associated with mass layoffs increased over the year in 2 of the 4 regions, with the Midwest
experiencing the largest increase (+11,491). In 2009, the Midwest reported its highest September level
of average weekly initial claims (9,534) in program history.
-2-
Of the 9 geographic divisions, the Pacific had the highest number of initial claims due to mass layoffs
in September, followed by the East North Central and the Middle Atlantic. (See table 5.) Seven of the 9
divisions experienced over-the-year increases in initial claims, led by the East North Central (+7,217).
This year, the East North Central division reached a program high for September in terms of average
weekly initial claims.
California recorded the highest number of initial claims in September, with 28,797, even though it had
an over-the-year decrease in initial claims (-5,787). The over-the-year decrease in California was largely
due to a drop in claims from the administrative and support services industry. The states with the next
highest number of mass layoff initial claims were Illinois (10,743), Pennsylvania (8,587), and Michigan
(6,167). (See table 6.) Twenty-eight states experienced over-the-year increases in initial claims, led by
Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Kansas. In 2009, six states reached program highs in average weekly initial
claims for the month of September: Alaska, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, and Wisconsin.
Louisiana registered the largest decrease in initial claims from September of 2008, when Hurricane
Gustov contributed to higher layoff activity.
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.
Extended Mass Layoffs in the Third Quarter of 2009 is scheduled to be released on Tuesday,
November 10, 2009, at 10:00 a.m. (EST). Mass Layoffs in October 2009 is scheduled to be released
on Friday, November 20, 2009, at 10:00 a.m. (EST).
-3-
Technical Note
The Mass Layoff Statistics (MLS) program is a federalstate 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 employers
which have at least 50 initial claims filed against them during
a consecutive 5-week period. These employers 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-the-year 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; Federal Relay Service: (800) 877-8339
Definitions
Employer. Employers in the MLS program include
those covered by state unemployment insurance laws.
Information on employers is obtained from the Quarterly
Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program, which
is administered by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Industry. Employers are classified according to the
2007 version of the North American Industry Classification
System (NAICS). For temporary help and professional
employer organization industries, monthly MLS-related
statistics generally reflect layoffs related to underlying client
companies in other industries. An individual layoff action at
a client company can be small, but when initial claimants
associated with many such layoffs are assigned to a temporary help or professional employer organization firm, a
mass layoff event may trigger.
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 employer
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 1 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, October 2005 to September 2009,
seasonally adjusted
Total
Date
Private nonfarm
Manufacturing
Events
Initial
claimants
Events
Initial
claimants
2005
October ........................................................
November ....................................................
December ....................................................
1,109
1,162
1,263
111,202
113,502
136,751
991
1,027
1,135
102,111
102,058
125,700
320
325
358
43,387
41,493
46,940
2006
January ........................................................
February .......................................................
March ...........................................................
April ..............................................................
May ..............................................................
June .............................................................
July ...............................................................
August ..........................................................
September ...................................................
October ........................................................
November ....................................................
December ....................................................
1,112
960
1,078
1,198
1,132
1,156
1,204
1,278
1,167
1,195
1,209
1,201
111,601
104,045
118,270
123,674
116,808
124,955
123,172
136,289
124,083
121,439
131,459
133,311
986
872
976
1,062
1,013
1,044
1,077
1,117
1,054
1,081
1,096
1,100
102,359
96,317
109,842
113,849
106,743
115,491
113,324
125,064
115,451
112,777
122,136
124,019
293
317
320
366
312
356
381
376
390
401
402
369
35,390
41,810
48,026
50,747
42,958
45,280
50,109
60,524
46,470
53,597
57,084
51,113
2007
January ........................................................
February .......................................................
March ...........................................................
April ..............................................................
May ..............................................................
June .............................................................
July ...............................................................
August ..........................................................
September ...................................................
October ........................................................
November ....................................................
December ....................................................
1,261
1,240
1,261
1,281
1,200
1,256
1,288
1,262
1,279
1,346
1,352
1,469
129,190
134,524
129,480
130,263
119,259
132,078
131,556
125,334
125,527
133,514
143,419
145,916
1,116
1,130
1,151
1,145
1,097
1,138
1,182
1,162
1,183
1,224
1,233
1,354
118,890
126,105
120,923
119,683
111,585
122,726
123,322
117,557
118,917
124,666
134,445
136,914
406
404
407
381
368
356
405
331
440
436
408
447
55,341
58,861
52,356
45,654
48,682
41,135
53,318
36,577
54,006
57,527
56,330
56,152
2008
January ........................................................
February .......................................................
March ...........................................................
April ..............................................................
May ..............................................................
June .............................................................
July ...............................................................
August ..........................................................
September ...................................................
October ........................................................
November ....................................................
December ....................................................
1,476
1,669
1,585
1,344
1,701
1,717
1,535
1,887
2,290
2,204
2,333
2,275
149,068
183,038
161,497
135,352
180,558
174,748
152,499
188,951
240,721
230,330
225,639
226,117
1,350
1,532
1,471
1,215
1,563
1,561
1,390
1,735
2,114
2,042
2,185
2,100
139,076
172,013
151,550
125,074
170,538
162,071
141,239
178,479
226,492
216,095
213,288
212,559
435
526
483
487
538
555
455
626
643
687
868
871
56,579
67,235
65,252
63,247
75,520
79,744
57,648
80,913
86,617
92,256
100,643
105,402
2009
January ........................................................
February .......................................................
March ...........................................................
April ..............................................................
May ..............................................................
June .............................................................
July ...............................................................
August ..........................................................
September ...................................................
2,227
2,769
2,933
2,712
2,933
2,763
2,157
2,690
2,561
237,902
295,477
299,388
271,226
312,880
279,231
206,791
259,307
248,006
2,070
2,628
2,751
2,519
2,736
2,536
1,928
2,428
2,324
225,490
281,500
283,989
256,111
296,108
260,747
185,718
237,302
229,371
738
1,235
1,259
1,111
1,331
1,235
621
900
856
102,577
152,618
155,909
135,252
165,802
159,310
72,266
93,892
97,066
Events
Initial
claimants
Table 2. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance, October 2005 to September 2009,
not seasonally adjusted
Total
Date
Private nonfarm
Manufacturing
Events
Initial
claimants
Events
Initial
claimants
2005
October ........................................................
November ....................................................
December ....................................................
905
1,254
2,323
91,941
116,127
254,258
757
1,079
2,168
80,694
102,182
242,753
249
363
706
37,276
41,442
96,382
2006
January ........................................................
February .......................................................
March ...........................................................
April ..............................................................
May ..............................................................
June .............................................................
July ...............................................................
August ..........................................................
September ...................................................
October ........................................................
November ....................................................
December ....................................................
1,245
719
921
1,140
872
1,489
1,511
708
865
964
1,315
2,249
117,946
66,555
111,838
121,589
84,809
164,761
166,857
72,844
87,699
98,804
136,186
254,503
1,123
658
856
1,038
794
1,224
1,335
656
785
820
1,172
2,126
108,701
62,208
106,177
112,964
78,663
140,687
154,342
69,054
81,274
88,133
125,009
244,783
331
210
285
296
192
319
648
203
296
311
455
735
35,097
24,892
44,688
39,538
23,570
41,095
96,152
28,494
39,076
46,737
58,473
105,462
2007
January ........................................................
February .......................................................
March ...........................................................
April ..............................................................
May ..............................................................
June .............................................................
July ...............................................................
August ..........................................................
September ...................................................
October ........................................................
November ....................................................
December ....................................................
1,407
935
1,082
1,219
923
1,599
1,599
963
717
1,083
1,799
2,167
134,984
86,696
123,974
127,444
85,816
172,810
175,419
93,458
67,385
108,455
198,220
224,214
1,263
861
1,015
1,115
856
1,318
1,450
908
667
929
1,593
2,071
124,475
82,097
118,431
118,040
81,153
148,669
164,939
88,345
64,026
97,716
181,184
216,898
456
273
367
309
224
313
684
220
246
338
514
699
53,615
36,170
49,886
35,229
26,527
36,571
101,390
23,361
29,381
50,918
75,413
91,754
2008
January ........................................................
February .......................................................
March ...........................................................
April ..............................................................
May ..............................................................
June .............................................................
July ...............................................................
August ..........................................................
September ...................................................
October ........................................................
November ....................................................
December ....................................................
1,647
1,269
1,089
1,272
1,552
1,622
1,891
1,427
1,292
2,125
2,574
3,377
154,503
119,508
114,541
130,810
159,471
166,742
200,382
139,999
129,586
221,784
241,589
351,305
1,520
1,178
1,039
1,172
1,438
1,315
1,687
1,343
1,202
1,917
2,389
3,232
144,191
113,587
110,147
121,625
150,462
140,916
186,018
133,146
122,505
205,553
226,657
340,220
488
361
333
394
388
309
760
414
361
689
997
1,378
54,418
42,527
43,740
48,188
51,698
42,097
108,733
51,912
46,391
100,457
107,620
172,529
2009
January ........................................................
February .......................................................
March ...........................................................
April ..............................................................
May ..............................................................
June .............................................................
July ...............................................................
August ..........................................................
September ...................................................
3,806
2,262
2,191
2,547
2,738
2,519
3,054
1,428
1,371
388,813
218,438
228,387
256,930
289,628
256,357
336,654
125,024
123,177
3,633
2,173
2,107
2,385
2,572
2,051
2,659
1,334
1,258
375,293
210,755
221,397
243,321
274,047
216,063
296,589
117,193
115,141
1,461
945
940
887
1,005
674
1,133
436
448
172,757
103,588
114,747
100,872
123,683
85,726
154,208
41,151
51,126
Events
Initial
claimants
Table 3. Industry distribution: Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance
Initial claimants for
unemployment insurance
Mass layoff events
Industry
September
2008
July
2009
August
2009
September September
2009
2008
2,290
2,114
643
2,157
1,928
621
2,690
2,428
900
2,561
2,324
856
July
2009
August
2009
September
2009
240,721
226,492
86,617
206,791
185,718
72,266
259,307
237,302
93,892
248,006
229,371
97,066
Seasonally adjusted
Total ...............................................................
Total, private nonfarm ........................................
Manufacturing ..................................................
Not seasonally adjusted
1
Total ............................................................
1,292
3,054
1,428
1,371
129,586
336,654
125,024
123,177
Total, private ........................................................
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting .........
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 .......................
1,227
25
1,202
6
2,752
93
2,659
22
3
170
1,133
67
8
21
8
26
4
42
17
16
6
1,356
22
1,334
9
1,285
27
1,258
10
6
167
448
50
5
12
124,096
1,591
122,505
728
304,108
7,519
296,589
1,816
446
12,415
154,208
8,076
624
2,424
875
2,926
306
3,453
1,439
1,950
373
118,920
1,727
117,193
603
116,813
1,672
115,141
918
448
10,637
51,126
5,044
306
1,197
(2)
1,423
576
714
–
(2)
2,653
1,287
828
–
Chemicals ....................................................
Plastics and rubber products .......................
Nonmetallic mineral products ......................
Primary metals .............................................
Fabricated metal products ...........................
Machinery ....................................................
Computer and electronic products ...............
Electrical equipment and appliances ...........
Transportation equipment ............................
Furniture and related products ....................
Miscellaneous manufacturing ......................
8
16
12
13
35
28
15
22
87
13
1,722
9,776
3,044
9,850
10,798
29,528
7,823
5,992
47,322
3,311
2,596
843
1,532
1,147
2,742
3,501
6,608
2,535
1,853
9,076
941
577
540
1,195
763
3,330
3,856
12,389
1,986
2,740
7,331
3,481
1,117
2,714
10,173
9,131
6,067
4,434
404
2,302
2,422
13,094
4,807
4,572
3,308
(2)
18,557
346
4,021
2,043
7,552
297
73
6,201
17,388
11,279
13,941
6,700
819
10,555
2,289
35,419
2,540
7,010
2,611
9,651
1,212
89
(2)
15,604
1,796
1,947
1,403
6,034
1,076
–
5,490
764
922
3,804
32,546
845
3,297
28,404
6,104
1,381
1,717
3,006
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 ....................................................
Government .........................................................
Federal ............................................................
State ................................................................
Local ................................................................
1
2
(2)
144
361
33
7
13
3
7
(2)
7
(2)
10,763
46,391
3,068
648
1,422
347
688
(2)
19
8
9
–
(2)
36
15
10
–
(2)
2,901
603
341
–
19
74
29
89
114
132
77
45
275
35
29
10
17
18
31
43
74
30
18
68
13
6
9
13
12
30
44
63
28
23
53
22
11
527
1,224
861
1,582
2,357
4,058
1,556
3,453
19,278
1,153
34
111
101
46
47
7
32
32
139
47
45
43
(2)
181
5
54
30
99
6
2
78
161
131
90
84
12
95
14
351
31
101
38
124
19
2
(2)
195
13
31
19
74
13
–
65
9
12
44
302
10
39
253
72
14
19
39
(2)
32
8
5
–
(2)
20
112
54
45
38
7
35
Data were reported by all states and the District of Columbia.
Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
(2)
160
436
41
5
(2)
5
15
(2)
31
5
142
7
23
29
73
7
(2)
86
8
28
50
(2)
1,642
10,345
4,383
6,021
3,104
396
5,623
NOTE: Dash represents zero.
(2)
11,904
41,151
3,632
937
(2)
557
1,317
(2)
572
(2)
1,998
495
11,525
371
1,573
2,209
4,981
409
(2)
6,364
603
2,082
3,679
Table 4. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance, July 2007 to September 2009,
not seasonally adjusted
Private nonfarm
Total mass layoffs
Date
Mass layoffs
Events
Initial
claimants
Events
Initial
claimants
Extended mass layoffs
lasting more than 30 days
Realization rates 1
Events
Initial
claimants
1,018
173,077
33.7
54.5
1,814
347,151
39.5
70.0
1,340
259,292
35.9
70.5
1,756
339,629
44.7
82.2
1,582
304,316
37.4
68.9
3,582
765,019
47.5
99.0
3,979
830,028
50.3
102.8
42.7
p
Events
Initial
claimants
2007
July ............................................
August ........................................
September .................................
1,599
963
717
175,419
93,458
67,385
1,450
908
667
164,939
88,345
64,026
Third Quarter .............................
3,279
336,262
3,025
317,310
October ......................................
November ..................................
December ..................................
1,083
1,799
2,167
108,455
198,220
224,214
929
1,593
2,071
97,716
181,184
216,898
Fourth Quarter ...........................
5,049
530,889
4,593
495,798
January ......................................
February ....................................
March .........................................
1,647
1,269
1,089
154,503
119,508
114,541
1,520
1,178
1,039
144,191
113,587
110,147
First Quarter ...............................
4,005
388,552
3,737
367,925
April ............................................
May ............................................
June ...........................................
1,272
1,552
1,622
130,810
159,471
166,742
1,172
1,438
1,315
121,625
150,462
140,916
Second Quarter .........................
4,446
457,023
3,925
413,003
July ............................................
August ........................................
September .................................
1,891
1,427
1,292
200,382
139,999
129,586
1,687
1,343
1,202
186,018
133,146
122,505
Third Quarter .............................
4,610
469,967
4,232
441,669
October ......................................
November ..................................
December ..................................
2,125
2,574
3,377
221,784
241,589
351,305
1,917
2,389
3,232
205,553
226,657
340,220
Fourth Quarter ...........................
8,076
814,678
7,538
772,430
January ......................................
February ....................................
March .........................................
3,806
2,262
2,191
388,813
218,438
228,387
3,633
2,173
2,107
375,293
210,755
221,397
First Quarter ...............................
8,259
835,638
7,913
807,445
April ............................................
May ............................................
June ...........................................
2,547
2,738
2,519
256,930
289,628
256,357
2,385
2,572
2,051
243,321
274,047
216,063
Second Quarter .........................
7,804
802,915
7,008
733,431
July ............................................
August ........................................
September .................................
3,054
1,428
1,371
336,654
125,024
123,177
2,659
1,334
1,258
296,589
117,193
115,141
Third Quarter .............................
5,853
584,855
5,251
528,923
2008
2009
1
The event realization rate is the percentage of all private nonfarm
2,p
2,994
2,p
506,533
p
69.1
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
September
2008
July
2009
August
2009
September
2009
United States 1 .........................................
1,292
3,054
1,428
1,371
129,586
336,654
125,024
123,177
Northeast ..........................................................
New England ................................................
Middle Atlantic ..............................................
142
15
127
511
82
429
279
32
247
233
29
204
11,646
1,180
10,466
45,526
7,194
38,332
26,444
2,953
23,491
18,617
2,762
15,855
South ................................................................
South Atlantic ...............................................
East South Central .......................................
West South Central ......................................
475
153
54
268
725
389
213
123
342
204
57
81
334
182
71
81
43,772
12,291
4,788
26,693
71,648
34,220
25,153
12,275
29,486
17,732
4,820
6,934
28,943
14,927
6,844
7,172
Midwest ............................................................
East North Central ........................................
West North Central .......................................
225
189
36
805
635
170
350
273
77
309
240
69
26,646
23,087
3,559
117,188
94,516
22,672
32,197
25,962
6,235
38,137
30,304
7,833
West .................................................................
Mountain .......................................................
Pacific ...........................................................
450
43
407
1,013
112
901
457
63
394
495
53
442
47,522
3,675
43,847
102,292
11,241
91,051
36,897
6,116
30,781
37,480
3,924
33,556
1
See footnote 1, table 3.
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,
September
2008
July
2009
August
2009
September
2009
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
September
2008
July
2009
August
2009
Total 1 ..............................................
1,292
3,054
1,428
1,371
Alabama .............................................
Alaska .................................................
Arizona ...............................................
Arkansas .............................................
California ............................................
Colorado .............................................
Connecticut .........................................
Delaware ............................................
District of Columbia ............................
Florida .................................................
Georgia ...............................................
Hawaii .................................................
Idaho ...................................................
12
3
8
3
358
3
6
75
23
4
10
4
340
5
4
22
7
7
Illinois ..................................................
Indiana ................................................
Iowa ....................................................
Kansas ................................................
Kentucky .............................................
Louisiana ............................................
Maine ..................................................
Maryland .............................................
Massachusetts ....................................
Michigan .............................................
Minnesota ...........................................
Mississippi ..........................................
Missouri ..............................................
(2)
(2)
35
11
812
15
15
5
–
–
96
20
9
4
192
62
9
8
43
34
10
6
24
163
110
87
48
22
97
21
4
11
31
185
31
14
61
(2)
5
4
40
4
6
16
Montana ..............................................
Nebraska ............................................
Nevada ...............................................
New Hampshire ..................................
New Jersey .........................................
New Mexico ........................................
New York ............................................
North Carolina ....................................
North Dakota ......................................
Ohio ....................................................
Oklahoma ...........................................
Oregon ................................................
Pennsylvania ......................................
(2)
32
5
21
74
5
4
37
17
101
5
126
23
4
138
16
49
202
Rhode Island ......................................
South Carolina ....................................
South Dakota ......................................
Tennessee ..........................................
Texas ..................................................
Utah ....................................................
Vermont ..............................................
Virginia ................................................
Washington .........................................
West Virginia ......................................
Wisconsin ...........................................
Wyoming .............................................
(2)
16
10
59
Puerto Rico .........................................
1
2
–
18
(2)
17
4
36
9
–
–
12
97
3
–
(2)
(2)
104
23
8
9
129,586
336,654
125,024
123,177
8,324
1,997
295
977
260
26,082
374
334
(2)
(2)
(2)
3,469
1,033
82,085
1,536
1,056
347
2,044
849
463
(2)
395
14
4
1,090
241
586
359
34,584
196
402
–
–
–
14,929
7,636
670
759
71
21
18
15
32
10
3
7
12
40
15
5
16
4,941
4,314
1,455
478
2,351
14,929
25,119
10,131
8,730
2,088
14,128
1,768
256
987
2,972
23,929
3,229
803
7,647
(2)
( )
30
6
27
4
106
19
3
3
15
1,604
(2)
31
7
58
8
(2)
1,663
440
2,905
793
(2)
58
8
21
114
(2)
47
4
15
115
5,912
789
2,942
5,898
481
418
3,212
1,564
8,366
252
11,886
1,950
560
19,704
2,013
5,492
18,080
5
20
3
18
(2)
1,793
82
30
17
14
22
18
(2)
10
13
43
13
5
28
3
2
(2)
7
51
(2)
40
(2)
115
(2)
(2)
21
21
4
60
(2)
–
–
See footnote 1, table 3.
Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
August
2009
5,988
1,885
919
324
(2)
4
16
22
July
2009
91
35
6
4
27
75
7
5
35
29
18
September September
2009
2008
15
–
12
65
3
5
22
19
–
61
–
17
(2)
349
310
4,130
430
463
1,196
–
–
–
884
10,616
243
(2)
(2)
7,795
2,202
872
1,305
7,432
3,182
1,359
945
2,006
1,698
(2)
759
1,357
3,593
948
349
2,549
258
September
2009
(2)
28,797
1,036
323
(2)
–
5,975
2,817
465
306
10,743
2,895
2,384
2,880
3,394
887
268
463
985
6,167
1,122
323
1,018
227
210
1,201
(2)
2,879
454
2,162
191
11,405
2,523
(2)
2,844
487
4,424
918
(2)
5,941
679
1,691
9,924
(2)
4,745
401
1,402
8,587
965
5,359
456
2,133
260
2,831
–
(2)
468
4,297
–
(2)
546
5,161
1,898
7,461
1,532
381
2,873
2,549
(2)
3,790
(2)
15,633
(2)
(2)
1,652
1,841
272
5,814
(2)
–
–
–
1,715
1,826
1,326
1,563
NOTE: Dash represents zero.
1,083
5,715
204
507
1,868
2,043
–
5,754