USDL-11-0555
For release 10:00 a.m. (EDT) Friday, April 22, 2011
Technical information: (202) 691-6392 • [email protected] • www.bls.gov/mls
Media contact:
(202) 691-5902 • [email protected]
MASS LAYOFFS — MARCH 2011
Employers took 1,286 mass layoff actions in March involving 118,523 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 mass layoff involved at least 50 workers from a single employer.
The number of mass layoff events in March decreased by 135 from February, and the number of
associated initial claims decreased by 12,295. These were their lowest levels since September 2007 and
May 2007, respectively. In March 253 mass layoff events were reported in the manufacturing sector,
seasonally adjusted, resulting in 27,619 initial claims. Manufacturing events decreased by 38 from the
prior month to the lowest level on record, while associated initial claims increased by 1,559 from a
program low in February (data begin in April 1995). (See table 1.)
Chart 1. Mass layoff events, seasonally adjusted,
April 2006-March 2011
Events
3,500
Chart 2. Mass layoff initial claims, seasonally adjusted,
April 2006-March 2011
Claims
350,000
3,000
300,000
2,500
250,000
Total
2,000
200,000
1,500
150,000
1,000
Private nonfarm
100,000
Manufacturing
500
50,000
0
0
Total
Private nonfarm
Manufacturing
The national unemployment rate was 8.8 percent in March, essentially unchanged from the prior month
and down from 9.7 percent a year earlier. In March total nonfarm payroll employment increased by
216,000 over the month and by 1,300,000 from a year earlier.
Industry Distribution (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
The number of mass layoff events in March was 908, not seasonally adjusted, resulting in 85,095 initial
claims. (See table 2.) The number of mass layoff events was down by 289 from March 2010, and
associated initial claims decreased by 26,632. Fifteen of the 19 major industry sectors in the private
Table A. Industries with the largest number of mass layoff initial claims in March 2011,
not seasonally adjusted
March peak
Industry
Initial claims
Year
Initial claims
Food service contractors ...................................
1
Temporary help services .................................
School and employee bus transportation .............
Household refrigerator and home freezer mfg. .....
Discount department stores ................................
Warehouse clubs and supercenters .....................
Motion picture and video production ..................
Process and logistics consulting services .............
Highway, street, and bridge construction ............
1
Professional employer organizations .................
1
2
7,089
6,424
3,459
2,718
1,930
1,575
1,488
(2)
1,283
1,160
2007
2002
2008
2011
2007
2010
2005
2009
2001
2009
7,636
14,338
8,073
2,718
3,670
1,897
7,192
1,846
2,640
4,892
See the Technical Note for more information on these industries.
Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
economy reported over-the-year declines in initial claims, with manufacturing and retail trade having the
largest decreases. The six-digit industry with the largest number of initial claims in March 2011 was
food service contractors. (See table A. The table includes both publicly and privately owned entities.)
The manufacturing sector accounted for 21 percent of all mass layoff events and 25 percent of initial
claims filed in March. A year earlier, manufacturing made up 23 percent of events and 27 percent of
initial claims. Within manufacturing, the number of claimants in March 2011 was greatest in the food
subsector. (See table 3.) Fourteen of the 21 manufacturing subsectors experienced over-the-year
decreases in initial claims, with the largest declines in transportation equipment and food.
Geographic Distribution (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
All 4 regions and 8 of the 9 divisions experienced over-the-year decreases in initial claims due to mass
layoffs in March. Among the census regions, the West registered the largest over-the-year decrease in
initial claims. Of the geographic divisions, the East North Central and the Pacific had the largest overthe-year declines in initial claims. (See table 5.)
California recorded the highest number of initial claims in March, followed by Texas, Pennsylvania, and
New York. Thirty states experienced over-the-year decreases in initial claims, led by California, Illinois,
and Michigan. (See table 6.)
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
-2-
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 Extended Mass Layoffs news release for the First Quarter 2011 is scheduled to be released on
Wednesday, May 11, 2011, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT). The Mass Layoffs news release for April is
scheduled to be released on Friday, May 20, 2011, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).
-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, April 2007 to March 2011,
seasonally adjusted
Total
Date
Private nonfarm
Manufacturing
Events
Initial
claimants
Events
Initial
claimants
2007
April ..............................................................
May ..............................................................
June .............................................................
July ...............................................................
August ..........................................................
September ...................................................
October ........................................................
November ....................................................
December ....................................................
1,238
1,159
1,207
1,295
1,217
1,233
1,330
1,397
1,553
126,334
113,578
127,776
136,168
122,450
121,998
133,063
145,339
154,275
1,102
1,064
1,097
1,193
1,126
1,140
1,210
1,269
1,435
115,271
106,573
119,007
128,208
115,305
115,675
124,455
135,651
144,785
358
347
342
401
312
430
439
408
463
42,989
44,637
37,552
55,906
34,877
51,731
56,970
56,985
59,445
2008
January ........................................................
February .......................................................
March ...........................................................
April ..............................................................
May ..............................................................
June .............................................................
July ...............................................................
August ..........................................................
September ...................................................
October ........................................................
November ....................................................
December ....................................................
1,437
1,604
1,500
1,292
1,582
1,631
1,581
1,791
2,192
2,221
2,415
2,443
146,900
175,128
150,502
128,901
161,944
164,508
164,497
181,107
233,034
229,254
228,107
245,661
1,302
1,441
1,388
1,162
1,444
1,488
1,443
1,653
2,024
2,062
2,256
2,264
135,622
163,475
140,424
118,016
152,230
153,014
153,720
171,705
219,532
215,787
214,631
231,138
431
471
435
449
468
491
463
583
635
697
900
927
55,562
59,118
56,156
58,402
62,452
68,198
62,425
77,874
82,471
92,408
102,284
114,280
2009
January ........................................................
February .......................................................
March ...........................................................
April ..............................................................
May ..............................................................
June .............................................................
July ...............................................................
August ..........................................................
September ...................................................
October ........................................................
November ....................................................
December ....................................................
2,272
2,801
2,950
2,579
2,758
2,506
2,192
2,419
2,305
1,975
1,754
1,725
238,717
315,507
295,543
251,032
288,319
250,275
223,697
220,262
219,924
195,347
154,223
156,274
2,103
2,636
2,758
2,368
2,557
2,293
1,977
2,177
2,095
1,780
1,585
1,545
224,850
300,042
279,027
234,796
271,425
232,814
203,365
201,951
204,596
177,977
141,439
141,649
756
1,194
1,205
997
1,187
1,048
620
778
799
570
464
420
100,927
138,583
144,713
121,435
147,548
135,389
72,932
83,837
91,665
63,646
51,891
43,584
2010
January ........................................................
February .......................................................
March ...........................................................
April ..............................................................
May ..............................................................
June .............................................................
July ...............................................................
August ..........................................................
September ...................................................
October ........................................................
November ....................................................
December ....................................................
1,716
1,492
1,635
1,675
1,665
1,729
1,528
1,658
1,541
1,649
1,579
1,483
171,633
149,369
146,901
159,358
155,352
153,937
138,581
163,325
137,941
147,204
148,800
137,992
1,541
1,318
1,436
1,498
1,405
1,504
1,316
1,453
1,331
1,445
1,397
1,272
157,597
135,490
131,953
143,814
133,913
134,837
121,378
141,489
119,654
130,264
133,845
122,688
494
351
347
371
314
326
296
409
336
353
350
319
60,059
40,564
37,273
48,646
30,967
32,646
30,752
47,668
34,641
37,394
39,072
35,977
2011
January ........................................................
February .......................................................
March ...........................................................
1,534
1,421
1,286
149,799
130,818
118,523
1,344
1,220
1,128
132,730
116,190
105,636
341
291
253
39,189
26,060
27,619
Events
Initial
claimants
Table 2. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance, April 2007 to March 2011,
not seasonally adjusted
Total
Date
Private nonfarm
Manufacturing
Events
Initial
claimants
Events
Initial
claimants
2007
April ..............................................................
May ..............................................................
June .............................................................
July ...............................................................
August ..........................................................
September ...................................................
October ........................................................
November ....................................................
December ....................................................
1,219
923
1,599
1,599
963
717
1,083
1,799
2,167
127,444
85,816
172,810
175,419
93,458
67,385
108,455
198,220
224,214
1,115
856
1,318
1,450
908
667
929
1,593
2,071
118,040
81,153
148,669
164,939
88,345
64,026
97,716
181,184
216,898
309
224
313
684
220
246
338
514
699
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 ...................................................
October ........................................................
November ....................................................
December ....................................................
3,806
2,262
2,191
2,547
2,738
2,519
3,054
1,428
1,371
1,934
1,870
2,310
388,813
218,438
228,387
256,930
289,628
256,357
336,654
125,024
123,177
193,904
164,496
214,648
3,633
2,173
2,107
2,385
2,572
2,051
2,659
1,334
1,258
1,678
1,679
2,166
375,293
210,755
221,397
243,321
274,047
216,063
296,589
117,193
115,141
172,883
150,751
203,655
1,461
945
940
887
1,005
674
1,133
436
448
566
517
615
172,757
103,588
114,747
100,872
123,683
85,726
154,208
41,151
51,126
69,655
55,053
64,540
2010
January ........................................................
February .......................................................
March ...........................................................
April ..............................................................
May ..............................................................
June .............................................................
July ...............................................................
August ..........................................................
September ...................................................
October ........................................................
November ....................................................
December ....................................................
2,860
1,183
1,197
1,840
1,354
1,861
2,124
976
920
1,642
1,676
1,931
278,679
102,818
111,727
199,690
123,333
171,190
206,254
92,435
77,654
148,638
158,048
184,130
2,682
1,091
1,111
1,697
1,170
1,355
1,732
897
806
1,373
1,477
1,763
265,074
96,022
105,514
184,654
109,203
125,872
172,248
83,021
67,987
127,865
142,591
172,881
962
282
273
424
216
212
532
230
187
351
389
465
104,846
30,728
29,745
55,178
19,334
21,083
64,200
23,088
19,403
40,861
41,383
52,816
2011
January ........................................................
February .......................................................
March ...........................................................
2,558
1,024
908
246,463
85,585
85,095
2,372
919
844
229,765
78,718
80,014
693
222
191
75,006
18,471
20,869
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
March
2010
January
2011
February
2011
March
2011
March
2010
January
2011
February
2011
March
2011
1,635
1,436
347
1,534
1,344
341
1,421
1,220
291
1,286
1,128
253
146,901
131,953
37,273
149,799
132,730
39,189
130,818
116,190
26,060
118,523
105,636
27,619
Seasonally adjusted
Total ...............................................................
Total, private nonfarm ........................................
Manufacturing ..................................................
Not seasonally adjusted
1
Total ............................................................
1,197
2,558
1,024
908
111,727
246,463
85,585
85,095
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 .......................
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 ......................
1,149
38
1,111
5
2,438
66
2,372
15
5
325
693
94
5
31
9
20
976
57
919
4
107,880
2,366
105,514
374
234,708
4,943
229,765
1,188
390
23,906
75,006
9,313
752
4,455
793
1,776
82,230
3,512
78,718
322
(2)
104
222
58
5
5
4
5
(2)
43
14
12
(2)
22
12
6
874
30
844
3
4
99
191
45
4
3
3
4
–
24
7
5
(2)
4,930
1,049
983
(2)
1,872
750
679
82,046
2,032
80,014
247
547
7,569
20,869
4,338
242
328
481
374
–
2,354
622
359
(2)
18
51
56
23
51
46
14
15
128
44
14
(2)
7
5
16
8
8
11
13
4
19
9
(2)
1,612
4,569
4,239
3,046
4,174
5,446
1,020
1,572
19,478
4,263
1,073
(2)
759
262
1,141
794
446
897
847
1,078
1,275
533
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 ....................................................
29
124
62
52
43
8
45
(2)
163
10
33
20
112
10
–
32
241
212
53
31
17
52
6
381
19
56
55
158
21
–
Government .........................................................
Federal ............................................................
State ................................................................
Local ................................................................
48
8
15
25
120
23
32
65
1
2
(2)
117
273
53
4
4
3
10
–
16
5
14
3
13
9
11
8
18
22
16
6
43
10
5
Data were reported by all states and the District of Columbia.
Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
(2)
24
114
49
58
22
7
43
(2)
(2)
4
5
8
12
11
10
8
19
10
5
(2)
166
8
28
11
50
4
–
18
89
44
36
19
6
35
3
151
4
33
13
88
8
–
48
5
17
26
34
5
10
19
(2)
8,206
29,745
6,122
716
350
172
578
–
1,445
313
1,224
185
1,064
686
785
773
1,361
2,373
1,278
1,195
7,128
1,625
372
2,016
13,337
6,444
5,715
3,636
409
4,610
(2)
7,003
18,471
5,115
287
468
270
693
(2)
2,187
9,346
5,630
8,959
1,407
369
3,729
(2)
(2)
321
404
536
916
1,077
808
2,886
2,887
1,099
530
(2)
13,281
824
2,066
1,558
12,269
670
–
2,839
27,038
22,440
7,915
2,758
1,150
4,019
439
34,996
2,672
3,880
5,494
12,107
1,528
–
(2)
13,894
474
1,685
629
4,088
161
–
1,393
9,012
5,133
3,788
1,354
452
3,771
194
11,303
265
2,038
893
10,491
695
–
3,847
636
1,324
1,887
11,755
2,922
3,272
5,561
3,355
384
1,029
1,942
3,049
532
1,389
1,128
NOTE: Dash represents zero.
Table 4. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance, January 2009 to March 2011,
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
3,979
835,551
50.3
103.5
3,395
731,049
48.4
99.7
2,034
406,823
38.7
76.9
2,416
468,577
43.7
88.9
1,870
368,459
38.3
79.0
2,008
395,224
47.6
94.2
1,370
256,636
39.9
79.4
Events
Initial
claimants
2009
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
October ......................................
November ..................................
December ..................................
1,934
1,870
2,310
193,904
164,496
214,648
1,678
1,679
2,166
172,883
150,751
203,655
Fourth Quarter ...........................
6,114
573,048
5,523
527,289
January ......................................
February ....................................
March .........................................
2,860
1,183
1,197
278,679
102,818
111,727
2,682
1,091
1,111
265,074
96,022
105,514
First Quarter ...............................
5,240
493,224
4,884
466,610
April ............................................
May ............................................
June ...........................................
1,840
1,354
1,861
199,690
123,333
171,190
1,697
1,170
1,355
184,654
109,203
125,872
Second Quarter .........................
5,055
494,213
4,222
419,729
July ............................................
August ........................................
September .................................
2,124
976
920
206,254
92,435
77,654
1,732
897
806
172,248
83,021
67,987
Third Quarter .............................
4,020
376,343
3,435
323,256
October ......................................
November ..................................
December ..................................
1,642
1,676
1,931
148,638
158,048
184,130
1,373
1,477
1,763
127,865
142,591
172,881
Fourth Quarter ...........................
5,249
490,816
4,613
443,337
January ......................................
February ....................................
March .........................................
2,558
1,024
908
246,463
85,585
85,095
2,372
919
844
229,765
78,718
80,014
First Quarter ...............................
4,490
417,143
4,135
388,497
2010
2,p
1,910
2,p
268,431
p
41.4
p
60.5
2011
1
The event realization rate is the percentage of all private nonfarm
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
March
2010
January
2011
February
2011
March
2011
March
2010
United States 1 .........................................
1,197
2,558
1,024
908
111,727
Northeast ..........................................................
New England ................................................
Middle Atlantic ..............................................
195
26
169
591
81
510
173
32
141
169
22
147
South ................................................................
South Atlantic ...............................................
East South Central .......................................
West South Central ......................................
262
136
54
72
687
431
156
100
260
166
44
50
Midwest ............................................................
East North Central ........................................
West North Central .......................................
252
184
68
613
464
149
West .................................................................
Mountain .......................................................
Pacific ...........................................................
488
77
411
667
66
601
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,
January
2011
February
2011
March
2011
246,463
85,585
85,095
19,419
2,168
17,251
58,802
7,047
51,755
16,047
4,259
11,788
15,540
1,883
13,657
250
116
61
73
26,591
10,762
5,470
10,359
66,552
40,880
16,508
9,164
19,998
11,371
4,343
4,284
26,112
9,765
6,539
9,808
180
130
50
172
124
48
27,591
21,613
5,978
63,468
45,790
17,678
15,075
11,550
3,525
17,168
11,640
5,528
411
35
376
317
46
271
38,126
6,324
31,802
57,641
6,046
51,595
34,465
2,440
32,025
26,275
4,292
21,983
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
March
January
February
March
March
January
February
March
2010
2011
2011
2011
2010
2011
2011
2011
1,197
2,558
1,024
908
111,727
246,463
85,585
85,095
18
12
18
1,517
1,583
2,072
(2)
12
3
349
4
4
3
(2)
11
3
230
5
5
(2)
1,417
214
28,180
626
746
(2)
1,045
232
17,478
557
410
–
–
–
–
(2)
838
283
29,769
383
331
239
68
13
7
9
70
4
13
6
530
11
11
5
4
128
84
6
8
Illinois ...................................................
Indiana .................................................
Iowa .....................................................
Kansas .................................................
Kentucky ..............................................
Louisiana .............................................
Maine ...................................................
Maryland ..............................................
Massachusetts .....................................
Michigan ..............................................
Minnesota ............................................
Mississippi ...........................................
Missouri ...............................................
60
22
13
4
25
16
3
6
7
29
13
5
31
86
43
39
23
47
29
11
25
34
127
19
13
55
(2)
4
6
17
10
8
17
Montana ...............................................
Nebraska .............................................
Nevada ................................................
New Hampshire ...................................
New Jersey ..........................................
New Mexico .........................................
New York .............................................
North Carolina 3 ...................................
North Dakota ........................................
Ohio .....................................................
Oklahoma ............................................
Oregon .................................................
Pennsylvania .......................................
(2)
6
26
5
28
9
60
6
9
12
9
109
7
207
(2)
9
5
4
19
3
45
16
34
4
18
81
100
3
93
11
36
194
Rhode Island ........................................
South Carolina .....................................
South Dakota .......................................
Tennessee ...........................................
Texas ...................................................
Utah .....................................................
Vermont ...............................................
Virginia .................................................
Washington ..........................................
West Virginia ........................................
Wisconsin ............................................
Wyoming ..............................................
(2)
14
8
41
(2)
6
49
5
(2)
18
12
(2)
26
54
7
8
42
25
(2)
39
(2)
115
(2)
(2)
Puerto Rico ..........................................
21
Total 1 ...............................................
Alabama ...............................................
Alaska ..................................................
Arizona .................................................
Arkansas ..............................................
California ..............................................
Colorado ..............................................
Connecticut ..........................................
Delaware ..............................................
District of Columbia ..............................
Florida ..................................................
Georgia ................................................
Hawaii ..................................................
Idaho ....................................................
(2)
17
3
373
7
9
–
–
–
25
(2)
85
28
3
4
35
15
9
5
13
6
27
56
16
5
10
4,311
1,202
534
661
7,730
392
1,075
768
44,274
1,126
1,048
411
452
9,464
8,952
388
698
37
12
10
5
20
11
5
4
7
21
9
14
21
7,479
3,057
2,135
313
3,276
1,615
233
557
725
4,729
921
241
2,112
7,516
6,487
4,007
5,440
5,472
2,309
900
1,888
3,225
10,398
1,988
1,163
4,713
3,508
1,471
870
308
1,682
518
(2)
3
7
(2)
19
7
49
(2)
409
2,131
297
3,024
847
6,046
560
1,086
1,299
722
9,853
467
24,950
(2)
634
394
537
2,243
164
4,161
(2)
1,494
640
5,159
18
1,610
1,984
1,917
30
9
9
77
22
5
20
79
2,927
1,287
2,080
8,181
9,865
390
9,241
1,048
4,390
16,952
10
5
(2)
7
(2)
1,513
555
5,124
–
9
54
3
(2)
436
7,243
393
(2)
13
14
(2)
1,416
949
(2)
2,143
5,039
720
597
4,497
2,151
(2)
32
(2)
3,421
(2)
–
–
11
32
6
6
10
13
3
33
–
16
–
11
–
(2)
5,071
2,221
232
225
(2)
306
534
1,091
675
446
1,038
–
–
4,060
1,593
659
886
3,495
1,336
2,060
727
2,387
1,239
575
431
624
2,359
707
1,413
1,755
(2)
279
524
–
–
2,473
1,015
896
5,384
1,891
367
2,337
7,004
2,125
340
(2)
489
–
–
667
7,970
423
(2)
12,148
632
2,468
370
558
899
955
216
3,007
(2)
(2)
–
(2)
1,702
2,854
1,808
1,114
1
See footnote 1, table 3.
data due to a change in MLS unemployment insurance
2
Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
input procedures.
3
Data starting in November 2010 may not be comparable to prior
NOTE: Dash represents zero.
(2)
1,102
1,099
(2)
2,559