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Economic News Release
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MLS MLS Program Links

Mass Layoffs (Monthly) News Release

Technical information:  (202) 691-6392     USDL 09-0703
               http://www.bls.gov/mls/
                                           For release:  10:00 A.M. (EDT)
Media contact:          (202) 691-5902     Tuesday, June 23, 2009
                                   
                                   
                       MASS LAYOFFS IN MAY 2009
   
   Employers took 2,933 mass layoff actions in May that resulted in the 
separation of 312,880 workers, 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 employer.  The number 
of mass layoff events in May increased by 221 from the prior month, and 
the number of associated initial claims increased by 41,654.  Over the 
year, the number of mass layoff events increased by 1,232 and associated 
initial claims increased by 132,322.  Initial claims rose to its highest 
level on record, while events matched the peak level from March 2009, 
with data available back to 1995.  In May, 1,331 mass layoff events were 
reported in the manufacturing sector, seasonally adjusted, resulting in 
165,802 initial claims.  Over the year, manufacturing events and initial
claims more than doubled.  (See table 1.)

   During the 18 months from December 2007 through May 2009, the total
number of mass layoff events (seasonally adjusted) was 37,059, and the
number of initial claims (seasonally adjusted) was 3,811,307.  (December 
2007 was the start of a recession as designated by the National Bureau 
of Economic Research.)
   
   The national unemployment rate was 9.4 percent in May 2009, seasonally 
adjusted, up from 8.9 percent the prior month and from 5.5 percent a year 
earlier.  In May, total nonfarm payroll employment decreased by 345,000 
over the month and by 5,366,000 from a year earlier.
   
Industry Distribution (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
   
   The number of mass layoff events in May was 2,738, and the number of 
associated initial claims was 289,628.  (See table 2.)  Over the year, 
increases were recorded in both the number of mass layoff events (+1,186) 
and initial claims (+130,157).  This year, both average weekly events and 
initial claimants reached their highest May levels in program history; 
data are available back to 1995.  (Average weekly analysis mitigates the 
effect of differing lengths of months.  See the Technical Note.)  Eleven 
of the 19 major industry sectors reported program highs in terms of aver-
age weekly initial claimants for the month of May--mining; construction; 
manufacturing; wholesale trade; retail trade; finance and insurance; real 
estate and rental and leasing; management of companies and enterprises; 
administrative and waste services; health care and social assistance; and 
accommodation and food services.  Government also reported a program high 
in terms of average weekly initial claimants for the month of May.
   
   The manufacturing sector accounted for 37 percent of all mass layoff 
events and 43 percent of initial claims filed in May 2009; a year earlier, 
manufacturing made up 25 percent of events and 32 percent of initial claims.  
This May, the number of manufacturing claimants was greatest in transpor-
tation equipment (46,816) and machinery (12,472).  (See table 3.)  The 
administrative and waste services sector accounted for 11 percent of mass 
layoff events and associated initial claims during the month.
 
 
                               - 2 -
 
 
Table A. Industries with the largest number of mass layoff initial claims in May 2009,
not seasonally adjusted 


                                                                         May peak
                  Industry                         
                                                 Initial claims     Year  Initial claims
                                                                    
Temporary help services (1) ...................      16,658         2002      16,992
Automobile manufacturing ......................      14,004         2009      14,004
Food service contractors ......................      11,216         2009      11,216
Professional employer organizations (1) .......       5,898         2009       5,898
Child day care services .......................       4,396         2008       4,541
All other motor vehicle parts manufacturing ...       3,985         2009       3,985
Motor vehicle power train components mfg. .....       3,900         2009       3,900
Motion picture and video production ...........       3,602         1999       8,985
Light truck and utility vehicle manufacturing .       3,570         2009       3,570
Department stores, except discount ............       3,379         2009       3,379
                                                                                    
   1  See the Technical Note for more information on these industries.


   Of the 10 detailed industries with the largest number of mass layoff 
initial claims, 7 reached their May peak:  automobile manufacturing; light 
truck and utility vehicle manufacturing; motor vehicle power train com-
ponents manufacturing; all other motor vehicle parts manufacturing; de-
partment stores, except discount; professional employer organizations; 
and food service contractors.  The industry with the largest number of 
initial claims was temporary help services (16,658).  (See table A.)


Geographic Distribution (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
   
   Of the 4 census regions, the Midwest registered the highest number of 
initial claims in May due to mass layoffs (105,264), followed by the South 
(72,375) and the West (70,576).  (See table 5.)  Initial claims associated 
with mass layoffs increased over the year in all 4 regions, with the Midwest 
(+59,802) and the South (+29,543) experiencing the largest increases.  In 
2009, all regions except the West reported their highest May levels of aver-
age weekly initial claims in program history.
   
   Of the 9 geographic divisions, the East North Central (84,281) had the 
highest number of initial claims due to mass layoffs in May, followed by 
the Pacific (57,286) and the Middle Atlantic (35,548).  (See table 5.)  All 
divisions experienced over-the-year increases in initial claims, led by the 
East North Central (+47,949), the South Atlantic (+18,356), and the Pacific 
(+17,276).  This year, 6 of the 9 divisions--all except New England, West 
South Central, and Pacific--reached May program highs in terms of average 
weekly initial claims.
   
   California recorded the highest number of initial claims filed due to 
mass layoff events in May with 47,091.  The states with the next highest 
number of mass layoff initial claims were Michigan (26,344), Pennsylvania 
(20,392), and Illinois (19,717).  (See table 6.)  Forty-four states and 
the District of Columbia registered over-the-year increases in initial 
claims associated with mass layoffs, led by Michigan (+18,205), California 
(+13,006), Illinois (+11,659), and Pennsylvania (+11,417).  In 2009, 30 
states reached program highs in average weekly initial claims for the month 
of May--Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, 
Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, 
Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon,
Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, 
and Wyoming.


                               - 3 -


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 quar-
terly 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 Mass Layoffs in June 2009 is scheduled to be released on 
Thursday, July 23.




                                - 4 - 


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
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; TDD message referral
phone number:  1-800-877-8339.

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 adminis-
tered 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 employers 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 insur-
ance benefits filed against an employer during a 5-week period, regardless 
of duration.
   
   
                                - 5 - 


Seasonal adjustment

   Effective with the release of data for January 2005, BLS began publish-
ing 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 expan-
sions and contractions.

   The MLS data are seasonally adjusted using the X-12-ARIMA seasonal adjust-
ment method on a concurrent basis.  Concurrent seasonal adjustment uses all
available monthly estimates, including those for the current month, in devel-
oping 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 sea-
sonal factors if they were ignored in the seasonal adjustment process.  These 
effects are modeled in the X-12-ARIMA program and are permanently removed from 
the final seasonally adjusted series.




Table 1. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance, June 2005 to May 2009, 
seasonally adjusted 

                                      Total            Private nonfarm         Manufacturing    
             Date                                                                             
                                           Initial               Initial               Initial  
                                Events    claimants   Events    claimants    Events   claimants 
                                                                                              
             2005                                                                             

June .......................     1,196     126,416     1,082     117,568       367      58,003
July .......................     1,241     130,331     1,094     117,510       354      46,056
August .....................     1,143     125,536     1,000     113,465       342      47,255
September ..................     2,250     296,913     2,035     252,291       420      55,974
October ....................     1,109     111,202       991     102,111       320      43,387
November ...................     1,162     113,502     1,027     102,058       325      41,493
December ...................     1,263     136,751     1,135     125,700       358      46,940

             2006                                                                             

January ....................     1,112     111,601       986     102,359       293      35,390
February ...................       960     104,045       872      96,317       317      41,810
March ......................     1,078     118,270       976     109,842       320      48,026
April ......................     1,198     123,674     1,062     113,849       366      50,747
May ........................     1,132     116,808     1,013     106,743       312      42,958
June .......................     1,156     124,955     1,044     115,491       356      45,280
July .......................     1,204     123,172     1,077     113,324       381      50,109
August .....................     1,278     136,289     1,117     125,064       376      60,524
September ..................     1,167     124,083     1,054     115,451       390      46,470
October ....................     1,195     121,439     1,081     112,777       401      53,597
November ...................     1,209     131,459     1,096     122,136       402      57,084
December ...................     1,201     133,311     1,100     124,019       369      51,113

             2007                                                                             

January ....................     1,261     129,190     1,116     118,890       406      55,341
February ...................     1,240     134,524     1,130     126,105       404      58,861
March ......................     1,261     129,480     1,151     120,923       407      52,356
April ......................     1,281     130,263     1,145     119,683       381      45,654
May ........................     1,200     119,259     1,097     111,585       368      48,682
June .......................     1,256     132,078     1,138     122,726       356      41,135
July .......................     1,288     131,556     1,182     123,322       405      53,318
August .....................     1,262     125,334     1,162     117,557       331      36,577
September ..................     1,279     125,527     1,183     118,917       440      54,006
October ....................     1,346     133,514     1,224     124,666       436      57,527
November ...................     1,352     143,419     1,233     134,445       408      56,330
December ...................     1,469     145,916     1,354     136,914       447      56,152

             2008                                                                             

January ....................     1,476     149,068     1,350     139,076       435      56,579
February ...................     1,669     183,038     1,532     172,013       526      67,235
March ......................     1,585     161,497     1,471     151,550       483      65,252
April ......................     1,344     135,352     1,215     125,074       487      63,247
May ........................     1,701     180,558     1,563     170,538       538      75,520
June .......................     1,717     174,748     1,561     162,071       555      79,744
July .......................     1,535     152,499     1,390     141,239       455      57,648
August .....................     1,887     188,951     1,735     178,479       626      80,913
September ..................     2,290     240,721     2,114     226,492       643      86,617
October ....................     2,204     230,330     2,042     216,095       687      92,256
November ...................     2,333     225,639     2,185     213,288       868     100,643
December ...................     2,275     226,117     2,100     212,559       871     105,402

             2009                                                                             

January ....................     2,227     237,902     2,070     225,490       738     102,577
February ...................     2,769     295,477     2,628     281,500     1,235     152,618
March ......................     2,933     299,388     2,751     283,989     1,259     155,909
April ......................     2,712     271,226     2,519     256,111     1,111     135,252
May ........................     2,933     312,880     2,736     296,108     1,331     165,802




Table 2. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance,  June 2005 to May 2009, 
not seasonally adjusted 

                                       Total           Private nonfarm         Manufacturing    
             Date                                                                             
                                           Initial               Initial               Initial  
                                Events    claimants   Events    claimants    Events   claimants 
                                                                                              
             2005                                                                             

June .......................     1,157     120,463       941     103,307       216      32,783
July .......................     1,981     244,216     1,745     222,377       856     136,210
August .....................       645      67,582       598      63,484       188      22,531
September ..................     1,662     213,281     1,505     179,042       318      47,497
October ....................       905      91,941       757      80,694       249      37,276
November ...................     1,254     116,127     1,079     102,182       363      41,442
December ...................     2,323     254,258     2,168     242,753       706      96,382

             2006                                                                             

January ....................     1,245     117,946     1,123     108,701       331      35,097
February ...................       719      66,555       658      62,208       210      24,892
March ......................       921     111,838       856     106,177       285      44,688
April ......................     1,140     121,589     1,038     112,964       296      39,538
May ........................       872      84,809       794      78,663       192      23,570
June .......................     1,489     164,761     1,224     140,687       319      41,095
July .......................     1,511     166,857     1,335     154,342       648      96,152
August .....................       708      72,844       656      69,054       203      28,494
September ..................       865      87,699       785      81,274       296      39,076
October ....................       964      98,804       820      88,133       311      46,737
November ...................     1,315     136,186     1,172     125,009       455      58,473
December ...................     2,249     254,503     2,126     244,783       735     105,462

             2007                                                                             

January ....................     1,407     134,984     1,263     124,475       456      53,615
February ...................       935      86,696       861      82,097       273      36,170
March ......................     1,082     123,974     1,015     118,431       367      49,886
April ......................     1,219     127,444     1,115     118,040       309      35,229
May ........................       923      85,816       856      81,153       224      26,527
June .......................     1,599     172,810     1,318     148,669       313      36,571
July .......................     1,599     175,419     1,450     164,939       684     101,390
August .....................       963      93,458       908      88,345       220      23,361
September ..................       717      67,385       667      64,026       246      29,381
October ....................     1,083     108,455       929      97,716       338      50,918
November ...................     1,799     198,220     1,593     181,184       514      75,413
December ...................     2,167     224,214     2,071     216,898       699      91,754

             2008                                                                             

January ....................     1,647     154,503     1,520     144,191       488      54,418
February ...................     1,269     119,508     1,178     113,587       361      42,527
March ......................     1,089     114,541     1,039     110,147       333      43,740
April ......................     1,272     130,810     1,172     121,625       394      48,188
May ........................     1,552     159,471     1,438     150,462       388      51,698
June .......................     1,622     166,742     1,315     140,916       309      42,097
July .......................     1,891     200,382     1,687     186,018       760     108,733
August .....................     1,427     139,999     1,343     133,146       414      51,912
September ..................     1,292     129,586     1,202     122,505       361      46,391
October ....................     2,125     221,784     1,917     205,553       689     100,457
November ...................     2,574     241,589     2,389     226,657       997     107,620
December ...................     3,377     351,305     3,232     340,220     1,378     172,529

             2009                                                                             

January ....................     3,806     388,813     3,633     375,293     1,461     172,757
February ...................     2,262     218,438     2,173     210,755       945     103,588
March ......................     2,191     228,387     2,107     221,397       940     114,747
April ......................     2,547     256,930     2,385     243,321       887     100,872
May ........................     2,738     289,628     2,572     274,047     1,005     123,683




Table 3. Industry distribution:  Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance  


                                                                                                    Initial claimants for           
                                                               Mass layoff events                   unemployment insurance          
                     Industry                                                                                                      
                                                     May       March   April      May        May        March     April      May   
                                                     2008      2009    2009       2009       2008       2009      2009       2009   
                                                                                                                                   
                Seasonally adjusted                                                                                                


      Total .....................................    1,701     2,933    2,712     2,933     180,558    299,388   271,226    312,880

  Total, private nonfarm ........................    1,563     2,751    2,519     2,736     170,538    283,989   256,111    296,108
    Manufacturing ...............................      538     1,259    1,111     1,331      75,520    155,909   135,252    165,802

              Not seasonally adjusted                                                                                              

      Total (1) .................................    1,552     2,191    2,547     2,738     159,471    228,387   256,930    289,628

Total, private ..................................    1,467     2,140    2,464     2,599     152,510    223,981   250,548    276,113
    Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting ..       29        33       79        27       2,048      2,584     7,227      2,066

  Total, private nonfarm ........................    1,438     2,107    2,385     2,572     150,462    221,397   243,321    274,047
    Mining ......................................        5        31       39        32         458      3,751     3,267      3,057
    Utilities ...................................        4         3      (2)         4         475        234       (2)        466
    Construction ................................      167       166      194       255      12,411     11,612    13,490     19,684
    Manufacturing ...............................      388       940      887     1,005      51,698    114,747   100,872    123,683
        Food ....................................       48        63       81        65       4,800      6,077     8,371      7,211
        Beverage and tobacco products ...........        5         9      (2)         7         273      1,305       (2)        607
        Textile mills ...........................        6        29       16        13         520      3,108     2,409      1,059
        Textile product mills ...................        8         6        9         8         580        554       765        775
        Apparel .................................       14         9       19        17       1,171        883     1,610      1,360
        Leather and allied products .............      (2)       (2)      (2)       (2)         (2)        (2)       (2)        (2)
        Wood products ...........................       24        62       39        43       2,455      5,799     3,437      4,219
        Paper ...................................       11        27       26        30       1,091      2,749     2,584      3,854
        Printing and related support activities .        9        23       25        34         833      2,124     2,275      3,521
        Petroleum and coal products .............      (2)       (2)      (2)       (2)         (2)        (2)       (2)        (2)

        Chemicals ...............................        9        21       21        23         696      1,746     1,453      2,146
        Plastics and rubber products ............       21        60       51        52       1,793      6,151     6,393      5,187
        Nonmetallic mineral products ............       14        46       34        35       1,175      4,095     3,192      2,388
        Primary metals ..........................        9        71       70        77       1,217      8,681     8,636      8,785
        Fabricated metal products ...............       29        88       97       100       2,596      8,186     7,698      9,483
        Machinery ...............................       25       110      100       118       3,758     18,081    18,614     12,472
        Computer and electronic products ........       14        68       69        60       1,250      8,130     5,770      5,732
        Electrical equipment and appliances .....       13        47       43        37       1,845      6,476     5,169      3,506
        Transportation equipment ................      101       155      148       238      21,667     26,012    19,246     46,816
        Furniture and related products ..........       20        24       21        24       3,285      3,020     1,783      2,568
        Miscellaneous manufacturing .............        5        19       14        17         445      1,354     1,118      1,402

    Wholesale trade .............................       21        59       55        64       1,513      4,696     4,343      6,022
    Retail trade ................................      109       178      153       202      10,090     19,491    16,211     18,360
    Transportation and warehousing ..............       99        91      231        89      11,176      8,809    28,962      7,835
    Information .................................       56        75       75        67       9,251      8,559     7,934      9,132
    Finance and insurance .......................       38        57       67        71       2,666      4,469     6,220      6,374
    Real estate and rental and leasing ..........        6        16       13        14         407        980     1,078        985
    Professional and technical services .........       66        81       97        83       6,924      7,191    10,085      7,030
    Management of companies and enterprises .....        4        10       10        12         383        923       854      1,329
    Administrative and waste services ...........      192       227      300       310      16,175     18,762    25,498     32,973
    Educational services ........................        6         8      (2)        10         383        467       (2)        758
    Health care and social assistance ...........       85        24       49        87       7,643      1,820     3,343      8,402
    Arts, entertainment, and recreation .........       32        17       47        37       1,993      1,259     4,074      2,676
    Accommodation and food services .............      122       115      134       189      13,212     13,090    13,168     21,484
    Other services, except public administration        38         9       23        41       3,604        537     2,168      3,797
    Unclassified ................................        -         -        1         -           -          -        86          -

Government ......................................       85        51       83       139       6,961      4,406     6,382     13,515
    Federal .....................................       16         5        6        37       1,656        470       461      4,585
    State .......................................       14        11       20        25         867      1,066     1,631      2,185
    Local .......................................       55        35       57        77       4,438      2,870     4,290      6,745
                                                                                                                                   
 
   1 Data were reported by all states and the District of Columbia.
   2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.   
   NOTE:  Dash represents zero.   




Table 4. Mass layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance, April 2007 to May 2009, not seasonally adjusted

                                                                                   Private nonfarm                                     
                                                                                   
                                Total mass layoffs                              Extended mass layoffs                                  
             Date                                        Mass layoffs          lasting more than 30 days        Realization rates (1)
             
                                           Initial               Initial                       Initial                      Initial 
                               Events     claimants   Events    claimants       Events        claimants           Events   claimants
             2007                                                                                                                 

April ......................    1,219      127,444     1,115     118,040                                                          
May ........................      923       85,816       856      81,153                                                          
June .......................    1,599      172,810     1,318     148,669                                                          

Second Quarter .............    3,741      386,070     3,289     347,862         1,421         259,234             43.2       74.5

July .......................    1,599      175,419     1,450     164,939                                                          
August .....................      963       93,458       908      88,345                                                          
September ..................      717       67,385       667      64,026                                                          

Third Quarter ..............    3,279      336,262     3,025     317,310         1,018         173,077             33.7       54.5

October ....................    1,083      108,455       929      97,716                                                          
November ...................    1,799      198,220     1,593     181,184                                                          
December ...................    2,167      224,214     2,071     216,898                                                          

Fourth Quarter .............    5,049      530,889     4,593     495,798         1,814         347,151             39.5       70.0

             2008                                                                                                                 

January ....................    1,647      154,503     1,520     144,191                                                          
February ...................    1,269      119,508     1,178     113,587                                                          
March ......................    1,089      114,541     1,039     110,147                                                          

First Quarter ..............    4,005      388,552     3,737     367,925         1,340         259,292             35.9       70.5

April ......................    1,272      130,810     1,172     121,625                                                          
May ........................    1,552      159,471     1,438     150,462                                                          
June .......................    1,622      166,742     1,315     140,916                                                          

Second Quarter .............    4,446      457,023     3,925     413,003         1,756         339,574             44.7       82.2

July .......................    1,891      200,382     1,687     186,018                                                          
August .....................    1,427      139,999     1,343     133,146                                                          
September ..................    1,292      129,586     1,202     122,505                                                          

Third Quarter ..............    4,610      469,967     4,232     441,669         1,582         303,774             37.4       68.8

October ....................    2,125      221,784     1,917     205,553                                                          
November ...................    2,574      241,589     2,389     226,657                                                          
December ...................    3,377      351,305     3,232     340,220                                                          

Fourth Quarter .............    8,076      814,678     7,538     772,430         3,585         762,737             47.6       98.7

             2009                                                                                                                 

January ....................    3,806      388,813     3,633     375,293                                                          
February ...................    2,262      218,438     2,173     210,755                                                          
March ......................    2,191      228,387     2,107     221,397                                                          

First Quarter ..............    8,259      835,638     7,913     807,445   (2)(p)3,489   (2)(p)542,023          (p)44.1    (p)67.1

April ......................    2,547      256,930     2,385     243,321                                                          
May ........................    2,738      289,628     2,572     274,047                                                          
                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                  
   1 The event realization rate is the percentage of all private nonfarm mass layoff events lasting more than 30 days.  The 
initial claimant realization rate is the percentage of all private nonfarm mass layoff initial claimants associated with
layoffs lasting more than 30 days.
   2 These quarterly numbers are provisional and will be revised as more data on these layoffs become available.
Experience suggests that the number of extended mass layoff events is generally revised upwards by less than 10 percent and
the number of initial claimants associated 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           
                                           Mass layoff events                      unemployment insurance          
  
  Census region and division                                                                                       
  
                                    May      March     April     May       May        March       April      May   
                                    2008     2009      2009      2009      2008       2009        2009       2009  
                                                                                                                   
        United States (1) ...      1,552     2,191     2,547    2,738     159,471    228,387     256,930    289,628

Northeast ...................        266       317       504      451      25,619     29,493      56,253     41,413
    New England .............         32        68        88       67       3,218      7,021       9,192      5,865
    Middle Atlantic .........        234       249       416      384      22,401     22,472      47,061     35,548

South .......................        402       589       655      742      42,832     61,432      62,714     72,375
    South Atlantic ..........        199       276       368      370      15,761     27,819      33,338     34,117
    East South Central ......        116       158       160      171      16,810     15,629      16,166     18,081
    West South Central ......         87       155       127      201      10,261     17,984      13,210     20,177

Midwest .....................        390       607       608      826      45,462     81,957      72,383     05,264
    East North Central ......        312       466       482      649      36,332     64,595      60,241     84,281
    West North Central ......         78       141       126      177       9,130     17,362      12,142     20,983

West ........................        494       678       780      719      45,558     55,505      65,580     70,576
    Mountain ................         62       109       125      135       5,548     10,991      11,993     13,290
    Pacific .................        432       569       655      584      40,010     44,514      53,587     57,286
                                                                                                                   
 
   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, 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           
                                         Mass layoff events                           unemployment insurance          
           State                                                                                                      
                              May         March      April      May         May          March       April      May   
                              2008        2009       2009       2009        2008         2009        2009       2009  

   Total (1) ............    1,552        2,191      2,547      2,738      159,471      228,387     256,930    289,628
                                 -            -          -          -            -            -           -          -
Alabama .................       35           45         27         40        4,044        4,985       2,745      4,037
Alaska ..................      (2)          (2)          5         12          (2)          (2)         828      1,230
Arizona .................        9           22         41         28          872        2,483       4,985      2,484
Arkansas ................        7           10         12         18          648          806       1,057      2,319
California ..............      382          498        567        487       34,085       38,130      43,675     47,091
Colorado ................        8           13         19         15          930        1,578       1,696      1,762
Connecticut .............       11           11         11         17          924          928         884      1,389
Delaware ................        3            4         11          3          203          509         988        172
District of Columbia ....      (2)          (2)        (2)        (2)          (2)          (2)         (2)        (2)
Florida .................      125          107        152        181        8,841        8,594      11,010     12,446
Georgia .................       32           46         50         56        3,170        4,152       6,006      5,187
Hawaii ..................       11            5         10          8        1,118          376         934        900
Idaho ...................       12           16         10          9        1,131        1,664         754        680

Illinois ................       59          109        105        135        8,058       18,096      17,550     19,717
Indiana .................       44           68         80         86        4,943       10,781       9,659     10,416
Iowa ....................       12           38         30         31        3,033        6,140       2,636      4,379
Kansas ..................       12           19          7         31          893        2,259         737      3,551
Kentucky ................       39           72         83         85        8,666        7,861       9,194      9,894
Louisiana ...............       22           16         27         35        3,101        1,411       2,670      3,160
Maine ...................        -            9          6          7            -          835         493        644
Maryland ................        4            8         12         10          318          531       1,115      1,201
Massachusetts ...........        9           25         38         23          946        2,422       3,770      2,281
Michigan ................       85           87         74        180        8,139       11,121       7,139     26,344
Minnesota ...............       10           30         35         38        1,075        3,665       3,103      4,224
Mississippi .............       18           12         15          9        1,682          745       1,350        726
Missouri ................       35           42         46         54        3,298        3,430       4,719      6,336

Montana .................        6            7          4          7          437          667         335        856
Nebraska ................        5          (2)          4         13          413          (2)         390      1,306
Nevada ..................       14           27         26         52        1,057        2,351       2,123      5,297
New Hampshire ...........        5            9         10          7          384        1,213         848        526
New Jersey ..............       38           39         66         45        3,813        3,217       7,334      4,394
New Mexico ..............        9            9         14         13          690          858         909      1,089
New York ................       95           70        182        112        9,613        6,974      24,349     10,762
North Carolina ..........        9           44         28         33        1,163        6,277       2,582      5,351
North Dakota ............      (2)            4        (2)          8          (2)        1,259         (2)        869
Ohio ....................       67           93        115        145        7,621       13,067      14,791     16,920
Oklahoma ................        3           17         14         13          624        1,483       2,464      1,772
Oregon ..................       24           42         43         41        3,449        4,118       5,554      4,775
Pennsylvania ............      101          140        168        227        8,975       12,281      15,378     20,392

Rhode Island ............        3            9          8          7          243          889       1,649        563
South Carolina ..........       11           48         60         31          809        6,157       6,482      3,021
South Dakota ............      (2)            5        (2)        (2)          (2)          323         (2)        (2)
Tennessee ...............       24           29         35         37        2,418        2,038       2,877      3,424
Texas ...................       55          112         74        135        5,888       14,284       7,019     12,926
Utah ....................        4           14         10         10          431        1,313       1,055      1,020
Vermont .................        4            5         15          6          721          734       1,548        462
Virginia ................       11           14         42         49          904        1,229       4,052      6,168
Washington ..............       13           23         30         36        1,211        1,833       2,596      3,290
West Virginia ...........        3            4         12          5          277          301       1,028        429
Wisconsin ...............       57          109        108        103        7,571       11,530      11,102     10,884
Wyoming .................        -          (2)        (2)        (2)            -          (2)         (2)        (2)

Puerto Rico .............       17           22         13         23        2,626        2,035       1,321      2,830
 
    1 See footnote 1, table 3.
    2 Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.
    NOTE:  Dash represents zero.




Last Modified Date: June 23, 2009