Chapter 6.
The Mass Layoff Statistics

Program Description
The Mass Layoff Statistics program is a Federal-State cooperative statistical effort which uses a standardized, automated approach to identify, describe, and track the effects of major job cutbacks, using data from each State's unemployment insurance database. Establishments which have at least 50 initial claims for unemployment insurance (UI) filed against them during a consecutive 5-week period are contacted by State agencies to determine whether those separations are of at least 31 days duration, and, if so, information is obtained on the total number of persons separated, the reasons for these separations, and recall expectations. Establishments are identified according to industry classification and location, and unemployment insurance claimants are identified by such demographic characteristics as age, race, sex, ethnic group, and place of residence. The program yields information on an individual's entire spell of unemployment, to the point when regular unemployment insurance benefits are exhausted. It provides databases of establishments and claimants, both of which are used for further research and analysis.

To comply with the requirements of the JTPA, the MLS data initially were issued only in annual reports. To meet public demand for more current data, quarterly MLS research reports were issued beginning in March 1991 and were available regularly until December 1992 Quarterly publication resumed in February 1996 with data for April-June 1995 and has continued since that time. In addition, BLS has begun a monthly issuance of MLS data—prior to employer contact—on layoffs using only State agency data to provide users with summary information on layoffs more quickly.

Major modifications and refinements to the MLS program have been identified by a joint Federal-State workgroup. These improvements will incorporate methodologies to identify a population eligible to receive dislocated worker program services.

Next: Data Availability