December 04, 2000 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Fewer extended mass layoffs in 1999

In 1999, there were 5,675 extended mass layoffs by employers, resulting in the separation of approximately 1.1 million workers from their jobs for 30 days or longer. In 1998, a total of about 1.2 million workers were laid off in 5,851 events.

[Chart data—TXT]

Total annual layoff event and separation figures have been quite consistent in the past several years except in 1998, when an automobile strike caused plant shutdowns in the transportation equipment and related industries. In 1996, 1997 and 1999, the total number of mass layoff events was between 5,600 and 5,700 and the number of separations was between 1,100,000 and 1,200,000.

These data are a product of the Mass Layoff Statistics program. "Extended mass layoffs" last more than 30 days and involve 50 or more individuals from a single establishment filing initial claims for unemployment insurance during a consecutive 5-week period. Additional information is available in "Extended Mass Layoffs in 1999," (PDF 139K) BLS Report 945.