June 15, 2004 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Layoffs and relocations

Of the 239,361 private sector nonfarm workers who were separated from their jobs for at least 31 days in mass layoffs during the first quarter of 2004, 4,633 were affected by events associated with the movement of work outside of the country.

[Chart data—TXT]

Domestic relocation of work—both within the company and to other companies—affected 9,985 workers.

Extended mass layoffs and separations associated with the movement of work, domestically or overseas, reflect job loss at companies employing at least 50 workers where at least 50 people filed for unemployment insurance during a five-week period and the layoff lasted more than 30 days. The extended mass layoff statistics and movement of work measures, therefore, do not reflect layoffs of less than 50 at these companies, nor do they capture layoffs occurring at establishments with less than 50 workers. 

In addition, these data do not cover situations in which firms initiate or transfer work to new locations when there are no layoffs involved.

These data are from the BLS Mass Layoff Statistics program. Data for first quarter 2004 are preliminary and subject to revision. For more information, see "Extended Mass Layoffs Associated with Domestic and Overseas Relocations, First Quarter 2004," news release USDL 04-1038. Note: In the future, data on relocations will be included in the regular quarterly news release on Extended Mass Layoffs.