The Mass Layoff Statistics (MLS) program collects reports on mass layoff actions that result in workers being separated from their jobs. Monthly mass layoff numbers are from establishments which have at least 50 initial claims for unemployment insurance (UI) filed against them during a 5-week period. Extended mass layoff numbers (issued quarterly) are from a subset of such establishments—where private sector nonfarm employers indicate that 50 or more workers were separated from their jobs for at least 31 days.

MLS News Releases

Mass Layoffs (Monthly)

October 22, 2008

September mass layoff events, at 2,269 seasonally adjusted, and associated initial claims, at 235,681, rose sharply over the month. January through September 2008 layoff events, at 14,811, were the highest since 2003; related initial claims, at 1,510,446, were the highest since 2002. More...
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Extended Mass Layoffs (Quarterly)

August 15, 2008

In the second quarter of 2008, 1,534 extended mass layoff events resulted in the separation of 299,886 workers. Both layoff events and separations reached their highest second quarter levels since 2003. Layoffs due to slack work more than doubled over the year to 40,300 separations, and changes in business ownership more than quadrupled to 16,852. More...
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  • Mass Layoffs (Monthly) (HTML) (PDF)
  • Extended Mass Layoffs (Quarterly) (HTML) (PDF)

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Tables Created by BLS

  • Extended mass layoff events and separations, selected measures, 2007 and 2008 (TXT) (PDF)
  • Extended mass layoff events and separations, selected measures, 2004, 2005, and 2006 (TXT) (PDF)
  • Movement of work actions by type of separation where number of separations is known by employers, 2007 and 2008 (TXT) (PDF)
  • Movement of work actions by type of separation where number of separations is known by employers, 2004, 2005, and 2006 (TXT) (PDF)

 

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