Chapter 6.
The Mass Layoff Statistics

Data Availability
The MLS program provides detailed information on employment cutbacks and the resultant unemployment at the State and area level, including the location and industry of the firm experiencing the layoff, the reason for the layoff, the number of initial claimants for UI benefits, and the total number of persons separated.

In addition, socioeconomic characteristics on UI claimants—such as sex, age, race, Hispanic origin, and residency—are available. These characteristics are collected at two points in time—when an initial claim is filed and when the claimant exhausts regular UI benefits. In between these points, the unemployment status of claimants is tracked through the monitoring of certifications for unemployment (continued claims) filed under the regular State UI program.

MLS data are published in monthly and quarterly news releases, and in an annual report. Monthly releases report summary layoff information whereas the quarterly releases report additional data obtained from employers having the layoffs—such as reason for layoff, number of workers, and recall expectations. Annual reports summarize mass layoff data for each calendar year and contain individual State detail.

Next: Uses of the Data