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
dataprior to employer contacton 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
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