March 30, 1999 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)
Job losses from mass layoffs rise
in 1998
U.S. employers conducted 15,647 mass layoff
actions during 1998, compared with 14,960 in the previous year. The total number of
workers involved, based on new claims filed for unemployment insurance benefits, was more
than 1.7 million in 1998, up from about 1.5 million in 1997.
[Chart data—TXT]
Among the States, California experienced the largest rise in mass-layoff-related
initial unemployment insurance claims from December 1997 to December 1998 (9,537). Other
states with more workers affected by mass layoff events were South Carolina (7,615) and
Texas (5,212). Michigan had the largest over-the-year decline in initial claims due to
mass layoff events.
By industry, the largest increases in initial claims occurred in motion pictures
(6,827), industrial machinery and equipment (5,301), business services (2,991), and
automotive dealers and service stations (2,878). The largest decreases over the year were
reported in wholesale trade of durable goods (-1,783), and rubber and miscellaneous
plastics products (-1,701).
These data on mass layoff events are produced by the Local
Area Unemployment Statistics program. More information can be found in news release
USDL 99-71, "Mass Layoffs in
December 1998."Â Mass layoff events are defined as layoffs of
50 or more workers from a single establishment, regardless of the layoff duration.
Of interest
Spotlight on Statistics: National Hispanic Heritage Month
In this Spotlight, we take a look at the Hispanic labor force—including labor force participation, employment and unemployment, educational attainment, geographic location, country of birth, earnings, consumer expenditures, time use, workplace injuries, and employment projections.
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Read more »