Improvements to Mass Layoff Economic Reasons
Beginning with the release of extended mass layoff data on May 16, 2007,
a number of improvements were made in the collection and presentation of data on
economic reasons for layoffs. These enhancements were based on an
examination of the old MLS layoff reasons, public literature sources,
and comments from academia.
The new reason for layoff structure improves the former list of
reasons by developing more descriptive reason titles and enhancing and
clarifying definitions. Four new reasons for layoffs were added domestic
competition, excess inventory/saturated marketplace, hazardous work
environment, and cost control/cost cutting/increase profitability.
Moreover, seven higher-level categories business demand,
disaster/safety, financial, organization, production, seasonal, and
other/miscellaneous are identified within which the detailed economic
reasons are classified. The classification chart and definitions for both
the economic reasons for layoff and the higher level structure can be
found in the document, "New MLS Economic Reasons" (PDF). A crosswalk table
that maps the former list of MLS layoff reasons into the new structure
can be found in the document, "Crosswalk Relating Old versus New Reasons
for Extended Mass Layoffs Events" (PDF). Because of
these changes, data beginning with the first quarter of 2007 are not strictly
comparable to previous quarters.
Last Modified Date: May 17, 2007
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