Mass Layoffs (Monthly) News Release — 2008-02-27

In January, employers took 1,438 mass layoff actions, seasonally adjusted, as measured by new filings for unemployment insurance benefits during the month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Each action involved at least 50 persons from a single employer; the number of workers involved totaled 144,111, on a seasonally adjusted basis. The number of mass layoff events in January 2008 increased by 5 from the prior month, while the number of associated initial claims increased by 2,361. The number of initial claims due to mass layoffs have increased for five consecu- tive months. In January, 427 mass layoff events were reported in the manufac- turing sector, seasonally adjusted, resulting in 55,488 initial claims. Over the month, mass layoff activity in manufacturing decreased by 35 events, and initial claims decreased by 2,620.