Mass Layoffs (Monthly) News Release — 2009-12-22

Employers took 1,797 mass layoff actions in November that resulted in the separation of 165,346 workers, seasonally adjusted, as measured by new filings for unemployment insurance benefits during the month, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Each action involved at least 50 persons from a single employer. The number of mass layoff events in November decreased by 330 from the prior month, and the num- ber of associated initial claims decreased by 51,836, to their lowest levels since July 2008. However, year-to-date mass layoff events (27,669) and initial claims (2,792,736) both recorded program highs for a January to November period. (Data begin in April 1995.) In No- vember, 481 mass layoff events were reported in the manufacturing sector, seasonally adjusted, resulting in 56,243 initial claims. Both the number of events and initial claims in manufacturing decreased over the month.