September 1997 — 1997-11-17

In September 1997, there were 492 mass layoff actions by employers as measured by new filings for unemployment insurance benefits during the month, according to preliminary data from the U.S. Department of Labor�s Bureau of Labor Statistics. Each action involved at least 50 persons from a single establishment, and the number of workers involved totaled 54,458 persons. (Preliminary figures may not include all states.) Although the number of layoff events was about the same as in September 1996, the number of initial claimants was higher. (See table 1.) September is typically the month that has the lowest unemployment insurance claimant activity during the year. The monthly series in this release covers mass layoffs of 50 or more workers beginning in a given month, regardless of the duration of the layoffs.