September 1996 — 1996-11-20

The Bureau of Labor Statistics, U. S. Department of Labor, is issuing a new series on mass layoffs based on initial filings for unemployment insurance during the reference month. In the past, BLS has issued quarterly reports on mass layoffs that involve 50 or more workers from one establishment and are more than 30 days in duration. The new series will cover mass layoffs of 50 or more workers beginning in a given month, regardless of duration. Information on the length of the layoff will be obtained later for the quarterly release, which will include only mass layoffs lasting more than 30 days (referred to as "extended mass layoffs") and more information on the establishment classification and location and on the demographics of the laid-off workers. See the Technical Note for more detailed definitions.