Mass Layoffs (Monthly) News Release — 2012-01-25

Employers took 1,384 mass layoff actions in December involving 145,648 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 mass layoff involved at least 50 workers from a single employer. Mass layoff events in December increased by 52 from November, and associated initial claims increased by 14,021. In December, 351 mass layoff events were reported in the manufacturing sector, seasonally adjusted, resulting in 39,081 initial claims. (See table 1.) The national unemployment rate was 8.5 percent in December, down from 8.7 percent the prior month and from 9.4 percent a year earlier. Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 200,000 over the month and by 1,640,000 over the year. The number of mass layoff events in December was 2,433, not seasonally adjusted, resulting in 263,665 initial claims for unemployment insurance.