Extended Mass Layoffs (Quarterly) News Release — 2012-08-09

Employers in the private nonfarm sector initiated 1,476 mass layoff events in the second quarter of 2012 that resulted in the separation of 262,848 workers from their jobs for at least 31 days, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the year, total extended mass layoff events and associated worker separations were down from 1,810 and 317,546, respectively. (See table A.) In 2012, total events reached their lowest second quarter level since 2007, while manufacturing sector events declined to their lowest level for any quarter in program history (with data available back to 1995). The completion of seasonal work accounted for 44 percent of the total extended mass layoff events during the quarter. Second quarter 2012 layoff data are preliminary and are subject to revision.