Extended Mass Layoffs (Quarterly) News Release — 2010-08-11

Employers initiated 1,851 mass layoff events in the second quarter of 2010 that resulted in the separation of 338,064 workers from their jobs for at least 31 days, according to preliminary figures released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Over the year, both events and separations decreased sharply from program high second quarter levels (with data available back to 1995). (See table A.) Manufacturing accounted for 16 percent of private nonfarm extended layoff events and 15 percent of related separations in the second quarter of 2010, the lowest proportions for any quarter in program history. Fifty-six percent of employers reporting an extended mass layoff during the quarter indicated they anticipated some type of recall, up from 37 percent a year earlier. Over the year, the per- centage of initial claimants who are women increased from 42 percent to 51 percent during the quarter. Second quarter 2010 layoff data are preliminary and are subject to revision.