Second Quarter — 1998-10-07

In April through June of 1998, there were 1,500 mass layoff actions by employers, resulting in the separation of 337,855 workers from their jobs for more than 30 days, according to preliminary figures released by the U.S. Department of Labor?s Bureau of Labor Statistics. Layoff activity was slightly lower than in the same quarter a year ago when employers reported that they had laid off 340,371 workers in 1,574 extended layoff events. "Seasonal work" accounted for about one-third of the second-quarter 1998 layoff events and separations and was largely related to the end of the school year. Another 15 percent of the separations were due to "labor dispute," primarily the result of large strike-related layoffs in transportation equipment manufacturing. Permanent closure of worksites occurred in 11 percent of all events and affected 34,010 workers, down from 43,472 workers in the same period a year ago.