October 1996 — 1997-02-13

In October 1996, there were 1,262 mass layoff actions by employers as measured by new filings for unemployment insurance benefits during the month, according to the U.S. Department of Labor�s Bureau of Labor Statistics. Each action involved at least 50 persons from a single establishment, and the number of workers involved totaled 127,829 persons. Both layoff events and the number of workers involved were higher than in October 1995. (See table 1.) BLS also issues quarterly reports on mass layoffs that involve 50 or more workers from one establishment and are more than 30 days in duration. The monthly series covers mass layoffs of 50 or more workers beginning in a given month, regardless of duration. Information on the length of the layoff is obtained later for the quarterly release, which includes 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.