Mass Layoffs (Monthly) News Release — 2010-12-22

Employers took 1,586 mass layoff actions in November involving 152,816 workers, seasonally adjusted, as measured by new filings for unemploy- ment insurance benefits during the month, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Each mass layoff involved at least 50 per- sons from a single employer. The number of mass layoff events in November decreased by 65 from the prior month, while the number of associated initial claims increased by 4,757. In November, 354 mass lay- off events were reported in the manufacturing sector, seasonally ad- justed, resulting in 39,465 initial claims. Over the month, the number of manufacturing events decreased slightly, while associated initial claims increased by 2,027. (See table 1.) The national unemployment rate was 9.8 percent in November, up from 9.6 percent the prior month and down from 10.0 percent a year earlier. In November, total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 39,000 over the month and by 842,000 from a year earlier.