Third Quarter — 2000-11-22

In the third quarter of 2000, there were 975 mass layoff actions by employers that resulted in the separation of 209,903 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. Both the total number of layoff events and the number of separations were lower than in July-September 1999, with events and separations at their lowest level for any third quarter period since 1995. (See table A.) The completion of seasonal work was the major reason cited for layoffs in the third quarter and accounted for 31 percent of all events and 34 percent of all separations. Layoffs due to internal company restructuring accounted for 21 percent of events and resulted in 47,548 separations. Permanent closure of worksites occurred in 16 percent of all events and affected 34,454 workers, the second lowest level on record and down sharply from a year earlier (50,890).