Mass Layoffs in August 2003 heads 133,839
stats.bls.gov
Technical information: (202) 691-6392 USDL 03-506
bls.gov
For release: 10:00 A.M. EDT
Media contact: 691-5902 Thursday, September 25, 2003
MASS LAYOFFS IN AUGUST 2003
Employers initiated 1,258 mass layoff actions in August 2003, as
measured by new filings for unemployment insurance benefits during the
month, according to data from 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 133,839. (See
table 1.) Compared with August 2002, both the number of layoff events and
the number of initial claims increased, marking the first over-the-year
increase in mass-layoff initial claims since May 2002. From January
through August 2003, the total number of events, at 13,205, was higher than
for the same period a year ago, while the number of initial claims, at
1,316,863, was lower. |
