From January through October 2007, the total number of events (seasonally adjusted), at 12,434, and initial claims (seasonally adjusted), at 1,271,928, were higher than in January-October 2006 when the totals were 11,407 and 1,191,911, respectively.
The national unemployment rate was 4.7 percent in October, unchanged from the prior month and up from October 2006 (4.4 percent). Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 166,000 in October 2007 and by 1.7 million from a year earlier.
Industry Distribution (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
The 10 industries reporting the highest numbers of mass layoff initial claims, not seasonally adjusted, accounted for 31 percent of all such initial claims in October. The industry with the highest number of initial claims was light truck and utility vehicle manufacturing with 7,162, followed by temporary help services with 6,118 and automobile manufacturing with 3,692. Together, these three industries accounted for 16 percent of all initial claims due to mass layoffs during the month.
The manufacturing sector accounted for 31 percent of all mass layoff events and 47 percent of all related initial claims filed in October; a
year earlier, manufacturing made up 32 percent of events and 47 percent of initial claims. In October 2007, the number of manufacturing claimants was highest in transportation equipment manufacturing (23,399, largely in light truck and utility vehicle manufacturing, automobile manufacturing, and motor vehicle seating and interior trim manufacturing), followed by machinery manufacturing (5,459) and food manufacturing (5,264).
Administrative and waste services accounted for 13 percent of mass layoff events and 10 percent of initial claims in October, primarily from temporary help services and professional employer organizations. Construction made up 11 percent of events and 7 percent of initial claims, mostly from heavy and civil engineering construction and specialty trade contractors. Ten percent of all mass layoff events and 6 percent of related initial claims filed were from the agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting industry, primarily from farm labor contractors and crew leaders. Retail trade comprised 6 percent of
all mass layoff events and 5 percent of related initial claims, mainly from general merchandise stores.
On a not seasonally adjusted basis, the number of mass layoff events in October, at 1,083, was up by 119 from a year earlier, and the number of associated initial claims increased by 9,651 to 108,455. The largest over-the-year increases in initial claims were reported in transportation equipment manufacturing (+4,175) and credit intermediation and related activities (+1,910). The largest over-the-year decrease in mass layoff initial claims was reported in administrative and support services (-1,823).
Geographic Distribution (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
Among the 4 census regions, the highest number of initial claims in October due to mass layoffs was in the Midwest, with 38,853. Transportation equipment manufacturing and administrative and support services together accounted for 56 percent of all mass layoff initial claims in that region during the month. The West had the second largest number of initial claims among the regions with 34,270, followed by the South with 23,180 and the Northeast with 12,152.
The number of initial claimants in mass layoffs increased over the year in 2 of the 4 regions- the Midwest (+10,020) and the West (+1,490). The Northeast reported the largest over-the-year decrease (-1,352). Four of the 9 geographic divisions had over-the-year increases in the numbers of initial claims associated with mass layoffs, with the largest increases in the East North Central (+10,194) and South Atlantic (+2,724) divisions. The division with the largest over-the-year decrease in initial claims was the East South Central (-4,726).
California recorded the highest number of initial claims filed due to mass layoff events in October (28,004), reflecting layoffs in agriculture
and forestry support activities, administrative and support services, and motion picture and sound recording industries. Other states with large numbers of mass layoff related claims were Ohio (10,896), Illinois (7,710), Pennsylvania (7,009), Michigan (5,187), Indiana (5,129), and Florida (5,082). These seven states accounted for 66 percent of all mass layoff events and 64 percent of all initial claims for unemployment insurance in October.
In October, Ohio had the largest over-the-year increase in the number of initial claims (+8,006), primarily concentrated in transportation equipment manufacturing. States having the next largest increases in initial claims were Missouri (+2,264), Illinois (+2,202), California (+2,073), and Florida (+1,793). The largest over-the-year decreases in claims occurred in Kentucky (-6,196), New York (-1,373), and Michigan (-1,245).
