In September, employers took 2,269 mass layoff actions, seasonally adjusted, as measured by new filings for unemployment insurance benefits during the month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S.Department of Labor reported. Each action involved at least 50 persons from a single employer; the number of workers involved totaled
235,681, on a seasonally adjusted basis.

The number of mass layoff events this September increased by 497 from the prior month, while the number of associated initial claims rose by 61,726. Layoff events reached their highest level since September 2001, a month that experienced substantial layoff activity due to the September 11 attacks. Mass layoff initial claims reached their highest level since September 2005, which was a month with high layoff activity due to Hurricane Katrina. The effects of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike contributed to the higher September 2008 layoff activity. In September, 603 mass layoff events were reported in the manufacturing sector, seasonally adjusted, resulting in 81,414 initial claims. Over the month, mass layoff events in manufacturing increased by 4 and initial claims increased by 9,170.

From January through September 2008, the total number of events (seasonally adjusted), at 14,811, and initial claims (seasonally adjusted), at 1,510,446, were the highest for the January-September period since 2003 and 2002, respectively.

The national unemployment rate was 6.1 percent in September, seasonally adjusted, unchanged from the prior month and up from 4.7 percent a year earlier. In September, total nonfarm payroll employment decreased by 159,000 over the month and by 519,000 from a year earlier.

Industry Distribution (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

The number of mass layoff events in September was 1,292 on a not seasonally adjusted basis; the number of associated initial claims was 129,586. Over the year, increases were recorded in both the number of layoff events (+575) and initial claims (+62,201). In 2008, three major sectors reported program highs in terms of mass layoff initial claims for the month of September-construction, professional and technical services, and finance and insurance (with data available back to 1995).

The manufacturing sector accounted for 28 percent of all mass layoff events and 36 percent of initial claims filed in September 2008; a year earlier, manufacturing made up 34 percent of events and 44 percent of initial claims. In September, the number of manufacturing claimants was greatest in transportation equipment manufacturing (19,278), followed by machinery manufacturing (4,058). Administrative and waste services accounted for 14 percent of mass layoff events and associated initial claims during the month, primarily from temporary help services.

The six-digit NAICS industry with the largest number of initial claims was temporary help services (9,491), followed by professional employer organizations (4,520). Among the 10 industries with the highest levels of initial claims, 2 of the 10-professional employer organizations and air-craft manufacturing-reached program highs in 2008 for the month of September (with data available back to 1995).

Geographic Distribution (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

Of the 4 census regions, the West had the highest number of initial claims in September due to mass layoffs (47,522), followed by the South (43,772). Initial claimants in mass layoffs increased over the year in all 4 regions with the South (+27,859) and the West (+21,983) experiencing the largest increases, followed by the Midwest (+9,373) and the Northeast (+2,986). Of the 9 divisions, the Pacific had the highest number of initial claims in September due to mass layoffs (43,847), followed by the West South Central (26,693). Eight of the 9 divisions experienced over-the-year increases in initial claims, led by the West South Central (+22,101) and the Pacific (+20,474).

California recorded the highest number of initial claims filed dueto mass layoff events in September with 34,584. The next highest states reporting mass layoff initial claims were Louisiana (14,929) and Texas (10,616). Six states reached program highs in 2008 for the month of September - Indiana, Ohio, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Thirty-five states registered over-the-year increases in initial claims associated with mass layoffs, led by Louisiana (+14,366), California (+13,440), and Texas (+8,010). The effects of Hurricane Gustav in Louisiana and of Hurricane Ike in Texas contributed to the higher September 2008 layoff activity in those two states.