WARN ACT NEWS

2009 Mass Layoff Numbers - Highest On Record

The U.S. Department of Labor has reported final numbers for 2009 mass layoffs. As defined by the Department, a mass layoff event is one where a single establishment has at least 50 initial unemployment insurance claims filed against it within a prescribed time period.  The total number of mass layoff events in 2009 is estimated at 28,030 on a non-seasonally adjusted basis.  The 2009 numbers are the highest since the Department began tracking this information in 1995.

 

Likewise, the 2009 Department of Labor numbers for extended mass layoff events are also the highest annual numbers on record. Extended mass layoffs are actions where a single establishment has at least 50 initial unemployment insurance claims filed against it within a prescribed time period and where the workers were separated from their jobs for more than 30 days.  The total number of extended mass layoff events in 2009 is estimated at 11,452.  On a potentially positive note, fourth quarter extended mass layoff events were  found to have decreased by 43% from the numbers reported during the fourth quarter of the previous year.   

 

More information can be found at the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics' website on Mass Layoff Statistics.

Unemployment Across The Nation

The American Observer posts a multimedia presentation by Latoya Egwuekwe that starkly reveals the spread of deepening unemployment across the nation.  Using U.S. Dept of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the presentation titled The Decline: The Geography of a Recession graphically shows continuing increases in county unemployment rates from January 2007 through the present. 

Record High Extended Mass Layoffs In Third Quarter

The U.S. Department of Labor released its third quarter report for extended mass layoffs.  The report finds a record high number of extended mass layoffs for any third quarter previously reported (since data was first collected in 1995).  The 1,776 extended mass layoff events affected more than 275,000 workers.  The Western and Midwestern states were the hardest hit. 

Since being introduced before the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, WARN Act reform bills (FOREWARN Act) S. 1374 and H.R. 3042 have been referred to and remain pending before committees of both chambers.