illinois labor market review

Volume 5, No.1
Spring 1999


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Illinois Has Developed Into the World's High-Tech Hub

North American Industry Classification System: New Way to Organize Industries for the Global Economy

Mass Layoffs

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MASS LAYOFF STATISTICS IN ILLINOIS DURING THE 1ST QUARTER OF 1999

During January to March 1999, there were a total of 118 mass layoffs in Illinois resulting in 20,347 separations. By comparison, during the 1st quarter of 1998, there were 83 mass layoffs in Illinois which resulted in 14,480 separations.

The largest percentage of separations in the 1st quarter of 1999 (50 percent) was caused by seasonal layoffs. Manufacturing had 39 percent of all separations, the largest share of all industries.

Also, of the mass layoffs during the 1st quarter of 1999, 9 were as the result of partial or full closures of establishments. These closures produced 1,316 or 6 percent of the quarterly separations.

Among all employers reporting layoffs, 71 percent indicated that they would recall at least half of their displaced workers within six months. There were no recall plans for 3,997 workers or 20 percent of all those separated during the 1st quarter 1999.

 

ILLINOIS MASS LAYOFFS DURING THE 1ST QUARTER 1999 - BY PRIMARY REASON
LAYOFFS
WORKERS SEPARATED
PRIMARY REASONS # % # %
TOTALS 118 100% 20,347 100%
Seasonal 66 56% 10,096 50%
Reorganization 14 12% 2,964 15%
Slack Work 15 13% 2,938 14%
Contract completed 10 8% 2,589 13%
Ownership change 5 4% 669 3%
Labor Dispute 2 2% 299 1%
Contract Cancellation 2 2% 240 1%
Environmental 1 1% 220 1%
Owner Deceased 1 1% 158 1%
Financial Difficulty 1 1% 110 1%
Import Competition 1 1% 64 0%

*Data may not add to 100% due to rounding


Illinois Mass Layoffs By Industry
1st Quarter 1999
# of Establishments w/Layoffs Total Layoffs Workers Separated
INDUSTRY # % # %
TOTALS 117 118 100% 20,347 100%
Agriculture 1 1 1% 100 0%
Mining 0 0 0% 0 0%
Construction 39 39 33% 4,187 21%
Manufacturing
Non-Durable Goods 19
19
16% 2,901 14%
Durable Goods 23 24 20% 5,100 25%
TCPU* 1 1 1%
475
2%
Wholesale Trade 1 1 1% 87 0%
Retail Trade 10 10 8% 2,240 11%
Finance-Insurance-Real Estate 2 2 2% 224 1%
Services 17 17 14% 3,886 19%
Government 4 4 3% 1,147 6%

Data may not add to 100% due to rounding.
*Transportation-Communications-Public Utilities



What Is Mass Layoff Statistics?

Mass Layoff Statistics is a State-Federal cooperative statistical program designed to identify, describe, and track large job cutbacks. The program relies on establishment and unemployment claims data from State Unemployment Insurance (UI) systems, as well as, information from employer interviews.Establishments that have 50 or more initial UI claims filed against them within a five consecutive week period are identified as having potential mass layoffs. Once identified, employers are interviewed by phone or sent a survey form to determine the size and duration of the layoffs. Mass layoffs are defined as layoffs involving at least 50 separations and lasting more than 30 days.



Interested in obtaining layoff data not presented here? Please contact:
Rich Reinhold
Phone: (312) 793-5896
FAX: (312)793-2192
E-Mail Rreinho@ides.state.il.us

Please keep in mind that, by law, we are not permitted to disclose the names of employers who have had mass layoffs. We can only provide summary layoff data by industry, geographic area, or displaced worker.




last updated: May 1, 2001