Wyoming Mass Layoff Events Decline
for Second Year in a Row
The number of mass layoff events in Wyoming declined for the second consecutive year, falling from 12 in 2010 to 10 in 2011 (see Table). A mass layoff occurs when 50 or more initial unemployment insurance (UI) claims are filed against a single employer during a consecutive five-week period. Wyoming mass layoffs peaked with 13 events in 2009. There were 1,089 initial UI claims associated with the 10 layoffs in 2011. While initial claims decreased from 2010 to 2011, they remained much higher than their pre-recession levels.
| Year |
Total Events |
Initial UI Claims | Extended Mass Layoff Events |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 4 | 304 | ND |
| 2002 | 4 | 308 | ND |
| 2003 | 4 | 272 | ND |
| 2004 | 6 | 480 | 4 |
| 2005 | 7 | 481 | 5 |
| 2006 | 5 | 329 | 4 |
| 2007 | ND | ND | 4 |
| 2008 | 8 | 525 | 6 |
| 2009 | 13 | 1,186 | 10 |
| 2010 | 12 | 1,287 | 7 |
| 2011 | 10 | 1,089 | 6 |
| ND — Not disclosable due to confidentiality of information. | |||
"Extended" mass layoffs, those in the private non-farm sector that lasted more than 30 days also decreased, falling from 7 in 2010 to 6 in 2011.
It is not surprising to see the number of large layoffs decline as economic conditions improved in 2011. Wyoming's annual average unemployment rate fell by a full percentage point, from 7.0% in 2010 to 6.0% in 2011. Job gains, although modest, continued at a steady pace during the first three quarters of 2011.
Some of the mass layoff events in Wyoming are seasonal, and occur every year. Thus, even when the economy is growing rapidly, such as in 2006 and 2007, there are a few layoff events.
Nationally, the number of mass layoff events peaked in 2009, with 28,030 mass layoffs. In 2010, layoffs fell by nearly one-third to 19,564, and then decreased much more modestly in 2011 (down 5.3% to 18,521).
Senior Economist David Bullard can be reached at (307) 473-3810 or david.bullard@wyo.gov.