Wyoming Mass Layoffs Fall Slightly in 2012
The number of mass layoffs in Wyoming fell from 10 in 2011 to nine in 2012 (see Table). Mass layoffs have decreased for the past three years after peaking at 13 in 2009. This downward trend in mass layoffs is consistent with Wyoming's falling unemployment rate, which peaked at 7.0% in 2010 and has been steadily decreasing since then. Despite the recent decreases, the number of mass layoffs remains higher than before the recession.
BLS Discontinues Mass Layoff Statistics Program
As part of the federal automatic budget cuts known as sequestration, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) was required to cut its budget by more than $30 million. In order to absorb part of this budget cut, one of the programs the BLS eliminated was Mass Layoff Statistics (MLS). As of June 30, MLS data are no longer collected, analyzed, or published for Wyoming or the United States.
| 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 |
| 2012 | 9 | 1,033 | 7 |
| ND — Not disclosable. | |||
The number of associated initial claims for unemployment insurance also continued its downward trend, falling from 1,089 in 2011 to 1,033 in 2012. However, when compared to their pre-recession levels, initial unemployment claims remain quite elevated.
Mass layoff events occur when 50 or more initial unemployment claims are filed against a single employer within a five-week period. Private non-farm events where workers are laid off for at least 30 days are known as extended mass layoff events. The number of extended mass layoffs rose slightly from six in 2011 to seven in 2012, but remained below the 2009 peak of 10.