The Southwest Information Office of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics today released Mass Layoffs in Arkansas – 2011 Annual Totals. Regional Commissioner Stanley Suchman noted the following points of interest regarding the release:













· Employers in Arkansas took 154 mass layoff actions in 2011 that resulted in the separation of 16,665 workers, as measured by new filings for unemployment insurance benefits during the year.

· The number of Arkansas claims in 2011 was a record high for the state dating back to 1996 when the series began, and more than double the 2010 total of 7,748.

· The manufacturing industry had the largest number of initial claimants (10, 808) in 2011, accounting for 65 percent of the state’s total.

· Administrative and waste services ranked second in both the number of mass layoff events and initial claimants, although both were series highs for the industry.

· Government mass layoff initial claims nearly doubled over-the-year, up by 265 in 2011. The largest contributor was local government where initial claims rose to 195, a new series high and an increase of 290 percent.