Mass Layoffs Summary: “In February, employers took 1,672 mass layoff actions, seasonally adjusted, as measured by new filings for unemployment insurance benefits during the month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported [March 21, 2008]. Each action involved at least 50 persons from a single employer; the number of workers involved totaled 177,374, on a seasonally adjusted basis. February layoff events and associated initial claimants were the highest since September 2005 (which reflected the impact of Hurricane Katrina) and were the highest for the month of February since 2003. The number of mass layoff events in February 2008 increased by 234 from the prior month, while the number of associated initial claims increased by 33,263. In February, 529 mass layoff events were reported in the manufacturing sector, seasonally adjusted, resulting in 66,913 initial claims. Over the month, mass layoff activity in manufacturing increased by 102 events, and initial claims increased by 11,425.”