Dayton Business Journal...
Ohio mass layoffs jump in March
Tuesday, April 24, 2012 

Ohio workers were laid off en masse in March at more than double the rate they were a year ago, according to data released Tuesday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics    . 

Last month, 48 employers laid off at least 50 workers, up from 22 mass layoff events in March 2011. Those layoffs resulted in 4,638 initial claims for unemployment insurance in March, up from 1,891 a year ago. 

The increase in mass layoffs in Ohio outpaced national and regional statistics. In the 12-state Midwest region, 219 mass layoff events affected 24,470 employees last month, compared with 172 mass layoffs that resulted in 17,168 initial claims for unemployment insurance a year ago. 

Nationwide, 1,125 employers laid off at least 50 workers, sending 117,817 employees to the unemployment line. That’s up from 908 mass layoffs affecting 85,095 workers in March 2011. The manufacturing sector accounted for about 22 percent of mass layoffs last month. 

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