10 Industries With The Highest Layoff And Firing Rates

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10 Industries With The Highest Layoff And Firing Rates by Nick Selbe, Career Trends

The late 2000s in America might be best known for the period of the Great Recession, which resulted in the loss of millions of jobs. The national unemployment rate peaked at 10 percent in October 2009, and mass layoffs spiked in January of that same year. The recession was called by some, including Ben Bernanke, former head of the Federal Reserve, to be the worst financial crisis in the history of the world.

Though the nation has bounced back from these trying times, plenty of industries are still struggling. This past year has seen several mass layoffs from well-known employers, including Walmart, Neiman Marcus and Whole Foods.

In order to gain an understanding of America’s recent layoff history, CareerTrends has identified the 10 industries with the highest rates of layoffs and discharges since December 2000. We used the most recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and ranked each industry based on the average layoff and discharge rate from December 2000 to October 2015.

Naturally, real estate made its way onto the list, a clear victim of the Great Recession. The financial crisis also hit blue collar industries like mining and construction. But a few less predictable industries made the list as well.

Industries with the highest layoff and firing rates #10 – Nondurable Goods Manufacturing

Average 2000-2015 layoff and discharge rate: 1.2 percent

Total 2000-2015 layoffs and discharges: 10,902,000

*Note: Nondurable goods are goods that are immediately consumed in one use or ones that have a lifespan of less than 3 years.

Industries with the highest layoff and firing rates #9 – Durable Goods Manufacturing

Average 2000-2015 layoff and discharge rate: 1.2 percent

Total 2000-2015 layoffs and discharges: 16,885,000

*Note: Durable goods are goods not for immediate consumption and able to be kept for a period of time.

Industries with the highest layoff and firing rates #8 – Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities

Average 2000-2015 layoff and discharge rate: 1.3 percent

Total 2000-2015 layoffs and discharges: 11,055,000

Industries with the highest layoff and firing rates #7 – Mining and Logging

Average 2000-2015 layoff and discharge rate: 1.3 percent

Total 2000-2015 layoffs and discharges: 1,640,000

Industries with the highest layoff and firing rates #6 – Real Estate and Rental and Leasing

Average 2000-2015 layoff and discharge rate: 1.5 percent

Total 2000-2015 layoffs and discharges: 5,122,000

Industries with the highest layoff and firing rates #5 – Retail Trade

Average 2000-2015 layoff and discharge rate: 1.5 percent

Total 2000-2015 layoffs and discharges: 38,868,000

Industries with the highest layoff and firing rates #4 – Accommodation and Food Services

Average 2000-2015 layoff and discharge rate: 1.7 percent

Total 2000-2015 layoffs and discharges: 32,350,000

Industries with the highest layoff and firing rates #3 – Professional and Business Services

Average 2000-2015 layoff and discharge rate: 2.3 percent

Total 2000-2015 layoffs and discharges: 68,852,000

*Note: Professional and business services are accounting, legal, medical and other such services provided by a formally certified member of a professional body.

Industries with the highest layoff and firing rates #2 – Construction

Average 2000-2015 layoff and discharge rate: 3.8 percent

Total 2000-2015 layoffs and discharges: 42,056,000

Industries with the highest layoff and firing rates #1 – Arts, Entertainment and Recreation

Average 2000-2015 layoff and discharge rate: 3.9 percent

Total 2000-2015 layoffs and discharges: 12,769,000

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