The post-layoff employment status and
earnings recovery of men and women in
movement of work layoffs were about the
same. However, in movement of work layoffs,
the previous earnings were 30 percent higher
for men as compared to women.
Reemployment success and earnings
recovery correlated strongly with age, for
both groups of workers examined. Workers
less than 45 years old had the greatest success
fi nding new jobs and also recovered or surpassed
their previous earnings. By comparison, less
than half of those age 55 and older who were
reported in movement of work layoffs found new
jobs after two years and recovered two-thirds of
their prior earnings.
There was no consistent pattern of
reemployment and earnings recovery among
racial groups, particularly for those displaced
in movement of work layoffs. White workers
who lost jobs in movement of work layoffs
had the highest pre-layoff earnings but low re-employment
and earnings recovery rates. Black
workers had among highest reemployment and
earnings recovery rates among those laid off in
movement of work layoffs but also relatively low
earnings. Hispanic workers reported the highest
earnings recovery but also the lowest pre-layoff
earnings. Workers in the all other layoffs
group had greater success fi nding new jobs
as compared to those separated in movement
of work layoffs (with the exception of Black
workers). This group also saw their earnings
grow steadily over two years.
Educational attainment was a strong factor
in fi nding new employment and recovering
lost earnings. Those with at least 13 years of
education who were separated in movement of
work layoffs not only reported the highest pre-layoff
earnings but also had the most success
in fi nding new jobs that paid a large share of
their pre-layoff earnings. Also, workers laid off in
movement of work events also had signifi cantly
higher earnings than workers with the same
educational attainment in the all other layoffs
group.
Workers with the longest duration of
unemployment had the least success
fi nding jobs and recovering previous
earnings. Less than 60 percent of those who
were displaced in movement of work layoff
events and exhausted 26 weeks of regular
UI benefi ts found new employment after two
years. This group of UI benefi ts exhaustees lost
nearly 30 percent of their previous earnings. By
comparison, nearly two-thirds of the UI benefi ts
exhaustees in the all other layoffs group found
jobs after two years and recovered about 90
percent of their previous earnings.
About three-quarters of the workers
separated in movement of work layoffs
were formerly employed in Manufacturing.
These workers reported among the highest
previous earnings but also the lowest rates
9 | Illinois Labor Market Review
of reemployment and earnings recovery.
Manufacturing workers reported in all other
layoffs saw greater reemployment success and
recovered all of their previous earnings.
Within movement of work layoffs, those
formerly employed in Professional and
Managerial and Services occupations had
greater success in fi nding new jobs and
recovering previous earnings as compared
to those who were employed in Production
occupations. In the all other layoffs group,
individuals who used to be employed in
Professional and Managerial occupations did
not enjoy greater success in fi nding new jobs
and actually saw their earning decline over two
years.
