Employers took 1,438 mass layoff actions in January, up only five from 1,433 in December, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. However, the number of initial unemployment claims associated with the mass layoffs rose 1.7% to 144,111 in January from 141,750 in December. A mass layoff action involves at least 50 workers from a single workplace.

The industry with the highest number of initial claims in January, not seasonally adjusted, was temporary help services with 12,509. It was followed by school and employee bus transportation at 7,444.