The number of mass layoff events -- where 50 or more workers are laid off from a single workplace -- fell to 1,609 in July, according to seasonally adjusted numbers released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That's down 38 from June and down 871 from July 2009.

The industry with the most initial claims for unemployment insurance resulting from mass layoffs was the "elementary and secondary schools" category with 15,685 initial claims, according to non-seasonally adjusted numbers from the BLS. Temporary help services ranked as the second highest with 14,716 claims.