THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS (1) TO ANALYZE SELECTED ASPECTS OF UNEMPLOYMENT AND REEMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCES OF 1,184 ENGINEERS AND SCIENTISTS WHO WERE PERMANENTLY LAID OFF BY 62 DEFENSE-ORIENTED AEROSPACE AND ELECTRONICS COMPANIES DURING AN 18-MONTH PERIOD ENDING MARCH 31, 1965, AND (2) TO DESCRIBE THE MAGNITUDE OF THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA'S SCIENTIFIC AND ENGINEERING UNEMPLOYMENT PROBLEM. IDENTIFICATION OF THOSE LAID OFF WAS MADE FROM PERSONNEL RECORDS, AND 74 PERCENT RESPONDED TO A PRETESTED MAIL QUESTIONNAIRE. SOME FINDINGS WERE--(1) AGE, NOT SKILL OBSOLESCENCE, SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN THE CRITERION FOR LAYOFF, (2) EMPLOYERS' HIRING POLICIES DISCRIMINATED AGAINST THE OLDER APPLICANT, (3) THE INFLUENCE OF AGE ON THE PERIOD OF UNEMPLOYMENT INCREASED AS THE EDUCATIONAL LEVEL WENT DOWN, (4) THE MEDIAN PERIOD OF UNEMPLOYMENT WAS 12 WEEKS, (5) JOB SEARCH METHODS INCLUDED THE USE OF DIRECT APPLICATIONS, FRIENDS AND PERSONAL CONTACTS, THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT, AND PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES, (6) UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WAS THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF INCOME DURING LAYOFF BUT WAS INADEQUATE, (7) SHIFTS FROM DEFENSE TO COMMERCIAL WORK WERE COMMON, (8) 21 PERCENT OF THE LAID OFF PERSONNEL LEFT THE STATE, AND (9) THE 1,184 SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS LAID OFF BY DEFENSE-ORIENTED INDUSTRIES IN THE BAY AREA COMPARED TO 6,600 IN THE STATE AND 30,000 IN THE COUNTRY AS A WHOLE REPRESENTED A DISPROPORTIONATE RATE OF UNEMPLOYMENT FOR THE AREA. CHARTS AND TABLES PRESENT DATA FOR EACH ASPECT OF THE STUDY, AND THE APPENDIXES INCLUDE SAMPLES OF THE QUESTIONNAIRES USED. (HC)