WASHINGTON — Announced layoffs fell to 37,151 in September, down 44% from the same month a year ago, according to a report Wednesday from the job-placement firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas Inc.
There were 66,404 announced layoffs in September 2009. The report is not seasonally adjusted, making year-ago comparisons more meaningful than month-to-month fluctuations.
Layoffs in September were led by the government and nonprofit sector, which reported 11,091 job reductions. August had 34,768 announced layoffs.
The number of planned layoffs fell to 113,595 in the third quarter, down 53% from the same period a year ago. The total for the July-September period was the lowest since the second quarter of 2000.
There were 240,333 announced layoffs in the third quarter of 2009 and 116,494 in the second quarter of 2010.
“The low job-cut numbers we are seeing in almost every sector do not necessarily translate into increased hiring,” said John Challenger, chief executive officer of Challenger Gray. “There is hiring going on in the economy, but it is not enough make a discernible dent in the number of unemployed.”
Challenger said employers appear ready to hire, but need a good reason to do so.
— Market News International
