Layoff Tracker

March's tally of job cuts -- 663,000 -- was slightly higher than expected, as the total number of out-of-workers (13.2 million) brought the unemployment rate to 8.5 percent, a level not seen since 1983. That figure has climbed 1.8 percent since November, and 3.6 points since analysts say the recession began in December 2007. As has been the case in recent months, layoffs have affected just about every industry -- only healthcare and education managed to add workers in March. In all, the recessional economy has lost 5.1 million jobs, thanks in part to a restatement (upwards, of course) of January's totals to 741,000.