Job-cut announcements by U.S. employers dropped for the third consecutive month in April, falling to the lowest level in six months, according to Chicago outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. But the cuts were 47 percent above April 2008.
Layoff tallies also declined in reports submitted to Illinois state government. In April, 12 companies advised the state of plans to eliminate an aggregate 1,532 jobs.
That compares with 22 companies in March that filed notices to cut 2,486 jobs. In April 2008, 12 companies planned to slice 2,849 jobs, according to the Illinois layoff notices. The 60-day advance notices are required of most employers with 75 or more workers.
Job cuts remain at recession levels, but their decline could signal that employers are more confident about business conditions, said John Challenger, chief executive officer of the outplacement firm. "It does look as though we may be past the worst of it," Challenger said.
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