Planned Job Cuts Plunge in March

Chicago, IL, April 3, 2014 -- Planned job cuts fell to 34,399 in March, which was down 30% from a year ago and 18% from the previous month, according to outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

The firm also said employers announced the fewest first-quarter job cuts in 19 years.

The March total was the second lowest monthly total since January 2013. The only month to see fewer cuts during that period was December, when just 30,623 job cuts were announced.

Through the first quarter of 2014, employers announced 121,341 job cuts, down 16 percent from the 145,041 cuts tracked during the first three months of 2013.

The first quarter total was the lowest Q1 total since 1995, when 97,716 job cuts were announced.