April Planned Job Cuts Down from Last Year

Chicago, IL, May 4, 2011 -- U.S. employers announced fewer job cuts in April than the same month last year, according to outplacement firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas.

Planned firings decreased 4.8% to 36,490 last month from April 2010, according to the Challenger firm. Government agencies accounted for the biggest cutbacks by industry.

“The slow pace of downsizing suggests employers remain optimistic about business conditions going forward,” John Challenger, the outplacement company’s chief executive officer, said in a press release.

“The weak link in the job market right now is the government sector, which continues to shed employees at a heavy rate.”

Government and nonprofit organizations announced 10,731 job cuts, compared with 19,099 the previous month