Society for Human Resource Management (05/02/13) Theresa Minton-Eversole

A new report by Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc. shows that April job cuts totaled 38,121, down 23% from March and 6% year-over-year—the lowest level reported since December 2012. During the first four months of the year, 183,162 job cuts were announced, down just 0.27% from 183,653 job cuts in the same period last year. According to John Challenger, chief executive of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, “The economic slowdown that began late in the third quarter [of 2012] and [that] is expected to turn into another summer slump has yet to result in increased or widespread downsizing.” The sectors cutting the most jobs in April were retail, health care, industrial goods, transportation, and aerospace and defense.