Two Private Reports Paint Mixed Employment Picture

Chicago, IL, Feb. 3, 2010–Two reports painted a mixed employment picture.

Planned layoffs at major U.S. firms rose 59% in January, reaching 71,482 from a nine-year low of 45,094 in December, according to outplacement firm Challenger Gray & Christmas.

It was the first month-to-month increase since July, the outplacement firm reported Wednesday.

However, the ADP employment report said that private-sector firms in the U.S. eliminated 22,000 jobs in January, the 24th decline in a row.

It was the fewest jobs lost since 22,000 jobs were added in January 2008.

In December, a revised 61,000 jobs were lost, compared with the 84,000 originally reported, ADP said.

Jobs in the service sector increased by 38,000, while goods-producing industries cut 60,000, including 25,000 in manufacturing.

Large businesses cut 19,000 jobs, small businesses cut 12,000, and medium-sized businesses  added 9,000, the first increase since January 2008.

Layoff plans ran 70% lower than the 241,749 announced in January 2009, which was a seven-year high, the Challenger report said.

Planned reductions for last month were led by retail companies, which announced 16,737 job cuts, and telecommunications companies, which cut 14,010 jobs.