Thumbs Up: Large Layoffs at lowest level since July 2008

The latest Mass Layoffs news release

(http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/mmls.pdf)

was issued today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Highlights are below.

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In December, employers took 1,726 mass layoff actions
involving

153,127 workers. Both figures were at their lowest levels
since July 2008. Manufacturing events and initial claims both decreased in
December to 433 and 44,072, respectively. Annual totals for 2009 mass layoff events, at 28,423, and initial claims,
at 2,847,065, both were at program highs.