Samantha Ferrara, 19, waits in line for a job fair to open, in Independence, Ohio.
/ AP photo
CHICAGO (AP) — A leading outplacement firm says employers eliminated 1.8 percent more jobs in May than they did the month before.
Challenger, Gray and Christmas says the total was a little more than 37,000, which marks the third time this year that announced job cuts totaled fewer than 40,000.
Challenger, Gray and Christmas says so far this year employers have trimmed 21 percent fewer jobs than they did during the same period last year. The total through May is more than 204,000.
The firm says there's concern about the weak recovery, and government cutbacks have bled into the private sector. But it doubts there will be any sudden resurgence in corporate downsizing in the months ahead.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.
