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Health care mass layoffs fall in April

NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted June 4, 2012

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Fewer people lost jobs in mass layoffs at hospitals in April than in prior months, according to a report released May 22 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Mass layoffs are defined as at least 50 people losing their jobs from one company. In the health care setting, clinical staff, such as physicians, are less likely to be affected than administrative staff.

Five mass layoffs occurred at hospitals in April, involving at least 369 people. This is down from nine incidents in March that led 900 to claim unemployment benefits, and nine in February that meant 532 people lost their jobs. An additional nine mass layoffs were carried out at hospitals in January, with 456 positions eliminated.

Mass layoffs escalated during the economic downturn, peaking in July 2009. That month, hospitals had 21 incidents with 1,716 people claiming unemployment benefits. Numbers have inched downward as the economy slowly recovers.

Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2012/06/04/bibf0604.htm.

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