Florida’s job cuts decline by more than half as nationwide cuts rise

Florida’s planned job cuts were less than half those in January 2015, outsourcing firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas said Thursday.

A total of 554 jobswere eliminated compared with1,911 the year before.

Thelargest layoffs in the statewere in Jacksonville: 300 at BAE Systems and 254 at Professional Transportation, Challenger said.

Wal-Mart also laid off workers in Florida, but those are counted in its home state of Arkansas.

Nationwide, job cuts rose to their highest level since last summer, due to layoffs in retail and energy sectors, Challenger said.

U.S. employers reported 75,114 planned job cuts in January, up 42 percent from 50,041 in the same month a year ago.

Retail cuts were dominated by Wal-Mart, which announced plans to close 269 stores worldwide, affecting 16,000workers.

Only three of those stores are in Florida, and none is in South Florida.

Macy’s also plans to close stores in 2016, a move that will affect 4,820 employees.

Companies in the energy sector announced plans to reduce theworkforce by 20,246.

“With oil prices expected to stay low for the foreseeable future, the potential for continued layoffs remains elevated,” said John Challenger, chief executive officer of Challenger, Gray& Christmas in Chicago.

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