Firings hit temporary-help services and South, according to government report.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- There were fewer mass layoffs in January, with the brunt of the job casualties occurring in the South and in temporary-help services, according to the U.S. government.
In January, there were 2,227 mass layoffs, which resulted in 237,902 job cuts, according to the Labor Department. There were 48 fewer mass layoffs compared to December, but the number of unemployment claims increased by 11,785.
Mass layoffs are those that involve 50 or more job cuts in a single sweep.
The nation could lose 2 million more jobs in 2009 after shedding 2.6 million last year, according to a forecast released by the Conference Board in January.