The number of planned layoffs at U.S. firms plunged by 32 percent in December to the lowest monthly total in more than 13 years, a report on Thursday showed.
Employers announced 30,623 layoffs last month, down from 45,314 in November, according to the report from consultants Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
The last time employers announced fewer job cuts was June of 2000, when 17,241 planned layoffs were recorded.
(Read more: Private job creation is 'off and running': ADP)
The figures come a day ahead of the closely-watched U.S. non-farm payrolls report, which is forecast to show the economy added 196,000 jobs in December.
Kevin Butrick (L) speaks to a woman seeking work at a jobs fair for people 50-years-old and older, put together by the United Jewish Appeal Federation and Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York, on November 20, 2013 in New York City.Getty Images
On Wednesday, payrolls processor ADP reported private employers added 238,000 jobs last month. That was well above market forecasts and has fed speculation of stronger overall U.S. growth in 2014.
For all of 2013, employers announced 509,051 cuts, down 3 percent from the 523,362 seen in 2012 and the lowest yearly total since 1997, the Challenger data showed.
"The recovery has been slow, but every year since the recession has been better than the previous one," said John Challenger, chief executive officer of Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
(Read more: Jobless claims next up before employment report)
