Despite generally good news on the employment front in the U.S., the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in April that the nation’s unemployment rate increased to nine percent. They noted that of the 244,000 new jobs created, 37,000 of them were in the health care field. Additionally, outplacement research firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas said companies cut 12 percent fewer jobs in April than March. Also, a survey of health care and pharmaceutical news sources did not find any companies announcing new major layoffs in April.