Layoffs up in Q3, employment growth rates hold steady: MOM (Amended)

THE number of redundancies in Singapore went up in the third quarter of 2014 to 3,400, a sign of the ongoing effects of business restructuring.

This figure is higher than the 2,410 workers affected in the second quarter, and the 2,710 laid off in the third quarter of 2013, the Manpower Ministry said in its latest employment situation report on Friday.

According to preliminary estimates, the overall seasonally-adjusted unemployment rates dipped slightly to 1.9 per cent in September, from 2 per cent in June. The rates for residents and citizens were unchanged over the quarter at 2.8 per cent and 2.9 per cent respectively.