Some states have raised tax rates to help cover salaries and thus minimize layoffs.

"When businesses are experiencing urgent management difficulties, labor unions will strive to accept adjustments in work hours and salaries in order to minimize layoffs," the statement said.

The bank had imposed a hiring freeze when it began its hostile takeover of First Interstate, in an effort to minimize layoffs resulting from the combination.

In Germany, unions and managers reduced working hours to minimize layoffs.

The Raytheon Company has made buyout offers to more than 4,000 hourly employees in Massachusetts, saying that the move would minimize or eliminate layoffs.

To win support for change, city leaders must pledge to do what they can to minimize immediate forced layoffs.

Hughes, which employs 75,000 people, mostly in California, said it would try to minimize layoffs by cutting jobs through attrition, voluntary terminations, retraining and relocation.

"State officials work to minimize layoffs" by Tom Sharp.

Most economists argue that a far more vigorous expansion than the present one is needed to raise wages significantly and minimize layoffs.

"I hoped the gold price would minimize layoffs, but it didn't," said Welcome Mzunjani, 31, who supported a wife and two daughters on his $230 monthly paycheck.