Big Stores Cut Payrolls in June

WASHINGTON — Discounters and department stores slashed jobs in June, while apparel and accessories stores posted a slight uptick in employment as job growth in the overall economy continued at a weak pace, the Labor Department said Friday.

Department stores cut a seasonally adjusted 12,900 from payrolls last month to employ 1.52 million, while general merchandise stores, a category that includes department stores, reduced payrolls by 11,500 to employ 3.06 million. Employment at apparel and accessories stores rose 1,000 to 1.37 million in June.