The index for prices received slipped to 29.7, from 31.6.
Other senior bankers are expected to receive pink slips soon.
Last year, about 3,800 were lost through attrition, mostly retirement, so if similar numbers are recorded this year, several thousand could receive pink slips.
Among the people selected to receive "pink slips" at the News were two high-profile veteran columnists, Albor Ruiz and Joanna Molloy.
The layoffs in March affected employees who did not care directly for patients, but now staff members who do can expect to receive pink slips, Ms. Slatten said.
Jill Andresky Fraser, who interviewed dozens of laid-off workers for her book, "White Collar Sweatshop" (W. W. Norton), says most people who receive pink slips blame themselves.
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has been warning that 4,600 city teachers will receive pink slips this spring, as he pushes for legislation in Albany that would eliminate rules requiring that layoffs be based solely on seniority.
In New Hampshire, Mr. Romney provided openings by saying he could relate to people who receive pink slips, and later letting the words "I like to fire people" come out of his mouth.
The monthly snapshot of the job market showed that government workers continued to receive pink slips, but the private sector more than picked up the slack, adding 268,000 jobs in April, the most in five years.
Though the Web site, Morgan Online, will now cater to the private banking clients of both legacy banks, roughly half of the employees will receive pink slips.
