I agree with your second paragraph, but I'm failing to understand why a company would want to manipulate government unemployment figures (and indeed, surely if they actually lay off staff then they're not manipulating the reporting/figures, they're changing the reality which is then reflected in the figures)?
I saw a stock market company in the UK do this in the 90's, mostly through natural wastage and not replacing the position, a total ban on recruitment except essential jobs, whilst blaming the new govt.
Businesses need ways to control govt for their own means, just look at the legislation, regulations and business practices that exists and does not exist in one country and not another.
The US Supreme Court case Gonzalez v. Google, even some of the US Judges have said congress need to be addressing this, but these politicians are all bought and paid for, except perhaps Bernie Sanders. Perhaps this is also why US tech stock is laying off big, they know the game is up and changes are a foot.
Look at parts of the German Autobahn where its got no speed limit, do you think the German Car manufacturers had a little bit of a say in keeping things unchanged since 1934?
