During the first quarter of 2010 most employers will keep staff levels steady in the Los Angeles, Long Beach and Santa Ana areas, according to a new report. The quarterly survey conducted by the employment services company Manpower Inc. indicated 74 percent of businesses interviewed expect to maintain their current staff levels from January to March of next year. Twelve percent of companies expect to reduce their payrolls, 9 percent plan to hire more employees and five percent of businesses were not certain of their hiring plans, according to The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey. Metro Regional Director for Manpower, Inc, Lee Fossey, said area hiring levels appear to be slightly stronger than the previous quarter when 12 percent of companies interviewed intended to add employees but 17 percent of them planned to reduce staff levels. “Employers have similar hiring intentions compared to one year ago, when 13 percent of companies surveyed planned to increase staff levels and 15 percent expected to cut payrolls,” he said. For the coming quarter, Fossey said job prospects appear best in Wholesale & Retail Trade and Professional & Business Services. In the areas of Durable Goods Manufacturing, Transportation & Utilities, Education & Health Services, Other Services and Government, employers plan to reduce staffing levels, according to the report. Companies in the field of construction are expected to hire. Nationally, 12 percent of the more than 28,000 employers surveyed, expect to increase their staff levels during the January – March period, while 12 percent expect to reduce their payrolls. Seventy-three percent expect no change in hiring, and 3 percent are undecided. The next Manpower Employment Outlook Survey will be released on March 9, 2010 to report hiring expectations for the second quarter 2010.
