A slight improvement in hiring activity is expected in the third quarter for companies in the Los Angeles, Long Beach and Santa Ana areas, according to the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey. From July to September, 13 percent of companies interviewed plan to hire more employees, compared to 12 percent the previous quarter. According to the survey, 17 percent of companies interviewed expect to reduce their payrolls down from 23 percent the previous quarter. Another 63 percent expect to maintain their current staff levels and 7 percent are not certain of their hiring plans. “The employment outlook is still very concerning but slightly better,” said Lee Fossey, Los Angeles area Metro Regional Director for Manpower. Job prospects appear best in the transportation and utilities, leisure and hospitality and other services and government sectors, Fossey said. Employers that plan to reduce staffing, work in the areas of construction, durable and non-durable goods manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, information, professional and business services, and education and health services. The employment services company Manpower Inc. releases the survey quarterly to measure employer’s intentions to increase or decrease the number of employees in their workforce during the next quarter.
