Survey of Employers Finds Weak Hiring Projections

Employment prospects in the San Fernando Valley and Ventura County are expected to remain lower than those nationwide during the last three months of the year, reflecting the overall job slump in the West, according to a survey by Manpower Inc., a temporary help firm.

In the Valley, 20% of employers surveyed said they will hire during the fourth quarter, but 19% expect to cut back, the study reported. Another 60% predicted no change in staffing levels and 1% were undecided.

Three months ago, 16% of Valley employers said they planned to hire and 9% planned cutbacks, according to the survey.

In the Oxnard, Ventura and Camarillo areas, only 10% of employers surveyed said they plan to add to their staffs, while 13% plan cutbacks, the survey found. Seventy-seven percent of the area’s employers plan no changes. The outlook was virtually unchanged from the previous-quarter projections, Manpower said.

Nationally, 21% of employers who responded to the survey said they planned to hire during the quarter, while 12% said they expected work-force reductions. Sixty-four percent foresaw no change while 3% were undecided.