REPORTS SHOW SMALL BUSINESSES ‘IN A HOLDING PATTERN’ ON JOB CREATION
By Katie Eder/NJBIZ
February 20, 2012
Small-business job retention rates in New Jersey match national reports showing no drastic reduction in work force numbers, but on the flip side, job creation remains low.
According to the National Federation of Independent Business’ Small-Business Optimism Index for January, job growth improved from the previous month, but only to net no new workers, as 78 percent of the 2,155 small-business owners polled nationally indicated they made no net change in employment. However, reports of reduced employment were at their lowest level since October 2007.
“Everyone seems to be in a holding pattern,” said Laurie Ehlbeck, NFIB’s New Jersey state director, in prepared remarks. “Our members still say they’re just getting by. There’s nothing in the economy or the news that can create any momentum for small businesses.”
