Employment forecast bleak

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Monday, Feb. 24, 2003 | 9:50 a.m.

MILWAUKEE -- Employers are reporting a somewhat greater willingness to hire people, but the slow economy and the threat of war with Iraq is keeping the employment forecast bleak, a quarterly survey found.

The job market will show improvement but is likely to remain sluggish in the second quarter of 2003, according to Manpower Inc.'s survey of 16,000 businesses, released today.

The survey found that 22 percent of employers expect to hire more people during the second quarter, while 9 percent intend to cut their work force. Other companies will keep their work force the same from April through June, or are uncertain about hiring prospects.

"The people looking for jobs are going to be challenged as we look into the coming quarter," said Jeffrey Joerres, chief executive of Manpower.