www.NFIB.com
For Immediate Release
Contact: Kelly Klass 609-713-4243 or [email protected]
Follow Kelly on Twitter @KellyKlassNFIB
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NFIB
JOBS REPORT: HIRING ACTIVITY REMAINS SOLID, ALTHOUGH NOT AS GOOD AS DECEMBER

Job
creation fell slightly while cuts remained historically low

WASHINGTON, D.C., February 5, 2015 – Chief economist for
the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) William C.
Dunkelberg issued the following comments on the organization’s January
Jobs Report.  The findings are based on the NFIB monthly Small
Business Economic Trends survey.  The survey was conducted in January
and reflects the responses of 1663 NFIB members:

“Despite the slight drop in business owners reporting job creation, the
January numbers were solid.  The percent of owners cutting jobs remained
low, so initial claims for unemployment will be stable around 300,000.
December, for some reason, was a hot month.”

According to the study, net 14 percent of business owners are still planning
to create jobs and 48 percent reported hiring or trying to hire.  Thirteen
percent reported increasing employment an average of 3.1 workers while 8
percent reduced their workforce by an average of 3.2 workers.  With weaker
top line sales for large firms due to the strong dollar and lower exports,
employment gains may be shifting to the small business sector.

“Job growth will continue to move forward, there won’t be much change in the
unemployment rate and the monthly jobs number should be around 230,000,”
Dunkelberg said. “So job growth in January was more of a brisk walk, not
the full sprint we saw in December.”

Dunkelberg’s
full statement and analysis can be viewed here. For an interview please
contact Kelly Klass at 609-713-4243 or [email protected]

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