|
But they're reluctant to make more permanent hires, partly because they don't want to have to lay off workers if the economy falters, he said. Many businesses still have painful memories of undergoing layoffs during the recession. "Companies do not want to do that again," he said. Some sectors are already picking up. Manufacturers added the most jobs in nine months in December. Retailers posted three months of big gains last fall. Restaurants and hotels have been hiring at a healthy pace since the summer. Health care companies added nearly 30,000 jobs a month last year -- almost one-fifth the overall total. Construction companies may step up hiring soon. They added 30,000 jobs in December, though some of the increase likely reflected temporary hiring for repairs and rebuilding after Superstorm Sandy. But the once-battered housing sector is recovering, which bodes well for construction jobs. Home builders started work in 2012 on the most new homes in four years. And sales of previously occupied homes reached their highest level in five years last year. Patrick Newport, an economist at IHS Global Insight, forecasts that construction companies will add 140,000 jobs this year, up from a meager 18,000 in 2012. Other industries may also benefit. Home improvement retailer Lowe's said Tuesday that it will hire 45,000 temporary workers for the busy spring season. It also said it would add 9,000 permanent part-time employees.
State and local governments, though, are still shedding jobs. And job gains in the financial services and transportation and warehousing industries have been weak for months. United Airlines said Thursday that it will eliminate 600 positions from its work force of 84,000 people worldwide. The company lost $723 million last year.
[Associated
Press;
Copyright 2013 The Associated
Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
News | Sports | Business | Rural Review | Teaching & Learning | Home and Family | Tourism | Obituaries
Community |
Perspectives
|
Law & Courts |
Leisure Time
|
Spiritual Life |
Health & Fitness |
Teen Scene
Calendar
|
Letters to the Editor