ACT Looking to Maintain Staff Levels; Pearson to Hire

Survey: Most employers expect to maintain staff next quarter

Rob Daniel • Iowa City Press-Citizen

Area employers are expected to maintain their current staff levels with moderate growth in hiring during the first quarter of 2010, the latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey said.

According to the survey, 11 percent of companies in the Cedar Rapids metropolitan area, which includes Iowa City and Johnson County, said they plan to hire more employees from January to March. Another 7 percent said they expected to reduce their staffing, while 78 percent said they expect to maintain their current staff levels.

This is comparable to the national outlook, with 73 percent saying they expect no changes in the staffing and 12 percent planning to add workers, according to the survey.

"Employers are holding on hiring and maybe adding contractor workers to buffer themselves," said Kathy Joblinske, the regional director for Manpower Inc.

Job prospects appear to be best in durable goods manufacturing, transportation and utilities, wholesale and retail trade, information, leisure and hospitality and government, according to the survey. Employers in the construction and financial activities fields plan to cut workers, while the nondurable goods manufacturing, professional and business services, education and health services expect to maintain their levels generally, the survey said.

Iowa City-based ACT Inc., for example, plans to maintain its current staffing levels, according to spokesman Scott Gomer.  "We're keeping up with the status quo," he said. "We're not looking for any significant moves next quarter."

Pearson also expects to maintain its regular full-time staff while hiring about 200 temporary scorers and others during the spring for their peak season in Iowa City and Cedar Rapids, said Kate Minette, the company's vice president of operations and scoring.

The University of Iowa and University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics also said they will be maintaining their levels, concentrating on filling the open positions in the health and education fields that are deemed most essential, spokesman Tom Moore said.  "We're reviewing each position on a case, by, case basis," he said.