Oregon Public Broadcasting

The Portland and Salem areas have some of the weakest employment outlooks in the nation, according to a new study by the staffing company Manpower. Kristian Foden-Vencil reports.

The Manpower study found 17 percent of businesses in the Portland/Vancouver and Salem areas expect to cut jobs during the first quarter of 2009.

That compares to about 14 percent who expect to hire new workers. And that places Portland and Salem among the nine weakest areas for employment in the nation.

Ned Noretto of Manpower said most businesses seem to have adopted a holding pattern.

Ned Noretto: "Not even since the 2001 recession have we seen so many companies sitting on the sidelines, not knowing what they're going to do in regards to hiring or reductions."

The picture for the Eugene/Springfield area was a little rosier, but not much.  13 percent of businesses there expect to hire more people next year, while 12 percent expect reductions.