LAPLACE – LaPlace area employers expect to hire at a moderate pace during the second quarter of 2005, according to the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.

From April to June, 13 percent of the companies interviewed plan to hire more employees, while 7 percent expect to reduce their payrolls, according to Manpower spokesperson Kathy McLeod. Another 80 percent expect to maintain their current staff levels.

“LaPlace area employers have weaker hiring intentions than in the first quarter when 13% of the companies interviewed intended to add staff, and none planned to reduce headcount,” said McLeod. “Employment prospects are identical to those reported a year ago when 13 percent of companies surveyed thought employment increases were likely and 7 percent intended to cut back.”

For the coming quarter, job prospects appear best in Wholesale/Retail Trade and Education. Employers in Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing and Transportation/Public Utilities plan to reduce staffing levels, while hiring in Construction, Durable Goods Manufacturing, Finance/Insurance/Real Estate, Services and Public Administration is expected to remain unchanged.

The national results of the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey for the second quarter of 2005 reveal that strong hiring activity is expected to continue across

(See Jobs, Page 6A)

(From Page 5A)

the United States.

Of the 16,000 U.S. employers that were surveyed, 30 percent plan to add staff in the second quarter, while 7 percent expect to reduce their payrolls. Fifty-eight percent of the hiring managers polled anticipate no change in staff levels for the coming quarter, and 5 percent are unsure of their hiring plans. When seasonal variations are removed from the data, the Net Employment Outlook is the same as it was for the first three months of the year and is similar to last year at this time. In fact, this marks the fifth consecutive quarter in which employers have reported hiring expectations that rival those last seen in the beginning months of 2001.

About the Survey

The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey is conducted quarterly to measure employers’ intentions to increase or decrease the number of employees in their workforce during the next quarter. It is the only forward-looking survey of its kind, unparalleled in size, scope, longevity and area of focus. The survey has been running for more than 40 years and is one of the most trusted surveys of employment activity in the world. The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey in the U.S. is based on interviews with nearly 16,000 public and private employers in 470 markets across the country and is considered a highly respected economic indicator.

About Manpower Inc.

Manpower Inc. is a world leader in the employment services industry, offering customers a continuum of services to meet their needs throughout the employment and business cycle. The company specializes in permanent, temporary and contract recruitment; employee assessment; training; career transition; organizational consulting services and professional financial services. Manpower’s worldwide network of 4,300 offices in 67 countries and territories enables the company to meet the needs of its 400,000 customers per year, including small and medium size enterprises in all industry sectors, as well as the world’s largest multinational corporations. In North America, Manpower staffing services include administrative, industrial and contact center personnel as well as the assignment of contract professionals in information technology, scientific, finance, engineering, telecommunications and other professional areas under the Manpower Professional brand. More information on the company can be found at http://www.manpower.com/.