Poll: Healthcare Doubts Will Delay U.S. Recovery
Monday, 01 Nov 2010 10:43 AM
U.S. small-business owners believe a U.S. economic recovery is unlikely to accelerate before the second half of 2011 amid worries about issues such as healthcare costs, according to a quarterly survey.
The survey, by human resources services company Administaff
Inc, found 21 percent of small-business owners surveyed
expect an economic rebound before mid-2011. Nearly half
believe it will come in the second half of next year, and
almost a third said they were not sure.
Three in four cited the economy as their top short-term
concern, followed by government healthcare reform, rising
healthcare costs and other factors. When asked about
long-term worries, the economy fell to third place behind
worries such aspotential tax increases and the expansion of
government.
The sluggish economic recovery is widely seen as a key
factor in Tuesday's U.S. elections, which could erode or
erase the majority of President Barack Obama's ruling
Democratic party.
U.S. voters on Tuesday will elect a new House of
Representatives and about a third of the Senate, and 37
state governor races will be decided.
The majority of businesses surveyed said they were keeping
staff levels and pay at current levels through the end of
this year, according to the Administaff survey.
But Administaff said average pay is up 3.2 percent, based on
compensation data from 5,700 small- and medium-sized
businesses for which it provides human resources services.
Bonuses and commissions are also up from a year ago.
Administaff also reported a third-quarter profit on Monday
that beat Wall Street estimates.
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