Employers in Oklahoma are optimistic about hiring, Manpower survey finds

But most employers expect to maintain their current employment levels in the first three months of next year as the economy continues to recover.

Manpower's hiring survey said Oklahoma's employment outlook was the fifth-best in the nation. From January to March, 18 percent of companies surveyed plan to add jobs, while 4 percent expect to reduce their payrolls, 75 percent plan to maintain their employment levels, and 3 percent weren't sure.

Rob Denton, Manpower's Oklahoma City branch manager, said the survey was surprising given all the talk over uncertainty in the economy, driven by negotiations in Congress about the “fiscal cliff,” a term to describe tax increases and spending cuts set to take effect at year's end.

Oklahoma City area employers have a positive outlook for the first quarter, with 17 percent of those surveyed saying they plan to add jobs. Six percent plan cuts, and 74 percent expect no changes, the survey said.