The job market remains a grim picture, as employers in Los Angeles, Long Beach and Santa Ana are expected to continue to hire at a very cautious pace during the fourth quarter of 2009, according to the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey. Released quarterly, the survey, which measures employer’s intentions to increase or decrease their workforce during the next quarter, found only 12 percent of employers interviewed plan to hire from October to December. During the same period, 17 percent plan to cut payrolls, 66 percent expect to maintain their current staff levels, and 5 percent remain uncertain of their hiring plans. “The hiring activity is expected to be consistent to the previous quarter when 13 percent of companies surveyed planned to increase staff levels and 17 percent expected to cut payrolls,” said Manpower Los Angeles Regional Director Lee Fossey. The quarter’s best job prospects appear in the construction and leisure and hospitality industries, he said. Meanwhile, employers in the sectors of transportation and utilities; w3holesale and retail trade; financial activities; professional and business services; education and health services; and government plan to reduce staffing levels. Nationally, of the more than 28,000 employers surveyed, 12 percent expect to increase staff levels, 14 percent expect to reduce their payrolls, 69 percent expect no change in hiring, and 5 percent are undecided about their hiring plans. Manpower has local offices in Encino and Glendale.