The Local Economic Recovery Is Not Yet on the Horizon
Mitchell S. Fromstein, president of Manpower Inc., the big Milwaukee-based temporary help firm, recently concluded that there is yet no clear sign of economic recovery in the Washington area. Therefore, said Fromstein, summer employment levels are likely to fall short of those reached in prior years.</br></br>"While third-quarter hiring projections (in the Washington area) are stronger than they have been for the last six months, economic recovery is still not clearly on the local horizon," Fromstein said in conjunction with ManpowerÛªs release of its latest national employment outlook survey.</br></br>For Fromstein to conclude as he did that economic recovery is still not clearly on the local horizon is rather amazing, considering the limited scope of ManpowerÛªs employment survey in metropolitan Washington. Although it is sometimes a useful tool for forecasting the employment picture, the Manpower survey at best is a sampling of subjective employer responses. Employers in Alexandria, Arlington, most of Fairfax County and Prince William County, for example, aren't included in surveys conducted by Manpower in the Washington areaÛÓa major shortcoming that was pointed out to Manpower officials at least two years ago.</br></br>Still, Fromstein's conclusion about the timing of a recovery in the area is remarkably similar to that of the</br></br>Greater Washington Research Center, which just completed a more comprehensive assessment of the local economyÛªs performance.