Companies are afraid to hire, even if business is improving

[jeffrey]

Economists see a vicious cycle: The economy won't improve until businesses hire, but many won't hire without consumer demand, which is weak because of the slack job market and concerns about the future...

Companies are afraid to hire, even if business is good right now - latimes.com

[krantcents]

Until the economy shows signs of consistent stability or growth trend, businesses will hold back. They have been operating with less people doing more than one job for several years. They would rather pay overtime to their existing employees than hire more and not have enough work to go around. When consumers feel more confident, demand will return!