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Survey: Hiring stalled for small businessesThe Small Business Opinion Poll found that 46 percent of small businesses expect to take more than a year to return to pre-recession levels of sales. Another 41 percent said it would be more than 10 months before hiring returned. Small business, which accounts for 99.7 percent of the nation's employer firms and 44 percent of private payroll, will be apprehensive this year, according to the poll. "And as credit markets remain tight, 40 percent of small business decision-makers reported the recession negatively impacted their access to credit," Employers said in the release. Small businesses were not the only ones hit by the credit crunch. The Associated Press reported that state and local housing agencies sold $4 billion in tax-exempt bonds in 2009, one-fourth the amount of a normal year. Tight lending standards also prevented some - often unemployed - consumers from receiving credit. This left many homeowners without means to pay off mortgage loans and prevent damage to their credit scores. Some hope remains, as more than half of small businesses expect to survive the recession, according to the survey. "America's small businesses are the innovators who will drive growth and job creation in the next economic cycle, and measures should be taken to help facilitate their growth," Employers said. The survey was conducted through interviews with 500 small business owners and managers. More than half said the Obama Administration does not recognize the significance of small business in the economy. Employers advised that small businesses avoid costly risks this year, by enforcing safety rules, providing alternate duty employment, and using tools like reference checks and drug screens to hire responsibly.
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