More LA employers say they plan to add workers during the fourth quarter, but more also plan to reduce payrolls in the third quarter, according to a survey to be released Tuesday from Manpower Inc.

The Milwaukee staffing giant’s quarterly survey of employers in Los Angeles and Orange counties found that 22 percent plan to increase staff during the fourth quarter, 9 percent plan layoffs and 78 percent plan to keep staffing levels constant.

The hiring figure was up from 20 percent for the third quarter and well above the 17 percent level from a year ago.

The biggest change was that 9 percent of employers said they plan to lay off workers in the fourth quarter, compared to just 2 percent three months ago. Yet it’s still down from 13 percent for the fourth quarter of last year.

All this pushed the net employment outlook (percent of employers planning to hire workers minus the percent planning layoffs) down to 13 percent from 18 percent for the second quarter. But it’s still much higher than the meager 4 percent net employment outlook of a year ago.

Manpower’s Los Angeles spokeswoman Teri Mustol said the figures show local employers plan net hiring at a weaker pace in the fourth quarter compared to the third quarter.

The percentage of Los Angeles employers who said they planned to add staff matched the national average, though the percentage saying they planned layoffs was higher than the national average of 6 percent.

For the fourth quarter, local job prospects appear best for construction, retail, education, health services and leisure/hospitality. Employers in the durable goods manufacturing sector plan to reduce staffing levels.

Public policy and energy reporter Howard Fine can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @howardafine.