The effects of the Affordable Care Act may weigh less heavily on the hiring plans of U.S. privately held companies this year, according to a survey released by Sageworks, a financial information company. Fifty-four percent of the surveyed accountants working with privately held businesses reported the ACA is making it less likely that their clients will hire in the next 12 months, down from 66 percent in a similar survey conducted by Sageworks in the summer of 2013.

In addition, 19 percent of those surveyed this year predicted the ACA would have no impact on hiring in the next year, up slightly from 16 percent in last year’s survey. Twenty percent were unsure and 5 percent expected the implementation of the ACA will lead to more hiring in the next 12 months.

Accountants were also asked about their business clients’ general hiring plans for the next 12 months. Fifty-four percent said businesses plan to maintain their headcount, 17 percent said businesses plan to add employees, and 12 percent responded that businesses plan to reduce headcount. In last year’s survey, 61 percent of respondents noted their clients planned to maintain their headcount, and 13 percent responded that businesses planned to increase hiring.

Sageworks conducted the online survey between April 21 and May 6, 2014. The survey included 534 accounting professionals from approximately 522 accounting and business advisory firms. The poll’s respondents were all clients of Sageworks.