U.S. service-sector employers plan to add jobs at a much slower pace in March than a year ago while manufacturers plan to cut more jobs than they add, according to the leading indicators of national employment report from the Society for Human Resource Management.

The report's survey found that 25.7% of service-sector employers plan to add staff in March while 17.2% plan to make cuts for a projected a net increase of 8.5%. That compares with a net increase of 26.4% for March 2008.

In the manufacturing sector, employers estimated a net decrease of 19.6% in March. A year ago more jobs were being added than cut; manufacturers planned a 31.8% net increase.

The report is based on a survey of private-sector human resource professionals at more than 500 manufacturing and more than 500 service-sector companies.