In an economy that is barely staying afloat small business is again coming to the rescue and helping the US economy keep its head above the water -- at least that is what the latest data from the ADP Employment Report suggests.

Employment in the private sector rose by 9,000 jobs across the country from June to July, sparked by an increase of 50,000 jobs among small businesses. By contrast, large businesses shed 32,000 positions, according to the ADP National Employment Report released last week.

"July's growth in employment is consistent with the gains seen among small-size businesses during most of the recent months," said Joel Prakken, chairman of Macroeconomic Advisers, LLC, which partners with Roseland-based Automatic Data Processing, Inc., to publish the monthly report. "These figures continue to offer evidence of the resiliency small-size businesses have demonstrated over the past several years when compared to the job losses experienced at larger firms."

The hardest hit sectors of the economy continue to be residential construction and financial activities related to home sales and mortgage lending. In July, construction employment dropped 16,000, marking the twentieth consecutive monthly decline, and bringing the total decline in construction jobs since the peak in August of 2006 to 350,000.

NSBA believes that the only way the U.S. economy can bounce back is through the fostering of America’s engine of economic growth – small business. The ADP Employment report further demonstrates the significant impact small business is having on the U.S. economy. Having created more than 93.5 percent of all new net jobs over the last 20 years, it is crucial that entrepreneurs have access to the tools and capital they need to continue to grow their business and help strengthen the economy.