After remaining relatively flat in January and February, the Small Business Jobs Index declined 0.15 percent to 98.78. However, despite a 0.88 percent slowdown year-over-year, the first calendar quarter of 2019 represents the strongest quarter in the past year. Hourly earnings growth moderated slightly to 2.52 percent ($0.66) in March, while annualized one-month and three-month growth rates were closer to three percent. Read More.