More small-business employees can expect no end-of-year bonuses or gifts for 2009. A recent survey of small-business owners or managers showed fewer of them planning gifts or cash for their workers.

“Business owners are still feeling pinched cash-wise,” said American Express business adviser Alice Bredin. AmEx's small-business division conducted the survey.

Last year, 44 percent of those surveyed said employees would get an end-of-year bonus. This year, only 31 percent did. Even fewer are planning raises: 16 percent, compared with 30 percent last year. In 2008, 46 percent of owners or managers said employees would get holiday gifts. This year, it's 35 percent.

The business owners or managers surveyed oversaw companies with fewer than 100 employees.

The survey also found that, of those still giving a present, 42 percent said they'll give fewer or cheaper gifts to customers and employees.


Tight-fisted? A third of U.S. adults said they would spend less this year than they did in 2008 on gifts, while 49 percent would spend about the same amount, according to a Consumer Reports poll.

Almost two-thirds of respondents said they planned to “cut back” on total holiday expenses, which include travel plans, presents and holiday decorations. More Americans are also “regifting,” or passing on a gift they got to someone else — 36 percent of adults this year say they've done so, compared with 31 percent last year and 24 percent in 2007.

The survey polled 1,000 U.S. adults Oct. 15-18.