Hiring slowed last month among small businesses with fewer than 20 employees, according to a monthly report by Intuit Online Payroll, a small business payroll provider.

The monthly index — culled from payroll data from approximately 62,000 small businesses — found that employment among small businesses rose about .1 percent in Illinois and 0.2 percent nationwide. Approximately 40,000 new jobs were added in July nationwide, a decrease from 45,000 jobs added in June, Intuit said. Get the full story »