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Rasmussen Employment Index

Most Recent Releases

March 5, 2013

Rasmussen Employment Index Dips Two Points in February

The Rasmussen Employment Index which measures worker confidence slipped almost two points in February but remains above monthly levels measured for much of 2012.

At 85.6, the Employment Index is down two points from February 2012 but is up seven points from February 2011. In December 2012, the Index hit a five-year high of 91.2.

The survey of 8,952 working Americans was conducted in February 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 1 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

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January 30, 2013

Worker Confidence Slips in January

The Rasmussen Employment Index which measures worker confidence fell four points in January from a five-year high the month before, but the index remains above monthly levels measured for most of 2012.

At 87.1, the Employment Index is up six points from the start of 2012 and up 10 points from January 2011.

The survey of 9,476 working Americans was conducted in January 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 1 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

January 2, 2013

Rasmussen Employment Index Caps Year At Five-Year High

The Rasmussen Employment Index which measures worker confidence jumped 12 points in December to its highest level since November 2007.

At 91.2, the Employment Index is up 11 points from the start of 2012 and 12 points from its level a year ago.

The survey of 9,276 working Americans was conducted in December 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 1 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

December 4, 2012

Rasmussen Employment Index Slips A Point in November

The Rasmussen Employment Index which measures worker confidence dipped a point in November but remains seven points above August’s 10-month low of 72.0.

At 79.0, the Employment Index is two points below the level measured in January but is up two points from this time last year.

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The survey of 8,840 working Americans was conducted in November 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 1 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

November 3, 2012

Rasmussen Employment Index Improves Slightly in October

The Rasmussen Employment Index which measures worker confidence inched up three points in October but remains slightly below the level measured for most of 2012.

At 79.9, the Employment Index has rebounded eight points from August’s 10-month low of 72.0 and is eight points above the level of confidence measured a year ago. Worker confidence is now a point below the level measured in January.

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 8,810 working Americans was conducted in October 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 1 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

September 4, 2012

Rasmussen Employment Index Falls to Ten Month Low

The Rasmussen Employment Index fell nine points in August to 72.0, the lowest level of confidence since October 2011. Worker confidence in the labor market is now roughly the same as it was in the month following the Wall Street meltdown in the fall of 2008.

Generally speaking, a decrease in the Rasmussen Employment Index suggests the upcoming government reports on job creation will be weaker than the prior month’s report.

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The survey of 8,563 working Americans was conducted in August 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 1 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

July 31, 2012

Employment Index Slips to 2012 Low

The Rasmussen Employment Index slipped two points in July to 80.5, marking the lowest level of confidence since December 2011.

Still, worker confidence is up 10 points from a year ago and 12 points from two years ago.

Now, however, just 20% of working Americans report that their firms are hiring while 22% report layoffs. This marks the first time in nine months that the number laying off workers has topped the number hiring. 

Generally speaking, a decrease in the Rasmussen Employment Index suggests the upcoming government reports on job creation will be weaker than the prior month's. However, perceptions of the labor market have been somewhat erratic lately.

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July 3, 2012

Employment Index Slips To Early 2012 Level

After reaching a four-year high in May, the Rasmussen Employment Index slipped six points in June to 82.7, sending more mixed signals about the jobs market.

The Employment Index is now just two points higher than the level measured at the start of 2012. Still, worker confidence is up five points from a year ago and nine points from the level measured two years ago. At the same time, however, 47% of employed Americans now say their personal finances are getting worse, compared to 30% who think they're getting better. Twenty-seven percent (27%) continue to be worried about losing their jobs.

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May 30, 2012

Rasmussen Employment Index Reaches Highest Level In Over Four Years

The Rasmussen Employment Index jumped eight points in May to 88.3, the highest finding since January 2008. The Employment Index is up eight points from the beginning of the year  and is up 11 points from this time last year.  In February, the Employment Index was at 87.7, the highest level in nearly three and a half years. The survey of 8,804 working Americans was conducted in May 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 1 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC . See methodology .

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May 1, 2012

Rasmussen Employment Index Falls Back to January Level

The Rasmussen Employment Index slipped another three points in April, bringing the index down to the level measured at the start of 2012. At 80.7, the index is still above findings throughout 2011 and matches the level measured in January. In February, the index hit a three-year high of 87.7. April’s index is up six points from a year ago and seven points from two years ago.

The survey of 8,891 working Americans was conducted in April 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 1 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC . See methodology.

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April 3, 2012

Rasmussen Employment Index Dips Following Recent High

After reaching a three-year high in February, the Rasmussen Employment Index slipped four points in March to 83.5

Twenty-two percent (22%) of working Americans in March reported that their firms are hiring while 20% report layoffs. The hiring number is down one point from February.

Generally speaking, a decrease in the Rasmussen Employment Index suggests the upcoming government reports on job creation will be weaker than the prior months. The Index measures workers’ perceptions of the labor market and is reported each month.

The survey of 8,987 working Americans was conducted in March 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 1 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

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January 3, 2012

Rasmussen Employment Index Ends Year on High Note

The Rasmussen Employment Index, which measures workers’ perceptions of the labor market each month, rose two points in December to reach 79.2, its highest level since November 2010. Generally speaking, an increase in the Rasmussen Employment Index suggests the upcoming government reports on job creation will be better than the prior month.

The survey of 8,561 working Americans was conducted in December 2011 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 1 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC . See methodology .