Jobs/Employment

32% Say U.S. Job Market Better Than Year Ago

Despite last week’s disappointing government report on job creation, Americans are expressing more optimism about the job market than they have in well over a year. But three-out-of-four Americans still know someone who's out of work and looking for a job, and a sizable number know someone who's given up looking out of frustration.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows that 32% believe the job market is better today than it was a year ago. Nearly as many (29%) say the job market is worse than last year, while 36% say it’s about the same. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on June 2-3, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

73% Say Men, Women Earn Equal Pay At Their Workplace

Most working Americans believe their workplace is free of gender discrimination and don’t know anyone who’s been a victim of it. But women continue to be more skeptical than men. 

Nineteen percent (19%) of all employed Americans say they personally know someone who has been denied a job, a promotion or increased pay because of their gender, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. But 73% don’t know anyone who falls in that category. That finding shows little change from November 2010. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

(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 558 Employed Adults was conducted on May 17-18, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

48% Think It’s Possible For Anyone Seeking Work To Find A Job

While the unemployment rate continues to hover just above 8%, roughly half of Americans still believes it’s possible for anyone with a desire to work to find a job.  But they aren’t so sure just anyone can work hard and get rich. 

Forty-eight percent (48%) of American Adults say it’s possible for anyone who wants to work to find a job, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.  Forty-one percent (41%) disagree, while 12% are not sure.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(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 1,000 Adults was conducted on May 5-6, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Number Expecting Less Pay A Year From Now Is Down to 11%

Just 11% of American workers expect to be earning less money a year from now, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. That's down only slightly from 13% in March but is the lowest finding in regular tracking since May 2012.

Forty-two percent (42%) predict they'll be earning more money a year from today, down just a point from March’s all-time high and up dramatically from a low of 30% in January. Thirty-six percent (36% ) think they will be making about the same amount.  Eleven percent (11%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

(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 614 Employed Adults was conducted on May 3-4, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology. 

48% of Workers Predict Next Job Will Be Better Than Current Job

Despite last week’s disappointing government report on job creation, working Americans are more optimistic than they’ve been in years about their future employment opportunities. More workers than ever also say they’ll leave their current job on their own terms.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Employed Adults shows that 48% believe their next job will be better than their current job. Sixteen percent (16%) don’t think their next job will better, and 20% more plan on retiring after they leave their current post. Another 17% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 614 Employed Adults was conducted on May 3-4, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

44% See More Government Hiring of Unemployed As Bad, 38% Say Good

The national unemployment rate dipped slightly in March but mostly because more Americans stopped looking for work. A survey conducted prior to the government jobs report shows that roughly a quarter of Americans still support long-term federal support for the chronic unemployed.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows that 16% believe the government should hire unemployed people who can’t find work for an extended period of time, while 11% favor extending unemployment benefits indefinitely. This combined 27% support for ongoing federal aid for the unemployed is up slightly from February’s low of 23% but is more similar to previous findings over the past year.

The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on April 1-2, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Americans Still Think Government Employees Work Less, Earn More

A majority of adults nationwide continues to believe that those who work for the government have it easier than those in the private sector and get paid more for it.

Sixty-six percent (66%) of American Adults believe private sector workers work harder than government workers, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Just eight percent (8%) say government employees are the harder workers, but another 25% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on April 1-2, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

48% Know Someone Who Has Given Up Looking for Work

After holding steady for the past year, the number of Americans who know someone who’s given up looking for a job out of frustration with the current market is up to 48%.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 43% of Adults don’t know someone in this situation. But the number of Americans who know someone who has given up on the job market is up from 43% in February and ties the highest result measured in regular tracking since 2010. This finding hovered around 40% for most of 2011. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(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 1,000 Adults was conducted on April 1-2, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

33% Think Employers Have Right to Fire Those Who Post Inappropriate Facebook Content

Some companies and colleges are requiring applicants to provide full access to their Facebook pages, and most Americans don’t like the idea. However, one-in-three think it's okay for employers to fire workers who post inappropriate content on the social networking site.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows that only 19% believe it would be appropriate for a potential employer to ask for access to their Facebook page as part of the hiring process. Most (69%) don’t believe this is appropriate, while 12% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on March 8-9, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

43% Expect To Earn More Money A Year From Now

An increasing number of working Americans expect to earn more money a year from now.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 43% of Employed Adults think they will be earning more money a year from today, up from an all-time low of 30% in January and the highest level measured since November 2010.  Thirteen percent (13%) believe they will earn less in a year’s time, while 38% expect to be making about the same amount. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(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 606 Employed Adults was conducted on March 2-3, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

42% See Current Company As Best Chance For Advancement

Slightly fewer working Americans feel their best opportunity for career advancement is to stay put, and a few more are searching for work outside of their current company.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 42% of Employed Adults say they have a better opportunity for career advancement by staying within their current company.  That’s down from 47% in early January and the lowest level measured since July of last year.  Thirty-three percent (33%) feel going to work for someone else gives them more opportunity to get ahead. Twenty-five percent (25%) are not sure.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(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 606 Employed Adults was conducted on March 2-3, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

23% Support Ongoing Federal Support For Long-Term Unemployed

More Americans than ever think the federal government should do nothing when it comes to those who are unemployed for an extended period of time.  At the same time, the number of adults who believe in ongoing government support for the unemployed is at its lowest level yet.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows that just 14% believe the government should hire unemployed people who can’t find work for an extended period of time, while only nine percent (9%) favor extending unemployment benefits indefinitely. Rejecting a permanent role for the government, 30% still believe the government should help the long term unemployed by paying for their retraining. Thirty-seven percent (37%) believe the government should do nothing at all for those individuals, while another 10% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on February 1-2, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

77% Know Someone Out of Work and Looking For A Job

The unemployment rate dipped slightly to 8.3 percent in January, but most Americans continue to know someone who is out of work and searching for a job.   One-in-four adults believes the unemployment rate will be higher a year from today. 

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 77% of American Adults say they know someone who is out of work and looking for a job.  That finding is down slightly from December’s all-time high of 82%, but is generally in-line with findings since early March 2010. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(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 1,000 Adults was conducted on February 1-2, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

39% Say Unions Bad for Business, 31% Say Good

Most voters don’t view labor unions as a plus for the economy these days.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 31% of Likely U.S. Voters, in fact, think, generally speaking, that unions are good for business. Thirty-nine percent (39%) regard them as bad for business, while another 21% say they’re neither. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(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 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on January 29-30, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

79% Give Their Boss Positive Marks

Here’s some good news for employers. U.S. workers have even more confidence in their bosses than they did two years ago.

Seventy-nine percent (79%) of Employed Adults rate their boss or supervisor as good or excellent. That’s up 12 points from 67% in May 2010. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just six percent (6%) rate that person as poor.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(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 336 Employed Adults was conducted on January 28-29, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

74% Favor Right-to-Work Law Eliminating Mandatory Union Dues

Indiana as early as Wednesday could become the 23rd right-to-work state in the country, meaning non-union employees would not be required to pay union dues when working for a company that is unionized. Voters overwhelmingly agree with the intent of the new law, but most also don’t think a non-union worker should enjoy benefits negotiated by the union.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 15% of Likely U.S. Voters think workers who do not belong to a union should be required by law to pay union dues if the company they work for is unionized.  Seventy-four percent (74%) disagree and say non-union workers should not be forced to pay dues in a closed union shop. Eleven percent (11%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(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 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on January 29-30, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

81% Describe Their Workplace As Positive

Most employed Americans give their workplace positive marks, but nearly one-in-four say they have left a job because of a bad relationship with a coworker. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Employed Adults finds that 81% describe their workplace as at least somewhat positive, including 27% who believe their work environment is Very Positive.  Only 16% describe their workplace as negative, with one percent (1%) who say it’s a Very Negative place.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 336 Employed Adults was conducted on January 28-29, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

New Low: 30% Expect to Earn More A Year From Now

The number of Americans who expect to be earning more money in a year’s time has fallen to a record low, while those who expect to be making even less than they are now is at its highest level in two-and-a-half years.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of employed adults shows that 30% think they will be making more a year from today, but that’s down six points from 36% in November and the most pessimistic finding found in regular tracking since April 2009. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(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 616 Employed Adults was conducted on January 2-3, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

47% Say Staying With Current Company Best For Advancement

A plurality of working Americans feels their best opportunity for career advancement is to stay put, and fewer believe their next job will be better than their current one. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Employed Adults finds that 47% say they have a better opportunity for career advancement by staying within their current company.  Thirty percent (30%) think their chances are better if they go to work for someone else, unchanged from November and still at the lowest level measured in nearly two years of surveying.  Another 22% are not sure which course is better.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(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 616 Employed Adults was conducted on January 2-3, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Americans Still Believe Private Sector Workers Work Harder, Get Less Than Government Workers

American adults, as they have for years, believe that government workers have it better than those in the private sector.