Survey Finds Layoff Worries Increase in 2008

September 23, 2008 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Some 44.1% of working American adults are worried about layoffs at their companies, according to a recent study by Decision Analyst, a marketing research and consulting firm.

A news release said that represented an 11% jump from the 32.7% seen in August 2007.

In the latest survey, 9.5% of respondents said they were very worried about losing their jobs, and 34.6% categorized themselves as somewhat worried. The news release said women respondents were more worried about losing their jobs than men – 48% versus 41%.

Layoff fears tended to be highest in the New England, Middle Atlantic, and East North Central census divisions (the northeast quadrant of the U.S.) and in the Mountain and Pacific census divisions. Layoff fears were lowest in the West North Central, West South Central, and East South Central census divisions (i.e., the Midwest and Southern parts of the U.S).

Decision Analyst polled a representative sample of 1,441 employed U.S. adults during August 2008.

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