PRINCETON, NJ -- Gallup's Job Creation Index in March showed the jobs picture within the federal government turning sharply negative to -9, with 25% of federal employees reporting that their employer was hiring and 34% saying their employer was letting people go. This marks a rapid deterioration from the +1 of February and +18 in April 2010.
Job conditions are now negative across all three levels of government. More state government employees report that their organizations are letting people go (32%) than hiring (19%), for an index score of -13. The same is true among local governments, with 20% hiring and 34% letting go, for an index score of −14.
Job Creation Remains at a 2 ½-Year High
Despite the plunge in federal hiring, Gallup's Job Creation Index remained at its 2 ½-year high of +12 in March -- matching February. The index is now 10 points better than it was in March 2010.
March's +12 index score is based on 30% of employees nationwide saying their employers are hiring and 18% saying their employers are letting workers go, also identical to February's numbers. This reflects a slight improvement from January and a major improvement from March of a year ago, when 26% of workers said their companies were hiring and 24% said theirs were letting workers go.
Job Market Conditions Improved in South and Midwest
