U.S. Job Creation Index Holds At High Level

U.S. workers' reports of hiring activity at their place of employment in July remained at a record high for the third month in a row. Gallup's U.S. Job Creation Index first reached the high score of plus 33 in its eight-year trend in May. The latest holding pattern follows a period of relative stability in workers' perceptions of their employers' hiring activity.

The index has ranged from plus 29 to plus 33 since February 2015. In July, 44 percent of workers reported their companies were hiring, while 11 percent reported their companies were laying people off, resulting in the July Job Creation Index score of plus 33. These figures are unchanged from May and June. The latest results are based on interviews conducted July 1-31 with 16,753 full- and part-time U.S. workers.

Government hiring increased for the third month in a row in July, to plus 31 -- the highest score for this sector in Gallup's trend. That increase had little effect on the overall Job Creation Index because the vast majority of U.S. workers are employed by nongovernment employers, among whom the July hiring index was plus 33, compared with plus 34 in June.