• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

MacKenzie Scott, Melinda French Gates, and Lauren Sánchez Bezos are rewriting the rules of billionaire giving—one quietly, one strategically, one very publicly

2

After donating $48 billion to the Gates Foundation, Warren Buffett is quietly ending one of the biggest philanthropic relationships in history

3

Current price of gold as of July 14, 2026

1

MacKenzie Scott, Melinda French Gates, and Lauren Sánchez Bezos are rewriting the rules of billionaire giving—one quietly, one strategically, one very publicly

2

After donating $48 billion to the Gates Foundation, Warren Buffett is quietly ending one of the biggest philanthropic relationships in history

3

Current price of gold as of July 14, 2026
Finance

Americans’ Fear of Layoffs Is at a Record Low

By
Annalyn Kurtz
Annalyn Kurtz
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Annalyn Kurtz
Annalyn Kurtz
Down Arrow Button Icon
April 28, 2017, 12:42 PM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Workers haven’t felt this secure in their jobs in a very, very long time.

As of early April, only 8% of employed American said they were “very” or “fairly” likely to be laid off in the next 12 months – the lowest level ever recorded since Gallup started asking the question in 1975.

That number fits well with the recent narrative described by economists, including Federal Reserve officials. With the unemployment rate at a 10-year low as of March, the American job market is now near full employment, Fed Chair Janet Yellen has said.

The Gallup poll is based on telephone interviews of about 550 Americans at the beginning of the month. Concerns about layoffs, as recorded by the survey, reached an all-time high in 2010, with 21% of Americans saying they were “very” or “fairly” likely to be laid off following the Great Recession.

Other Gallup studies conducted this year show about 46% of employees said their company was hiring in March. Workers are also more confident about the future of the U.S. economy.

The Gallup poll is not alone. Several measures show confidence soared for consumers, small business owners, and homebuilders following Donald Trump’s election in November. That said, there’s been a wide mismatch between the confidence reported in these surveys – which economists sometimes refer to as “soft data” – and the hard numbers on the economy.

Take for example a preliminary report released by the government on Friday morning, which shows the U.S. economy slowed in the first three months of 2017. The culprit? A sharp slowdown in consumer spending. Other metrics show new home construction, manufacturing, and retail sales have also stalled recently.

If workers are so confident in their jobs and the economy, it begs the question: Why aren’t they spending more? If the hard data don’t soon match up with survey data, confidence is likely to fall too.

About the Author
By Annalyn Kurtz
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Finance

It’s now cheaper to buy a new home than a used one, thanks to builder incentives and baby boomers who don’t want to sell on the low
Real Estatehomebuying
It’s now cheaper to buy a new home than a used one, thanks to builder incentives and baby boomers who don’t want to sell on the low
By Catherina GioinoJuly 15, 2026
48 minutes ago
nyc
North AmericaEconomics
Mamdani’s $50 World Cup jersey stunt proves some of the oldest criticisms of socialism correct: ‘The odds are extremely stacked against you’
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 15, 2026
2 hours ago
U.S. reimposes naval blockade as strikes intensify and Iran threatens to stop all Mideast energy exports
EnergyIran
U.S. reimposes naval blockade as strikes intensify and Iran threatens to stop all Mideast energy exports
By The Associated Press and Jon GambrellJuly 15, 2026
2 hours ago
FedEx CEO says we are in the middle of the biggest supply chain shift he’s seen in 35 years: ‘We are the referendum’
C-SuiteFortune 500: Titans and Disruptors of Industry
FedEx CEO says we are in the middle of the biggest supply chain shift he’s seen in 35 years: ‘We are the referendum’
By Fortune EditorsJuly 15, 2026
3 hours ago
sb
Commentarynational debt
The national debt is over 100% of GDP and most of Congress is ignoring wishes to rein it in. It’s time to amend the Constitution
By Steve H. Hanke and David M. WalkerJuly 15, 2026
3 hours ago
Cantor Fitzgerald eyes blockchain-based IPO shares in new tie-up with Securitize
CryptoCantor Fitzgerald
Cantor Fitzgerald eyes blockchain-based IPO shares in new tie-up with Securitize
By Jeff John RobertsJuly 15, 2026
4 hours ago

Most Popular

MacKenzie Scott, Melinda French Gates, and Lauren Sánchez Bezos are rewriting the rules of billionaire giving—one quietly, one strategically, one very publicly
Newsletters
MacKenzie Scott, Melinda French Gates, and Lauren Sánchez Bezos are rewriting the rules of billionaire giving—one quietly, one strategically, one very publicly
By Sydney LakeJuly 14, 2026
1 day ago
After donating $48 billion to the Gates Foundation, Warren Buffett is quietly ending one of the biggest philanthropic relationships in history
North America
After donating $48 billion to the Gates Foundation, Warren Buffett is quietly ending one of the biggest philanthropic relationships in history
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 14, 2026
24 hours ago
Current price of gold as of July 14, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of gold as of July 14, 2026
By Danny BakstJuly 14, 2026
1 day ago
'He found their weakness. It might have been sex. It might be power': Warren Buffett stunned by Epstein pull as he snubs Gates Foundation
Banking
'He found their weakness. It might have been sex. It might be power': Warren Buffett stunned by Epstein pull as he snubs Gates Foundation
By Josh Funk and The Associated PressJuly 14, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of silver as of Tuesday, July 14, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Tuesday, July 14, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 14, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of July 14, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 14, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 14, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.