Looks like unemployment continues to increase. I think it will be a slow process and the road to recovery will start with getting TRUE unemployment figures well below 10%. Currently with 20% out of work, it puts about 30 million Americans that are out of work. This Gallup survey is based on a sample size of 20,000 US adults between Jan1 - 31 so I think the sample size is somewhat small. However, I would see this figure as accurate from personal observation.
The poll comes at a time when voter anger over the slow economic recovery is running high and President Barack Obama's hopes of boosting employment through government programs have been frustrated by partisan rancor in Congress.
Gallup found that underemployed Americans were more likely to have a favorable view of Obama, with 55 percent approving of his performance as president against 49 percent of the public.
The poll's estimate of U.S. underemployment is higher than official statistics. The Labor Department says 16.5 percent of American workers were without employment or worked part-time for economic reasons in January against Gallup's 19.9 percent.
A Labor Department official said the government rate may be lower because it factors out temporary seasonal changes in employment to better reflect the underlying economy.
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