Gallup's Job Creation Index in the black

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PRINCETON, N.J., Sept. 5 (UPI) -- Research firm Gallup said Wednesday the past six months have provided U.S. workers with the best economic conditions since the near global recession.

Gallup said its Job Creation Index reached 19 in August, up from 17 in July.

The index has included readings above 20 in June and April and stayed within a narrow range since March, Gallup said.

"More broadly, the past six months reflect the best U.S. job market conditions workers have reported since the global economic collapse," Gallup said Wednesday.

The Job Creation Index is found by finding the difference between workers who say their employer is hiring and workers who say their employer is reducing the size of their payrolls.

In August, local government and state government workers put the civil service Job Creation Index at three, "marking their first return to positive territory since the global economic collapse," Gallup said.

The Midwest posted the highest Job Creation Index score among U.S. regions, putting up a score of 23. In the South, the Job Creation Index came to 20. Meanwhile, "the East and West continue to struggle with lower Job Creation Index scores and no positive traction in August," Gallup said.

Gallup said the latest Job Creation Index scores are based on 17,603 interviews. It can be said with 95 percent certainty that the results of the survey include a margin of error of 1 percentage points.

The interviews for the latest report were conducted throughout the month of August.