A new poll of employers has prompted fears of further job cuts, with just two-thirds of companies planning to maintain their current staffing levels.

The research, carried out by Harris Interactive for USA Today and CareerBuilder.com, shows that one in ten employers expect to cut staff during the final quarter of the year.

The third quarter saw 14 per cent of employers make job cuts, putting further financial pressure on many families already struggling with debt, USA Today reports.

According to figures from the Labor Department, employers have reduced their staffing levels for each of the last eight months through to August.

Friday October 3rd will see the release of official government data on the jobs market.

Meanwhile, a separate poll conducted by USA Today revealed that 33 per cent of US citizens believe the economy is in a period of depression, while just three per cent think it is growing.

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