According to the new study conducted by Harris Interactive for Glassdoor.com, an online career site that posts salaries and workplace reviews, now more workers in the U.S. are concerned about possible layoffs as compared to the end of 2008. The survey found that 26% of the polled now fear being fired within the nearest six months. In a similar study at the end of the previous year 21% of respondents expressed such concerns.

The report shows that 35% believe that conditions in their companies will improve in the following six months, 51% said it would not change and 14% think it will get worse.

The study reports that the most optimistic workers were aged at 45 to 54 and 42% of them think their company's outlook will improve in the next six months. Among the most pessimistic were 55 years old with 18% of them believing their company’s outlook will worsen.

Many workers expressed their will to have their salaries cut or forfeit vacation time in favor of not losing their jobs. 40% now say they would take a cut in pay against 30% at the end of 2008. 30% say they would forfeit time off, compared with 24% in the previous study.

Still the survey also found that 36% of workers believe they will have a raise in the next year. Those who earn over $75,000 a year are most likely to expect a pay increase with 44% of them believing that. Least likely to expect a raise were those making less than $35,000 with 49% of them saying they do not expect any boost.