Spherion Corp. (SFN:NYSE)

Antonio Palou is temping, but not complaining. He'd love a more permanent job, but he knows plenty of other information technology professionals who have been out of work for a year or more. With Florida's job figures, which were released Friday, the highest since 1975, such temp jobs are a life raft for many workers.

The California Employee Confidence Index dropped by three points to 42.9 in October, according to the latest Spherion® Employment Report. Results from the California Employment Report: -- More workers believe the economy is getting weaker.

The Texas Employee Confidence Index increased 0.7 points to 51.3 in October, according to the latest Spherion® Employment Report. Results from the Texas Employment Report: -- Fewer workers believe the economy is getting stronger, with only 21 percent reporting that they believe so.

The Florida Employee Confidence Index increased 2.6 points to 47.1 in October, according to the latest Spherion® Employment Report. Results from the Florida Employment Report: -- More workers believe the economy is getting stronger. "The economic downturn has proven to be quite the game-changer for many industries and businesses.

The Ohio Employee Confidence Index decreased by 1.5 points to 47 in October, according to the latest Spherion® Employment Report. Results from the Ohio Employment Report: -- Eight percent of workers believe that more jobs are available, a decrease of three percentage points from September.

The New York Employee Confidence Index decreased 3.5 points to 46.9 in October, according to the latest Spherion® Employment Report. Results from the New York Employment Report: -- Nineteen percent of workers believe the economy is getting stronger, a decrease of six percentage points from September.

Businesses seeking seasonal help have a wealth of applicants to choose from this year, but some say that doesn't always increase the pool of qualified applicants. The California Wine Club in Camarillo hires seasonal workers throughout the year and had four positions to fill for eight to 12 weeks this holiday season, said Jonathan Boring, director of sales and marketing.

The latest federal job numbers reflect the good, the bad and the downright ugly. The ugly: The October unemployment rate jumped to 10.2 percent, the highest in 26 years. The bad: The economy is still losing jobs, with a 190,000 loss for October. The good: The losses have been narrowing since January.

The Spherion Employee Confidence Index decreased by one point to 48.4 in October. "Our latest Employee Confidence Index suggests that workers remained concerned about the economy and job market as a whole," said Roy Krause, President and CEO of Spherion Corporation.

Spherion Corporation today announced its recruitment process outsourcing division, SourceRight Solutions, will offer an expanded suite of sourcing offerings to its customers.