Washington, Apr 22 (IANS): As the unemployment rate continues to rise sharply in the wake of the novel coronavirus, a record-high 25 per cent of employed adults in the US think they are likely to lose their jobs in the next year, a Gallup poll said on Wednesday.

With the spread of COVID-19 causing massive disruptions to businesses, more than 20 million US workers have filed for unemployment benefits, and many more have been furloughed by their employers -- meaning they continue to receive benefits, though not pay.

For this survey, Gallup counted workers who said they were furloughed as employed.

These abrupt changes in the economy have led people in the US to be more fearful about losing their own job, as well as shaken their confidence in the US economy and the job market more generally.

Only about 12 per cent employed Americans predict that they would last a year or longer before experiencing significant hardship if they were to lose their jobs, the results showed.

Three-quarters said they would last less than a year, including 13 per cent who could go only one week, 28 per cent up to one month, and 34 per cent no more than four months.

Results for this Gallup poll are based on telephone interviews conducted between April 1-14, with a random sample of 540 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia who are employed full or part time.