Overall economy
Note: Gallup numbers are from a survey conducted July 1–23, 2020, of 1,007 adults.
Note: Countries shown are the 10 with the most respondents.
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Employment
Covid-19
Coronavirus concerns dampen chemists’ economic outlook
ACS survey shows members are more concerned about the overall economy than the chemical enterprise, but hardships are already hitting younger respondents and those of color
by Andrea Widener
September 28, 2020
| A version of this story appeared in
Volume 98, Issue 37
Credit: Shutterstock/C&EN
ACS members during COVID-19
As part of its annual salary survey, the American Chemical Society asked its members how they are faring during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results, collected between May 28 and July 15, 2020, show that members are more optimistic about the fate of the chemical enterprise than they are about the overall economy. But some ACS members are already feeling the impacts in the form of lower income and temporary or permanent layoffs. Part-time employees, postdocs, young scientists, and Black and Latino chemists are feeling the greatest effects.
The Chemical enterprise
Note: Countries shown are the 10 with the most respondents.
Personal impacts
Part-time employees have been more affected than full-time employees
| Full time | Part time | Postdoc | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seen a loss of income | 16% | 40% | 8% |
| Had your hours reduced | 10% | 39% | 30% |
| Been temporarily laid off | 2% | 11% | 4% |
| Been permanently let go | 1% | 6% | 3% |
| Key: | 0-10% | 11-20% | 21-30% | 31-40% |
Younger respondents have been more affected than older ones
| <25 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-54 | ≥55 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seen a loss of income | 32% | 13% | 19% | 17% | 18% |
| Had your hours reduced | 38% | 18% | 9% | 7% | 7% |
| Been temporarily laid off | 13% | 3% | 2% | 1% | 2% |
| Been permanently let go | 9% | 2% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| Key: | 0-10% | 11-20% | 21-30% | 31-40% |
Black respondents have been more affected than people of other races or ethnicities
| White | Black/ African American |
Asian | Other | Hispanic/ Latino |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seen a loss of income | 18% | 31% | 20% | 26% | 24% |
| Had your hours reduced | 12% | 28% | 18% | 23% | 21% |
| Been temporarily laid off | 2% | 9% | 5% | 7% | 8% |
| Been permanently let go | 2% | 6% | 3% | 3% | 3% |
| Key: | 0-10% | 11-20% | 21-30% | 31-40% |
Note: Respondents could choose more than one race and could additionally denote their Hispanic/Latino identity in response to a separate question.
Younger respondents and all respondents of color are also more concerned about losing their jobs in the next 12 months
Note: Respondents could choose more than one race and could additionally denote their Hispanic/Latino identity in response to a separate question.
But part-time employees, postdocs, and temporary employees are more likely to seek a change than full-time employees
| Full time | Part time | Postdoc | Temporary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apply to a new job | 14% | 23% | 28% | 24% |
| Apply for an additional job | 8% | 23% | 19% | 20% |
| Seek a higher salary in your current position | 8% | 14% | 12% | 13% |
| Seek a higher title or promotion | 9% | 11% | 16% | 14% |
| Key: | 0-10% | 11-20% | 21-30% | 31-40% |
Young respondents and respondents of color are also more likely to seek a change
| <25 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-54 | ≥55 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apply to a new job | 26% | 23% | 18% | 13% | 8% |
| Apply for an additional job | 27% | 14% | 10% | 7% | 5% |
| Seek a higher salary in your current position | 15% | 14% | 9% | 6% | 3% |
| Seek a higher title or promotion | 13% | 15% | 10% | 9% | 4% |
| White | Black/ African American |
Asian | Other | Hispanic/ Latino |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apply to a new job | 15% | 37% | 22% | 26% | 26% |
| Apply for an additional job | 9% | 35% | 16% | 21% | 17% |
| Seek a higher salary in your current position | 7% | 24% | 16% | 19% | 20% |
| Seek a higher title or promotion | 8% | 21% | 16% | 19% | 18% |
| Key: | 0-10% | 11-20% | 21-30% | 31-40% |
Note: Respondents could choose more than one race and could additionally denote their Hispanic/Latino identity in response to a separate question.
Who took the survey?
These are the US ACS members who took the 2020 survey
Note: Numbers do not add to 100% because respondents could choose more than one race and could additionally denote their Hispanic/Latino identity in response to a separate question.
Only a small fraction identified themselves as disabled
4%
OVERALL ECONOMY
Most US respondents think that overall economic conditions in the country are getting worse
US residents overall are less pessimistic than ACS members in the US when you compare this survey to a Gallup poll
Note: Gallup numbers are from a survey conducted July 1–23, 2020, of 1,007 adults.
Members in Brazil and Spain were most concerned about the economy in their countries
THE CHEMICAL ENTERPRISE
US respondents are not as concerned about the economics of the chemical enterprise as they are about the economy overall
That is also true for international members
PERSONAL IMPACTS
Most US respondents have not yet experienced direct employment impacts from the pandemic
And most don’t anticipate losing their jobs in the next 12 months
Younger respondents have been more affected than older ones
Black respondents have been more affected than people of other races or ethnicities
Note: Numbers do not add to 100% because respondents could choose more than one race and could additionally denote their Hispanic/Latino identity in response to a separate question.
Note: Most numbers are based on a survey conducted between May 28 and July 15, 2020, of 5,850 US ACS members. International responses to the same survey are presented for the 10 countries with the most responses, which were Brazil, 39; Canada, 107; France, 25; Germany, 39; India, 193; Italy, 29; Japan, 79; Nigeria, 29; Spain, 33; and the UK, 53. Some numbers have been rounded so that percentages equal 100%.
Chemical & Engineering News
ISSN 0009-2347
Copyright © 2025 American Chemical Society
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