Overheard @: Workers hunkering down for long recession

A new survey of 1,002 Americans by Econ4U shows how Americans are responding to the financial crisis. And although respondents appear to be saving more, the overall outlook is pretty cloudy.

* 76% expect the recession to last for at least another year.
* 64% have less than six months of savings in case they lose their job. 39% have two months or less.
* 64% know someone who has lost their job in the past six months.
* 40% have begun saving more because of concerns about the economy.
* 19% have experienced trouble accessing credit in the past six months.
* 83% of survey respondents said they expected a tax refund this year. 31% were planning on spending the refund, 29% expected to put it into savings and 18% said they would use it to pay off existing credit card debt.

"When two-thirds of Americans do not have enough savings to pay their bills for six months if they lost their job, it is clear that the skills of budgeting and saving skills have become something of a lost art in this country,” says James Bowers, managing director for the Center for Economic and Entrepreneurial Literacy. "Increased adult education in economics and personal finance would address the concerns of many Americans and give them the tools to protect themselves during this economic downturn.”

Well, there you have it, pros. What is your company doing to make workers more financially savvy? Is it an employer's duty to provide such an education? Comment and let me know.

Also, read more from EBN and BenefitNews.com on financial education.