Employees in the U.S. are starting off the new year on a positive note, according to two recent employee confidence indexes. The Randstad Employee Confidence Index increased 3.7 points in December to 55.4 points, the highest level of optimism recorded over the last 12 months. The index measures employee insights on jobs, the economy and…

More U.S. companies will hire contract workers in 2013, according to a recent study by CareerBuilder. The job searching website found 40 percent of employers plan to hire temporary workers in 2013, up from 36 percent last year. CareerBuilder's "2013 U.S. Job Forecast" surveyed more than 2,600 hiring managers and HR administration professionals and nearly…