Fra BLS.GOV
The unemployment rate edged down to 3.5 percent in September, returning to its July level.
The number of unemployed persons edged down to 5.8 million in September. (See table A-1.)
Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rate for Hispanics decreased to 3.8 percent
in September. The jobless rates for adult men (3.3 percent), adult women (3.1 percent),
teenagers (11.4 percent), Whites (3.1 percent), Blacks (5.8 percent), and Asians (2.5
percent) showed little change over the month. (See tables A-1, A-2, and A-3.)
Among the unemployed, the number of permanent job losers decreased by 173,000 to 1.2
million in September. The number of persons on temporary layoff changed little at 758,000.
(See table A-11.)
The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) was little changed
at 1.1 million in September. The long-term unemployed accounted for 18.5 percent of all
unemployed persons. (See table A-12.)
The labor force participation rate was little changed at 62.3 percent in September, and the
employment-population ratio was unchanged at 60.1 percent. Both measures are 1.1 percentage
points below their values in February 2020, prior to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
(See table A-1.)
The number of persons employed part time for economic reasons decreased by 306,000 to 3.8
million in September. These individuals, who would have preferred full-time employment,
were working part time because their hours had been reduced or they were unable to find
full-time jobs. (See table A-8.)
The number of persons not in the labor force who currently want a job was little changed at
5.8 million in September and remains above its February 2020 level of 5.0 million. These
individuals were not counted as unemployed because they were not actively looking for work
during the 4 weeks preceding the survey or were unavailable to take a job. (See table A-1.)
Among those not in the labor force who wanted a job, the number of persons marginally
attached to the labor force was little changed in September at 1.6 million. These
individuals wanted and were available for work and had looked for a job sometime in the
prior 12 months but had not looked for work in the 4 weeks preceding the survey. The number
of discouraged workers, a subset of the marginally attached who believed that no jobs were
available for them, increased by 119,000 to 485,000 in September. (See Summary table A.)
Household Survey Supplemental Data
In September, 5.2 percent of employed persons teleworked because of the coronavirus
pandemic, down from 6.5 percent in the prior month. In May 2020, the first month these data
were collected, 35.4 percent of employed persons teleworked because of the coronavirus
pandemic. These data refer to employed persons who teleworked or worked at home for pay at
some point in the 4 weeks preceding the survey specifically because of the pandemic.
In September, 1.4 million persons reported they had been unable to work because their
employer closed or lost business due to the pandemic--that is, they did not work at all
or worked fewer hours at some point in the 4 weeks preceding the survey due to the
pandemic. This measure is down from 1.9 million in the previous month and from 49.8 million
in May 2020. Among those who reported in September that they were unable to work because of
pandemic-related closures or lost business, 21.4 percent received at least some pay from
their employer for the hours not worked, essentially the same as in August.
Among those not in the labor force in September, 452,000 persons were prevented from looking
for work due to the pandemic, little changed from the prior month. In May 2020, 9.7 million
persons were prevented from looking for work due to the pandemic. (To be counted as
unemployed, by definition, individuals must be either actively looking for work or on
temporary layoff.)
These supplemental data come from questions added to the household survey from May 2020
through September 2022 to help gauge the effects of the pandemic on the labor market. The
data are not seasonally adjusted. Tables with estimates from the supplemental questions for
all months are available online at
www.bls.gov/cps/effects-of-the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic.htm. For information about the
new supplemental questions being introduced in October 2022, see the box note at the end of
this news release.
Establishment Survey Data
Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 263,000 in September. Monthly job growth has
averaged 420,000 thus far in 2022, compared with 562,000 per month in 2021. In September,
notable job gains occurred in leisure and hospitality and in health care. (See table B-1.)
Leisure and hospitality added 83,000 jobs in September, in line with the average monthly
job gain over the first 8 months of the year. Within the industry, employment in food
services and drinking places rose by 60,000 in September. Employment in leisure and
hospitality is below its pre-pandemic February 2020 level by 1.1 million, or 6.7 percent.
In September, employment in health care rose by 60,000 and has returned to its February 2020
level. Over the month, ambulatory health care services and hospitals each added 28,000 jobs.
Employment in professional and business services continued its upward trend in September
(+46,000). Thus far in 2022, job growth in the industry has averaged 72,000 per month.
Employment in temporary help services continued to trend up (+27,000) in September. Job gains
occurred in investigation and security services (+9,000) and in scientific research and
development services (+5,000). Job losses occurred in business support services (-12,000),
legal services (-5,000), and advertising and related services (-5,000).
Manufacturing employment continued to trend up in September (+22,000). Job gains occurred in
motor vehicles and parts (+8,000), fabricated metal products (+6,000), and electrical
equipment and appliances (+3,000). Printing and related support activities lost 4,000 jobs
over the month. Manufacturing has added an average of 36,000 jobs per month thus far in 2022.
In September, employment in construction continued to trend up (+19,000), in line with
average monthly job growth in the first 8 months of this year. Specialty trade contractors
added 18,000 jobs in September.
Employment in wholesale trade continued its upward trend in September (+11,000). Wholesale
trade has added an average of 18,000 jobs per month thus far in 2022.
In September, employment in financial activities changed little (-8,000), as declines in
insurance carriers and related activities (-9,000) and nondepository credit intermediation
(-7,000) were partially offset by a job gain in depository credit intermediation (+5,000).
Employment in transportation and warehousing was little changed in September (-8,000). A
loss of 11,000 jobs in truck transportation was partially offset by a gain of 3,000 jobs in
air transportation.
Employment showed little change over the month in other major industries, including mining,
retail trade, information, other services, and government.
In September, average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls rose by
10 cents, or 0.3 percent, to $32.46. Over the past 12 months, average hourly earnings have
increased by 5.0 percent. In September, average hourly earnings of private-sector production
and nonsupervisory employees rose by 10 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $27.77. (See tables B-3
and B-8.)
In September, the average workweek for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls was 34.5
hours for the fourth month in a row. In manufacturing, the average workweek for all
employees was unchanged at 40.3 hours, and overtime held at 3.2 hours. The average workweek
for production and nonsupervisory employees on private nonfarm payrolls increased by 0.1
hour to 34.0 hours. (See tables B-2 and B-7.)
The change in total nonfarm payroll employment for July was revised up by 11,000, from
+526,000 to +537,000, and the change for August remained at +315,000. After revision,
employment gains in July and August combined were 11,000 higher than previously reported.
(Monthly revisions result from additional reports received from businesses and government
agencies since the last published estimates and from the recalculation of seasonal
factors.)
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The Employment Situation for October is scheduled to be released on Friday,
November 4, 2022, at 8:30 a.m. (ET).