Jobs and Employment Report

Heritage analysis of the monthly unemployment report and the current labor market conditions

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  • Issue Brief posted May 4, 2012 by Rea Hederman, Jr., James Sherk Heritage Employment Report: Jobs Do Not Bloom in April

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the economy added 115,000 jobs in April and the unemployment rate declined to 8.1 percent from 8.2 percent. However, further declines in the percentage of Americans in the labor force explain this slightly lower unemployment rate. Indeed, the labor force participation rate dipped…

  • Issue Brief posted March 9, 2012 by Rea Hederman, Jr., James Sherk Heritage Employment Report: February Shows Good News

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported that businesses and governments increased payrolls by 227,000 jobs in February and that the unemployment rate remained at 8.3 percent. The unemployment rate remained flat even as the labor market increased by 476,000 potential workers. Job creation was robust enough that the labor…

  • Backgrounder posted January 6, 2009 by James Sherk Rising Unemployment: Caused by Less New Job Creation, Not by More Layoffs

    The American labor market is remarkably dynamic, even during a downturn. Each month, millions of new jobs are created as entrepreneurs start new companies and existing firms hire new workers. Each month, millions of jobs also disappear as uncompetitive firms go out of business and existing companies let workers go. The diverging futures of Detroit,…

  • WebMemo posted September 2, 2011 by Rea Hederman, Jr., James Sherk Heritage Employment Report: This Labor Day, No New Jobs, High Unemployment

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that in August, United States employers added no net new jobs, and the unemployment rate stayed the same at 9.1 percent. Overall, the private sector added 17,000 jobs, but that was totally offset by declines in public-sector employment. This troubling report also contains…

  • Issue Brief posted April 6, 2012 by Rea Hederman, Jr. Heritage Employment Report: March Report Mixed, on Balance Disappointing

    The labor market made some gains in March, although the 120,000 new jobs were well below expectations of 200,000-plus. The Bureau of Labor Statistics also announced that the unemployment rate ticked down another tenth to 8.2 from 8.3 percent, largely due to rounding. Even this modest improvement in the unemployment…

  • WebMemo posted January 6, 2012 by Rea Hederman, Jr., James Sherk Heritage Employment Report: December's Cheer for the Labor Market

    In December, the labor market continued its improvement by adding 200,000 jobs, and the unemployment rate fell again to 8.5 percent, the lowest level since February 2009. The annual year-end revisions to the unemployment rate confirm the gradual but significant improvement in the labor market since the end of summer.…

  • Commentary posted September 2, 2011 by Elaine Chao Another Jobless Labor Day For America

    This is the third consecutive Labor Day marked by widespread duress and dismay in the American workforce.  The nation's official 9.1% unemployment rate, still alarmingly high over two years after the recession officially ended, would be even higher if millions had not effectively dropped out of the…

  • WebMemo posted August 6, 2010 by Rea Hederman, Jr., James Sherk Heritage Employment Report: July Jobs Scarce

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that, during July, the unemployment rate was unchanged at 9.5 percent and 131,000 job opportunities were lost. However, private sector employment increased by 71,000, and most of the lost government jobs were temporary positions associated with the decennial census. It…

  • WebMemo posted February 4, 2011 by Rea Hederman, Jr., James Sherk Heritage Employment Report: January Report Shows Some Thawing

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that, according to the household survey in January, the unemployment rate fell from 9.4 percent to 9 percent, the lowest level since April 2009. The payroll survey—which measures job growth, hours worked, and wages—reported that only 36,000 new jobs were created. …

  • WebMemo posted June 3, 2011 by Rea Hederman, Jr., James Sherk Heritage Employment Report: May Jobs Report Is Troubling

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) employment report for the month of May is depressing. The unemployment rate climbed to 9.1 percent as the economy created only 54,000 new jobs. Even worse, the details of the employment report reveal a labor market that is stalling with few glimmers of optimism.…

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  • Issue Brief posted May 4, 2012 by Rea Hederman, Jr., James Sherk Heritage Employment Report: Jobs Do Not Bloom in April

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the economy added 115,000 jobs in April and the unemployment rate declined to 8.1 percent from 8.2 percent. However, further declines in the percentage of Americans in the labor force explain this slightly lower unemployment rate. Indeed, the labor force participation rate dipped…

  • Issue Brief posted April 6, 2012 by Rea Hederman, Jr. Heritage Employment Report: March Report Mixed, on Balance Disappointing

    The labor market made some gains in March, although the 120,000 new jobs were well below expectations of 200,000-plus. The Bureau of Labor Statistics also announced that the unemployment rate ticked down another tenth to 8.2 from 8.3 percent, largely due to rounding. Even this modest improvement in the unemployment…

  • Issue Brief posted March 9, 2012 by Rea Hederman, Jr., James Sherk Heritage Employment Report: February Shows Good News

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported that businesses and governments increased payrolls by 227,000 jobs in February and that the unemployment rate remained at 8.3 percent. The unemployment rate remained flat even as the labor market increased by 476,000 potential workers. Job creation was robust enough that the labor…

  • WebMemo posted February 3, 2012 by Rea Hederman, Jr., James Sherk Heritage Employment Report: January Jobs

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that in January, the economy added 243,000 jobs—108,000 more than the consensus forecast of 135,000. As a result, the unemployment rate fell from 8.5 percent to 8.3 percent, the lowest level since February 2009. For the last three months, job creation has averaged 201,000…

  • WebMemo posted January 6, 2012 by Rea Hederman, Jr., James Sherk Heritage Employment Report: December's Cheer for the Labor Market

    In December, the labor market continued its improvement by adding 200,000 jobs, and the unemployment rate fell again to 8.5 percent, the lowest level since February 2009. The annual year-end revisions to the unemployment rate confirm the gradual but significant improvement in the labor market since the end of summer.…

  • WebMemo posted December 2, 2011 by Rea Hederman, Jr., James Sherk Heritage Employment Report: November Jobs Not Quite a Feast

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the number of jobs grew in November by 120,000 and that the unemployment rate fell to 8.6 percent, the lowest level since March 2009. The sharp drop in the unemployment rate was a result of solid job growth in the household survey and…

  • WebMemo posted November 4, 2011 by Rea Hederman, Jr., James Sherk Heritage Employment Report: October Jobs Numbers Slowly Rise

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the U.S. economy created 80,000 total jobs in October, and the unemployment rate had a slight decline to 9 percent. The private sector added 104,000 jobs, while government jobs fell by 24,000. The labor market is adding jobs and holding steady but not…

  • WebMemo posted October 7, 2011 by James Sherk Sluggish September for Job Creation

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ September employment report finds a stalled labor market. The unemployment rate remained flat at 9.1 percent. After accounting for the end of the Verizon strike, private-sector employers created a net 92,000 new jobs. While government employment fell by 34,000 jobs, government employees continue to enjoy…

  • WebMemo posted September 2, 2011 by Rea Hederman, Jr., James Sherk Heritage Employment Report: This Labor Day, No New Jobs, High Unemployment

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that in August, United States employers added no net new jobs, and the unemployment rate stayed the same at 9.1 percent. Overall, the private sector added 17,000 jobs, but that was totally offset by declines in public-sector employment. This troubling report also contains…

  • WebMemo posted August 5, 2011 by Rea Hederman, Jr., James Sherk Heritage Employment Report: July Jobs Grow Slightly

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics announced this morning that the U.S. economy added 117,000 jobs in July and that the unemployment rate fell from 9.2 to 9.1 percent, due in large part to people leaving the labor force. While the report indicates that the economy is still weak, it is…

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