WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that 209,000 jobs were added in June, falling far short of expectations. The unemployment rate fell to 3.6% (seasonally adjusted) from 3.7%, and unemployed persons remained virtually unchanged at 6 million. The labor force participation held steady at 62.6%. 

For women:

  • The unemployment rate for adult women fell to 3.1%.
  • The unemployment rate rose again to 5.4% from 5.3% for adult black women and jumped to 4.1% from 3.4% for Hispanic women.
  • Women’s labor force participation fell marginally to 58.6%, still below its pre-pandemic level.

Patrice Onwuka, director of the Center for Economic Opportunity (CEO) at Independent Women’s Forum, issued the following statement:

“This disappointing job report is Bidenomics at work. Not only did the number of jobs miss expectations significantly, but the economy actually added a whopping 110,000 fewer jobs over the past two months. There goes the ‘strong jobs market’ narrative that the Biden administration has hung its hat on. 

“President Biden keeps touting a debunked claim of creating 13.4 million new jobs. He misleadingly takes credit for jobs returning to the economy after pandemic shutdowns as ‘new.’ His record of creating actual new opportunities is far worse-–and less than his immediate predecessor. Let’s see if Biden claims credit for slowing job growth. If this is Bidenomics at work, no wonder one wants it.

“This economy needs flexible opportunities that meet the varied needs of workers, especially women. That’s why men and women are opting for independent freelance work.  Yet, from his full-throated support for the job-killing Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO) Act to proposed ill-advised Department of Labor (DOL) restrictions on independent contracting to his pro-union DOL secretary nominee Julie Su, the President demonstrates he would sacrifice economic opportunity for freelancers, entrepreneurs, and small businesses on the altar of union power and influence.”

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Independent Women’s Forum is dedicated to developing and advancing policies that aren’t just well intended but actually enhance people’s freedom, choices, and opportunities.

Independent Women’s Forum’s Center for Economic Opportunity (CEO) aims to educate the public about how government policies impact people’s opportunities for economic development and upward mobility.