WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that just 142,000 jobs were added in August. Also, June and July employment growth was revised down by 89,000 jobs combined. The unemployment rate ticked down by 0.1% to 4.2% from 4.3%. The number of unemployed persons remained virtually the same at 7.1 million. The labor force participation rate held at 62.7% (still below pre-pandemic levels).
For women:
- The unemployment rate for adult women fell slightly to 3.7% from 3.8%.
- The unemployment rate held at 5.5% for black women but fell to 5% from 5.4% for Hispanic women.
- Women’s labor force participation rose 0.3% to 57.8%.
Patrice Onwuka, director of the Center for Economic Opportunity (CEO) at Independent Women’s Forum, issued the following statement:
“Today’s jobs report is a sign that the hot labor market has cooled off. Women are receiving a clear signal of weakness in the overall economy and a lack of capable leadership in Washington to turn things around.
“Jobs growth missed expectations and is likely even lower than the 142,000 reported, as future revisions will expose. About 90,000 fewer jobs were created in June and July according to last month’s revisions. Alarmingly, nearly a million fewer jobs (818,000 jobs) were created last year than were previously reported after the federal government revised estimates downward. This doesn’t inspire trust—either in the data reported or the leadership of the federal government.
“The Biden-Harris administration is weak on jobs growth, weak on economic growth, and weak on dealing with the affordability crisis. Bidenomics is responsible for driving inflation to 9.1% and keeping prices high by pushing excessive, reckless spending bills onto a recovering economy that just needed to be left alone. Meanwhile, Biden-Harris labor policies make it harder for Americans to make ends meet through side hustles and gigs or work in flexible opportunities while they balance caregiving. If in charge, Vice President Harris would take more from workers’ paychecks through her promised tax hikes.
“Americans need economic relief from 20% price hikes on goods and 50% price hikes on gas during 3.5 years of Bidenomics. They can’t afford to continue under this pro-inflation, anti-growth agenda. It’s time for a change.”
Read the stories of women and men who stand to lose flexible opportunities HERE.