National jobs report

September jobs report shines light on the labor market

The September jobs reports showed that an unexpected 119,000 jobs were added during that month. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate rose to 4.4%.

This comes as a surprise: Experts predicted 50,000 jobs being added in September and the unemployment rate holding at 4.3%.

This is the first report released since the federal government shutdown began on October 1. The break left many employers and economists in the dark about the current state of the labor market, so while this data is six weeks delayed, this month’s numbers are still providing much needed insights as 2025 nears its close.

In addition, the latest report revised jobs numbers for both July (to +72,000, down from +79,000) and August (to -4,000, down from +22,000).

Additional findings

• September marks the highest unemployment rate since October 2021
• The labor force participation rate slightly changed to 62.4%
• Healthcare (+43,000) and leisure and hospitality (+47,000) industries remained strong this fall
• The manufacturing (-6,000) and professional and business services (-20,000) industries reported significant job losses
• Average hourly earnings rose 0.2%
• A recent report found that hiring plans were at their lowest since 2009
• The next jobs report is scheduled to be released on December 16

Navigating uncertainty

With the end of the government shutdown, the BLS is back in the analytics business, but the disruption will impact its process for collecting that data for October and November.

With so much changing so quickly, the need for the jobs report remains critical for smart decision-making.

At Adecco, the BLS is just one of the 3rd party data sources and market tools we utilize. By tapping into these resources, we’re able to provide a wide and accurate picture of today’s current landscape and an understanding of what we’ll be facing ahead.

Learn more about our approach to analytics – and contact us today to learn more.