Job Market Snapshot
Labor force
Participation rose 0.2 point to 61.6% and the employment population ratio rose 0.2 point to 59.1%. Broader underemployment (U-6) fell 0.2 point to 7.7%. The labor force grew by 683,000 and household employment by 569,000. People working part time for economic reasons fell by 414,000 to 4.4 million. Teen unemployment rose to 14.1%, while the Asian unemployment rate fell to 3.2%.
Where employment moved
Food services and drinking places added 59,000, well above its 12-month average of +12,000. Local government education added 42,000, mostly reversing July's drop. Construction added 22,000, manufacturing 16,000 (up 58,000 since a December 2025 low), and health care 13,000, slower than its recent +32,000 monthly average. Information lost 23,000.
Hours and revisions
The average workweek edged up to 34.4 hours. July was revised from −23,000 to +21,000 and June from +20,000 to +31,000, making the two-month total 55,000 higher than previously reported.
What is next
Private payrolls rose about 127,000 and government about 35,000, a clear rebound from the weak July print. The next report, covering September, is scheduled for Friday, October 2 at 8:30 a.m. ET.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2026 Employment Situation report, released September 4, 2026. Full details: bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm.