U.S. Job Growth Slowed in November

NATIONAL REPORT—The U.S. economy added 155,000 jobs in November, and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.7%—for the third month in a row, according to a report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Job gains occurred in healthcare, in manufacturing, and in transportation and warehousing.

The number of unemployed persons was little changed at 6 million. Over the year, the unemployment rate and the number of unemployed persons declined by 0.4 percentage point and 641,000, respectively.

Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rates for adult men (3.3%), adult women (3.4 percent), teenagers (12%), Whites (3.4%), Blacks (5.9%), Asians (2.7%), and Hispanics (4.5%) showed little or no change in November.

The number of long-term unemployed—Those jobless for 27 weeks or more—declined by 120,000 to 1.3 million in November. These individuals accounted for 20.8% of the unemployed.

Both the labor force participation rate, at 62.9%, and the employment-population ratio, at 60.6%, were unchanged in November.

The number of persons employed part time for economic reasons—sometimes referred to as involuntary part-time workers—at 4.8 million, changed little in November. These individuals, who would have preferred full-time employment, were working part time because their hours had been reduced or they were unable to find full-time jobs.