The U.S. economy gained 187,000 jobs in August, and the unemployment rate rose slightly to 3.8%, according to figures released Friday morning by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This strong jobs report shows the continued success of President Biden's policies.
August’s biggest job gains were in health care (+71,000), leisure and hospitality (+40,000), social assistance (+26,000), construction (+22,000) and professional and business services (+19,000). Employment declined in transportation and warehousing (–34,000) and information (–15,000). Employment showed little change over the month in other major industries, including mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction; manufacturing; wholesale trade; retail trade; financial activities; other services and government.
Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rate rose for adult men (3.7%), White Americans (3.4%) and Asian Americans (3.1%) in August. The jobless rates for teenagers (12.2%), Black Americans (5.3%), Hispanics (4.9%) and adult women (3.2%) showed little change over the month.
The number of long-term unemployed workers (those jobless for 27 weeks or longer) edged up in August and accounted for 20.3% of the total number of people unemployed.