U.S. adds 165,000 jobs in October as involuntary part-time work rises

U.S. employers added 165,000 payroll jobs in October, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported November 6. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.1%, compared with 4.2% in September. BLS described that movement as little change.

Professional and business services added 70,000 jobs, health care added 42,000 and transportation and warehousing added 25,000. Payroll gains averaged 48,000 a month over the preceding year.

Revisions raised August’s gain to 186,000 and September’s to 60,000. Together, the two months added 84,000 more jobs than previously estimated. Payroll estimates can change as additional employer reports arrive.

In the separate household survey, people working part time because of reduced hours or difficulty finding full-time jobs increased by 339,000 to 4.8 million. That measure highlights a constraint on workers’ hours alongside stronger hiring.

Average private-sector hourly pay increased 0.4% in October and 3.1% over the year. Those figures measure nominal earnings. Payroll and unemployment estimates come from different surveys with different definitions.

Editorial Opinion

The stronger payroll gain deserves attention, as does the increase in people seeking more hours. Employers and policymakers should watch whether October’s hiring continues and whether it brings fuller schedules for workers who want them. One month leaves both questions open.

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