Hiring in the United States fell far below predictions from the nation’s top economists in September, with companies adding less than 200,000 positions — significantly less than the 500,000 anticipated by industry insiders.
“The unemployment rate dipped slightly to 4.8%, the Department of Labor said Friday, but the latest hiring data comes after dismal job growth seen in August as well. Some 366,000 jobs were added in August, according to revised data released on Friday, and over a million jobs were added in July,” reports ABC News.
“The more-contagious delta variant's impact on the recovery is likely reflected in the disappointing figures, as the labor market still finds itself at the mercy of the virus that saw new spikes earlier in the month when the employment data was collected. The unemployment rate still remains elevated compared to the pre-pandemic 3.5% seen in February 2020,” adds the outlet.
President Biden addressed the stagnating economy while touting his Build Back Better Plan. He claimed vaccine mandates are more important than “mass firings.”
"When you see headlines and reports of mass firings, and hundreds of people losing their jobs, look at the bigger story. ... United went from 59% of their employees [vaccinated] to 99%,” said the President.
