Job seekers speak with a recruiter at the Albany Job Fair on October 2, 2024 in Latham, New York.
Angus Mordant | Bloomberg | Getty Images
The unemployment rate for black women rose sharply in November.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on Friday, the overall unemployment rate rose slightly to 4.2% last month from 4.1% in October. However, some groups experienced larger increases in unemployment compared to others.
Black women recorded the most significant increase: the unemployment rate rose from 4.9% to 6%. By comparison, the unemployment rate for white women rose slightly to 3.4%, compared to 3.3% in October.
“The increase among black women was more pronounced than among white women,” said Kevin Rinz, senior fellow and research advisor at the Washington Center for Equitable Growth.
Black workers as a group also saw the highest unemployment rate last month, rising from 5.7% to 6.4%. The unemployment rate for black men was 6%, but for white men it remained stable at 3.5%.
“This is a broader picture of a gradually cooling labor market that is still relatively strong by historical standards but less able to deliver the gains for more marginalized workers that we saw in the immediate aftermath of the pandemic,” Rinz added while emphasizing the volatility in this month-to-month data.
The overall labor force participation rate – a measure of the population that is employed or looking for work – fell slightly to 62.5%. For black women, the number fell to 62.3% in November, compared to 62.6% the previous month. The rate fell to 68.7% last month, compared to 69.3% for black men.
Other demographic groups that also saw an increase in unemployment last month include Hispanic men. The unemployment rate rose to 4.4% in November, compared to 4% in October.
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