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U.S. unemployment rate returns to pre-pandemic level

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Photo Credit: Kaesler Media

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports Friday that the unemployment rate in the United States is down to 3.5 percent.

The employment payroll rose by 528,000 to 5.7 million in July 2022 as job growth included leisure and hospitality, professional and business services, and health care.

Total employment and the employment rate returned to pre-pandemic levels in July.

Unemployment for adult women decreased in July to 3.1 percent and to 3.1 for white Americans. Adult men hold a 3.2 percent unemployment rate. The rate for Black Americans is 6 percent.

The trend for permanent job loss continued down in July 2022 to 1.2 million.

Americans currently not working but wanting employment are 5.9 million, which is above the February 2020 level of 5 million. They are not considered unemployed because they are not looking for work.

In July, the BLS reports that 7.1 percent of employed Americans worked from home. Americans who were unable to work in July because their employer closed or lost business because of the COVID-19 pandemic are 2.2 million.

Rebecca Barnabi

Rebecca Barnabi

Rebecca J. Barnabi is the national editor of Augusta Free Press. A graduate of the University of Mary Washington, she began her journalism career at The Fredericksburg Free-Lance Star. In 2013, she was awarded first place for feature writing in the Maryland, Delaware, District of Columbia Awards Program, and was honored by the Virginia School Boards Association’s 2019 Media Honor Roll Program for her coverage of Waynesboro Schools. Her background in newspapers includes writing about features, local government, education and the arts.