BLS: September Payrolls Rise Just 29K as Employer Hiring Caution Deepens
HR Dive · United States · Oct 2, 2026
The September 2026 jobs report showed nonfarm payrolls rising by only 29,000 — well below expectations — while unemployment edged up to 4.2%, with July and August figures also revised downward. Economists from ZipRecruiter and Glassdoor attributed the slowdown to elevated Treasury yields and a Fed rate hike that are constraining employer borrowing and expansion plans. ManpowerGroup's North America president noted employers are becoming more selective, preferring to leave roles open rather than make a poor hire. For staffing firms, the data signals continued client-side hesitancy and longer fill cycles, particularly for high-demand roles.
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