Job seekers talk to recruiters at the Albany job fair in Latham, New York, U.S., Wednesday, October 2, 2024.
Angus Mordants | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Unemployment rates for black women jumped sharply in November.
Data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on Friday showed that the overall unemployment rate rose slightly last month to 4.2% from 4.1% in October. But some groups have seen unemployment rise more dramatically than others.
Black women experienced the most significant increase in unemployment, from 4.9% to 6%. In comparison, the unemployment rate among white women rose slightly to 3.4%, compared with 3.3% in October.
“Growth is more pronounced for black women than for white women,” said Kevin Rinz, senior fellow and research consultant at the Center for Equitable Growth in Washington.
Black workers also had the highest unemployment rate last month, jumping from 5.7% to 6.4%. The unemployment rate for black men is 6%, but the unemployment rate for white men is stable at 3.5%.
Linz added: “This is the broader picture of a cooling labor market that remains relatively strong by recent historical standards but is less able to provide for the more marginalized jobs we are seeing in the immediate aftermath of the pandemic. People bring benefits.
The overall labor force participation rate, a measure of people who are employed or looking for work, fell slightly to 62.5%. For black women, the number fell to 62.3% in November, compared with 62.6% the previous month. Last month, that number dropped to 68.7%, lower than the 69.3% among black men.
Other demographic groups that also saw unemployment rates rise last month include Hispanic men. The unemployment rate climbed to 4.4% in November from 4% in October.
