The Labor Department also noted that adjusted payroll employment for August increased about 300,000. Striking workers are not counted among the unemployed, but they also are not counted for payroll employment. Actual payroll employment fell 411,000 between July and August, but an adjustment for the increased number of strikers shows that about 300,000 persons were added to payrolls. This pause in declining unemployment rates comes on the heels of an unusually large drop in July. A downward trend over several months, combined with the increase in payroll employment, point to a steadily improving jobs picture.
Economic news continues to be encouraging.