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 rose sharply for black women 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 contrast, the unemployment rate for white women increased slightly to 3.4%, compared with 3.3% in October.
“The gains have been 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 reached 6%, but the unemployment rate for white men held steady at 3.5%.
Linz added: “This is the broader picture of a cooling labor market that is still relatively strong by recent historical standards but less able to provide for the more marginalized jobs we are seeing in the immediate aftermath of the pandemic. People bring gains.” He also highlighted this month’s volatile monthly data.
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.
