Unemployment Rate Surges For Black Workers, Especially Women

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December 6, 2024

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*Job seekers talk with potential employers during a job fair at the Wyandanch Community Resource Center, on September 30, 2022. | Source: Newsday LLC / Getty*

In a troubling sign that one prominent economist called a “serious cause for concern,” the Black unemployment rate in November surged to its highest level in eight months, with Black women workers in particular bearing the brunt of the joblessness.

Meanwhile, there was no change for white workers, while the unemployment rate for Asian workers actually fell, albeit by a small percentage, according to the data released Friday morning by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The overall Black unemployment rate rose by 7 percentage points, going from 5.7% in both September and October to 6.4% in November.

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