U.S. employers cut 23,000 jobs in June, marking a sharp reversal in the labor market, the Labor Department reported Friday. Revisions also showed 103,000 fewer jobs in May and June combined.
The unemployment rate declined to 4.1%, the lowest since June 2025, but this was attributed to 264,000 Americans leaving the labor force. The labor force participation rate dropped to 61.4%, the lowest since February 2021, according to the department.
Job losses were concentrated in public schools, which cut 50,000 jobs in July, along with restaurants and bars (26,000) and retailers (19,000). Despite the decline, some sectors showed growth. The Trump administration noted increases in manufacturing and construction jobs, citing gains of 22,000 and 5,000, respectively.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
