# Bureau of Labor Statistics — Federal Economic Data Agency

> The Bureau of Labor Statistics BLS is the principal federal agency for measuring labor market activity, working conditions, and price changes in the U.S. economy. Every month its...

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## Key Details
- Domain: Labor & Employment
- Category: Labor Statistics & Economic Data
- Page Type: topic
- USC Anchor: none
- Last Verified: unknown

## Content

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is the principal federal agency for measuring labor market activity, working conditions, and price changes in the U.S. economy. Every month its reports move financial markets, shape Federal Reserve policy, and determine how much Social Security recipients receive in cost-of-living adjustments. For ordinary workers and businesses, BLS data sets the backdrop for wage negotiations, hiring decisions, and inflation-indexed contracts.

## Current Law (2026)

| Parameter | Value |
|-----------|-------|
| Parent department | U.S. Department of Labor |
| Statutory basis | Bureau of Labor Statistics Act (1884), codified in Title 29 |
| Employees | ~2,500 federal staff |
| Annual budget (FY2026 request) | ~$720 million |
| CPS household sample (unemployment survey) | ~60,000 households monthly |
| CES establishment sample (payroll survey) | ~142,000 businesses and agencies |
| OEWS survey coverage | ~1.1 million establishments annually |
| JOLTS survey sample | ~21,000 business establishments |

## Legal Authority

- **29 U.S.C. § 1** — Establishes the Bureau of Labor, directs it to acquire and diffuse information about labor, means of promoting the material, social, intellectual, and moral prosperity of workers
- **29 U.S.C. §§ 1–9** — Organic authority for BLS, including the Commissioner's appointment and duties; later statutes (Census Bureau cooperation acts, Federal Reports Act) expanded data-sharing authority
- **44 U.S.C. § 3501 et seq.** — Paperwork Reduction Act governs BLS survey clearance through OMB; required for all data collections
- **44 U.S.C. § 3510** — Statistical agency independence protections; prohibits disclosure of individually identifiable survey data
- **OMB Statistical Policy Directive No. 1** — Governs pre-release access rules; news media and Congress may not receive data before official release time
- **Executive Order 12866** — Exempts BLS statistical activities from standard regulatory review; reinforces independence of data releases

## How It Works

BLS runs more than a dozen ongoing surveys covering different facets of the labor market. The two headline numbers released on the first Friday of each month — the unemployment rate and nonfarm payroll jobs — actually come from separate surveys and can tell slightly different stories. The unemployment rate comes from the Current Population Survey (CPS), a monthly interview of about 60,000 households conducted by the Census Bureau on BLS's behalf. The payroll count comes from the Current Employment Statistics (CES) program, which surveys roughly 142,000 businesses. Because the household survey counts people and the establishment survey counts jobs, the figures can diverge when, for example, self-employment surges or workers hold multiple jobs.

Inflation measurement works through the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which tracks price changes for a representative "basket" of goods and services purchased by urban consumers. BLS price collectors visit or call tens of thousands of retail locations monthly to record actual prices. The CPI-U (all urban consumers) is the most widely cited and governs Social Security cost-of-living adjustments, federal income tax bracket indexing, and Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) payments. The CPI-W (urban wage earners and clerical workers) is a narrower variant used specifically for Social Security COLAs. A companion index, the Chained CPI (C-CPI-U), uses updated spending weights and generally grows more slowly than the standard CPI — making it attractive to policymakers seeking to reduce spending on indexed programs.

The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program surveys 1.1 million establishments annually to produce wage estimates for over 800 occupations. These estimates are legally required inputs for several federal programs: the Department of Labor uses them to set prevailing wage levels for H-1B visas, the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division consults them for Davis-Bacon wage determinations, and courts accept OEWS data as evidence in wage discrimination cases. BLS also maintains the American Time Use Survey (ATUS), the only federal source measuring how Americans spend time — including unpaid caregiving work, which has been central to debates over valuing domestic labor and calculating the true cost of caregiver shortages.

## Key Numbers / Programs

- **U-3 rate**: The official unemployment rate — people actively seeking work as a share of the labor force; does not count discouraged or underemployed workers
- **U-6 rate**: The broadest unemployment measure — adds marginally attached workers and those working part-time for economic reasons; typically runs 3–5 percentage points above U-3
- **JOLTS quits rate**: The share of employed workers who voluntarily quit in a given month; peaked above 3% in 2021–2022 ("Great Resignation"); a high quits rate signals worker confidence and labor market tightness
- **Producer Price Index (PPI)**: Measures prices received by domestic producers; released ~2 weeks before CPI and serves as a leading indicator for consumer inflation
- **Employment Cost Index (ECI)**: Quarterly measure of wage and benefit costs; Fed watches this closely for signs of wage-price spirals
- **CPI-W COLA threshold**: Social Security COLAs are calculated using Q3 CPI-W averages; a 1-percentage-point error in CPI affects roughly $10 billion in annual Social Security outlays
- **Pre-release embargo**: BLS releases are locked until 8:30 a.m. ET; staff under lock-up cannot communicate until that moment; violation is a federal offense

## How It Affects You

**If you receive Social Security or SSI benefits**: Your annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is calculated directly from BLS's CPI-W data — specifically the third-quarter average from July, August, and September. A 1-percentage-point difference in measured inflation translates to roughly $10 billion in annual Social Security outlays across all recipients. If CPI-W declines year-over-year, there is no COLA for that year (benefit amounts cannot decrease under current law). The COLA announcement for the following year is made each October — watch the Q3 CPI-W numbers released by BLS in September to estimate it before the official announcement.

**If you're negotiating a salary, lease, or commercial contract**: CPI data is embedded in more contracts than most people realize. Commercial real estate leases routinely include CPI escalators — your rent increases with measured inflation. Union contracts in construction, manufacturing, and public sector often tie wage increases to BLS's Employment Cost Index or CPI. If you're negotiating a multi-year contract, the CPI measure specified in the escalator clause matters — CPI-U (all urban consumers), CPI-W (urban wage earners), or a specific product category — since they can diverge meaningfully in any given year.

**If you're an employer with federal contracts or H-1B workers**: Federal construction contracts trigger Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements, which are set using BLS wage data for the relevant geographic area and occupation. H-1B visa sponsorship requires paying at least the BLS OEWS prevailing wage for the position and location — the Department of Labor certifies labor condition applications using these numbers. If BLS's OEWS wage data for your occupation or location shifts in the annual survey, your required H-1B prevailing wage changes. HR and compliance teams should review the annual OEWS release (published each spring) for positions where you sponsor foreign workers.

**If you're a market participant or investor**: The Employment Situation report (released the first Friday of each month) and CPI report (released mid-month) are the two highest-impact BLS releases for financial markets — both are capable of moving equity, bond, and currency markets within seconds of the 8:30 a.m. release. The pre-release lock-up system ensures no one gets early access, but violations would be federal crimes. The U-6 unemployment rate (which includes underemployed and discouraged workers) and the JOLTS quits rate provide leading indicators of labor market tightness that often move before the headline U-3 rate.

## Pending Legislation

- **S 2298** (Sen. Padilla, D-CA) — Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act of 2025: creates a federal heat-safety standard requiring employers to protect outdoor and indoor workers from heat illness with water, rest, shade, training, and OSHA-style enforcement — using BLS injury and illness data as a key evidence base. Status: Introduced.
- **HR 7804** — BLS Act: would require the Bureau of Labor Statistics to collate and publish monthly labor and unemployment data online with detailed demographic breakdowns by race, sex, and geography — mandating more granular public reporting than current BLS practice. Status: Introduced.
- **BLS independence**: Multiple bills have been introduced to codify operational independence for federal statistical agencies — prohibiting political interference with data collection methodologies, pre-release access, or publication decisions. Proposals include fixed statutory terms for the BLS Commissioner. Status: Introduced.

## Recent Developments

The independence of BLS has come under scrutiny since 2025. The Trump administration's broader effort to restructure federal statistical agencies led to proposals to relocate or consolidate BLS functions within other executive branch offices. Congress, the American Statistical Association, and former BLS commissioners pushed back, noting that political interference in inflation and employment data would undermine the Fed's ability to set monetary policy and destroy trust in data that underpins trillions of dollars in indexed contracts. The BLS Commissioner position — which does not carry a fixed statutory term — became a point of contention as the administration sought to install political leadership more aligned with its economic messaging.

Budget pressures in FY2026 threatened specific BLS programs. The American Time Use Survey faced proposed elimination, as did components of the International Labor Comparisons program. Data quality advocates warned that cuts to the CES and CPS sample sizes would widen confidence intervals on headline numbers, making it harder for policymakers to distinguish real labor market shifts from statistical noise. The BLS also continued expanding its experimental price indexes using alternative data sources — including scanner data from retailers and web-scraped prices — which may eventually supplement or replace parts of the traditional field-collected CPI.

The BLS Employment Cost Index (ECI) for December 2025, released February 10, 2026, showed civilian worker compensation costs rising 0.7 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis for the three months ending December 2025, and 3.4 percent over the full year. Wages and salaries increased 3.3 percent year-over-year while benefit costs rose 3.4 percent; inflation-adjusted wages and salaries for private industry workers increased 0.7 percent over the year. Union workers in private industry saw compensation grow 4.0 percent over the year compared with 3.3 percent for non-union workers, with union wage and salary gains of 4.3 percent outpacing the 3.3 percent recorded for non-union workers. [(BLS, Feb. 10, 2026)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/eci_02102026.htm)

The BLS Employment Cost Index (ECI) for September 2025, released December 10, 2025, showed civilian worker compensation costs rising 0.8 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis for the three months ending September 2025, and 3.5 percent over the full year. Wages and salaries and benefit costs each increased 3.5 percent year-over-year for civilian workers, while inflation-adjusted wages and salaries for private industry workers rose 0.6 percent over the year. Union workers in private industry saw compensation grow 4.5 percent over the year compared with 3.5 percent for non-union workers. The release was delayed more than five weeks from its originally scheduled date due to a lapse in federal appropriations that interrupted data collection. [(BLS, Dec. 10, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/eci_12102025.htm)

The BLS Employment Cost Index (ECI) for June 2025, released July 31, 2025, showed civilian worker compensation costs rising 0.9 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis for the three months ending June 2025, and 3.6 percent over the full year. Wages and salaries increased 3.6 percent and benefit costs rose 3.5 percent year-over-year for civilian workers, while inflation-adjusted wages and salaries for private industry workers increased 0.8 percent over the year. Union workers in private industry saw compensation grow 4.3 percent over the year compared with 3.4 percent for non-union workers, with union wage and salary gains of 4.6 percent outpacing the 3.5 percent recorded for non-union workers. State and local government worker compensation rose 4.0 percent over the year, down from 4.9 percent in June 2024. [(BLS, Jul. 31, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/eci_07312025.htm)

The BLS Employment Cost Index (ECI) for March 2025, released April 30, 2025, showed civilian worker compensation costs rising 0.9 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis for the three months ending March 2025, and 3.6 percent over the full year — down from 4.2 percent in March 2024. Wages and salaries increased 3.5 percent year-over-year while benefit costs rose 3.8 percent; inflation-adjusted wages and salaries for private industry workers increased 1.0 percent over the year. Union workers in private industry saw compensation grow 4.6 percent over the year compared with 3.3 percent for non-union workers, with union wage and salary gains of 4.5 percent outpacing the 3.2 percent recorded for non-union workers. State and local government worker compensation rose 4.3 percent over the year, down from 4.8 percent in March 2024. [(BLS, Apr. 30, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/eci_04302025.htm)

The BLS Employment Cost Index (ECI) for December 2024, released January 31, 2025, showed civilian worker compensation costs rising 0.9 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis for the three months ending December 2024, and 3.8 percent over the full year — down from 4.2 percent in December 2023. Wages and salaries increased 3.8 percent year-over-year while benefit costs rose 3.6 percent; inflation-adjusted wages and salaries for private industry workers increased 0.8 percent over the year. Union workers in private industry saw compensation grow 5.1 percent over the year compared with 3.4 percent for non-union workers, with union wage and salary gains of 5.5 percent outpacing the 3.5 percent recorded for non-union workers. State and local government worker compensation rose 4.7 percent over the year. [(BLS, Jan. 31, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/eci_01312025.htm)

The BLS Employment Cost Index (ECI) for September 2024, released October 31, 2024, showed civilian worker compensation costs rising 0.8 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis for the three months ending September 2024, and 3.9 percent over the full year — down from 4.3 percent in September 2023. Wages and salaries and benefit costs each increased 3.9 percent and 3.7 percent year-over-year respectively for civilian workers, while inflation-adjusted wages and salaries for private industry workers rose 1.2 percent over the year. Union workers in private industry saw compensation grow 5.8 percent over the year compared with 3.4 percent for non-union workers, with union wage and salary gains of 6.4 percent outpacing the 3.6 percent recorded for non-union workers. State and local government worker compensation rose 4.7 percent over the year, matching the 4.8 percent recorded in September 2023. [(BLS, Oct. 31, 2024)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/eci_10312024.htm)

The BLS Employment Cost Index (ECI) for June 2024, released July 31, 2024, showed civilian worker compensation costs rising 0.9 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis for the three months ending June 2024, and 4.1 percent over the full year — down from 4.5 percent in June 2023. Wages and salaries increased 4.2 percent and benefit costs rose 3.8 percent year-over-year for civilian workers, while inflation-adjusted wages and salaries for private industry workers increased 1.1 percent over the year. Union workers in private industry saw compensation grow 6.0 percent over the year compared with 3.6 percent for non-union workers, with union wage and salary gains of 6.5 percent outpacing the 3.8 percent recorded for non-union workers. State and local government worker compensation rose 4.9 percent over the year, matching the 4.9 percent recorded in June 2023. [(BLS, Jul. 31, 2024)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/eci_07312024.htm)

The BLS Employment Cost Index (ECI) for March 2024, released April 30, 2024, showed civilian worker compensation costs rising 1.2 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis for the three months ending March 2024, and 4.2 percent over the full year — down from 4.8 percent in March 2023. Wages and salaries increased 4.4 percent year-over-year while benefit costs rose 3.7 percent; inflation-adjusted wages and salaries for private industry workers increased 0.8 percent over the year. Union workers in private industry saw compensation grow 5.3 percent over the year compared with 3.9 percent for non-union workers, with union wage and salary gains of 6.3 percent outpacing the 4.1 percent recorded for non-union workers. State and local government worker compensation rose 4.8 percent over the year, compared with 4.9 percent in March 2023. [(BLS, Apr. 30, 2024)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/eci_04302024.htm)

The BLS Employment Cost Index (ECI) for December 2023, released January 31, 2024, showed civilian worker compensation costs rising 0.9 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis for the three months ending December 2023, and 4.2 percent over the full year — down from 5.1 percent in December 2022. Wages and salaries increased 4.3 percent year-over-year while benefit costs rose 3.8 percent; inflation-adjusted compensation costs for private industry workers increased 0.7 percent over the year. Union workers in private industry saw compensation grow 4.5 percent over the year compared with 4.0 percent for non-union workers, with union wage and salary gains of 5.4 percent outpacing the 4.2 percent recorded for non-union workers. State and local government worker compensation rose 4.6 percent over the year, down from 4.8 percent in December 2022. [(BLS, Jan. 31, 2024)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/eci_01312024.htm)

The BLS Employment Cost Index (ECI) for September 2023, released October 31, 2023, showed civilian worker compensation costs rising 1.1 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis for the three months ending September 2023, and 4.3 percent over the full year — down from 5.0 percent in September 2022. Wages and salaries increased 4.6 percent year-over-year while benefit costs rose 4.1 percent; inflation-adjusted wages and salaries for private industry workers increased 0.8 percent over the year. State and local government worker compensation rose 4.8 percent over the year, up from 4.6 percent in September 2022. [(BLS, Oct. 31, 2023)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/eci_10312023.htm)

The BLS Employment Cost Index (ECI) for June 2023, released July 28, 2023, showed civilian worker compensation costs rising 1.0 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis for the three months ending June 2023, and 4.5 percent over the full year. Wages and salaries increased 4.6 percent year-over-year while benefit costs rose 4.2 percent. [(BLS, Jul. 28, 2023)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/eci_07282023.htm)

The BLS Employment Cost Index (ECI) for March 2023, released April 28, 2023, showed civilian worker compensation costs rising 1.2 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis for the three months ending March 2023, and 4.8 percent over the full year. Wages and salaries increased 5.0 percent year-over-year while benefit costs rose 4.5 percent. [(BLS, Apr. 28, 2023)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/eci_04282023.htm)

The BLS Employment Situation report for March 2026, released April 3, 2026, showed total nonfarm payroll employment increasing by 178,000, following a revised decline of 133,000 in February. The unemployment rate held little changed at 4.3 percent, with 7.2 million unemployed people. Job gains were concentrated in health care (+76,000, partly reflecting the return of workers from a physician-office strike), construction (+26,000), and transportation and warehousing (+21,000), while federal government employment continued to fall, declining by 18,000 and bringing total federal employment down by 355,000 (11.8 percent) since its October 2024 peak. Average hourly earnings for private-sector employees rose 3.5 percent over the year to $37.38. [(BLS, Apr. 3, 2026)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/empsit_04032026.htm)

The BLS Employment Situation report for February 2026, released March 6, 2026, showed total nonfarm payroll employment edging down by 92,000, following a revised increase of 126,000 in January. The unemployment rate held little changed at 4.4 percent, with 7.6 million unemployed people. Health care lost 28,000 jobs in February, primarily due to strike activity at physicians' offices (-37,000), while federal government employment continued to decline (-10,000), bringing total federal employment down by 330,000 (11.0 percent) since its October 2024 peak. Average hourly earnings for private-sector employees rose 3.8 percent over the year to $37.32. [(BLS, Mar. 6, 2026)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/empsit_03062026.htm)

The BLS Employment Situation report for January 2026, released February 11, 2026, showed total nonfarm payroll employment increasing by 130,000, with job gains concentrated in health care (+82,000), social assistance (+42,000), and construction (+33,000), while federal government employment declined by 34,000, bringing total federal employment down by 327,000 (10.9 percent) since its October 2024 peak. The unemployment rate held little changed at 4.3 percent, with 7.4 million unemployed people. Average hourly earnings for private-sector employees rose 3.7 percent over the year to $37.17. The release also incorporated the annual benchmark revision, which revised total nonfarm employment for March 2025 downward by 898,000 and reduced the net job gain for all of 2025 from 584,000 to 181,000. [(BLS, Feb. 11, 2026)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/empsit_02112026.htm)

The BLS Employment Situation report for December 2025, released January 9, 2026, showed total nonfarm payroll employment increasing by just 50,000, with job gains concentrated in food services and drinking places (+27,000), health care (+21,000), and social assistance (+17,000), while retail trade lost 25,000 jobs. The unemployment rate held little changed at 4.4 percent, with 7.5 million unemployed people, and average hourly earnings for private-sector employees rose 3.8 percent over the year to $37.02. Federal government employment was little changed in December (+2,000), but remained down 277,000 (9.2 percent) since its January 2025 peak. The release also noted that household survey data were not collected for October 2025 due to a federal government shutdown, making fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 household estimates not strictly comparable with prior years. [(BLS, Jan. 9, 2026)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/empsit_01092026.htm)

The BLS Employment Situation report for November 2025, released December 16, 2025, showed total nonfarm payroll employment increasing by 64,000, with little net change since April; the unemployment rate held at 4.6 percent, with 7.8 million unemployed people. Job gains occurred in health care (+46,000), construction (+28,000), and social assistance (+18,000), while transportation and warehousing lost 18,000 jobs and federal government employment declined by 6,000, bringing total federal employment down 271,000 since its January 2025 peak. Average hourly earnings for private-sector employees rose 3.5 percent over the year to $36.86. The release was delayed more than a week due to a lapse in federal appropriations that disrupted data collection, and household survey data for October 2025 were not collected, making comparisons with prior periods not strictly comparable. [(BLS, Dec. 16, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/empsit_12162025.htm)

The BLS Employment Situation report for September 2025, released November 20, 2025, showed total nonfarm payroll employment increasing by 119,000, with little net change since April; the unemployment rate held at 4.4 percent, with 7.6 million unemployed people. Job gains occurred in health care (+43,000), food services and drinking places (+37,000), and social assistance (+14,000), while transportation and warehousing lost 25,000 jobs and federal government employment declined by 3,000, bringing total federal employment down 97,000 since its January 2025 peak. Average hourly earnings for private-sector employees rose 3.8 percent over the year to $36.67. The release was delayed more than six weeks from its normal schedule due to a lapse in federal appropriations, and BLS announced it would not publish a separate October 2025 Employment Situation release, with October establishment data to be incorporated into the November release. [(BLS, Nov. 20, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/empsit_11202025.htm)

The BLS Employment Situation report for August 2025, released September 5, 2025, showed total nonfarm payroll employment increasing by just 22,000, with the unemployment rate holding little changed at 4.3 percent. Job gains in health care were partially offset by losses in federal government employment and in mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction. [(BLS, Sep. 5, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/empsit_09052025.htm)

The BLS Employment Situation report for July 2025, released August 1, 2025, showed total nonfarm payroll employment increasing by 73,000, with little net change since April; the unemployment rate held little changed at 4.2 percent. Job gains continued in health care and social assistance, while federal government employment continued to decline. [(BLS, Aug. 1, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/empsit_08012025.htm)

The BLS Employment Situation report for June 2025, released July 3, 2025, showed total nonfarm payroll employment increasing by 147,000, with the unemployment rate little changed at 4.1 percent. Job gains were concentrated in state government and health care, while federal government employment continued to decline. [(BLS, Jul. 3, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/empsit_07032025.htm)

The BLS Employment Situation report for May 2025, released June 6, 2025, showed total nonfarm payroll employment increasing by 139,000, with the unemployment rate unchanged at 4.2 percent. Job gains were concentrated in health care, leisure and hospitality, and social assistance, while federal government employment continued to decline. [(BLS, Jun. 6, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/empsit_06062025.htm)

The BLS Employment Situation report for April 2025, released May 2, 2025, showed total nonfarm payroll employment increasing by 177,000, with the unemployment rate unchanged at 4.2 percent. Job gains were concentrated in health care, transportation and warehousing, financial activities, and social assistance, while federal government employment continued to decline. [(BLS, May 2, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/empsit_05022025.htm)

The BLS Employment Situation report for March 2025, released April 4, 2025, showed total nonfarm payroll employment increasing by 228,000, with the unemployment rate little changed at 4.2 percent. Job gains were concentrated in health care, social assistance, and transportation and warehousing, while federal government employment continued to decline. [(BLS, Apr. 4, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/empsit_04042025.htm)

The BLS Real Earnings report for February 2026, released March 11, 2026, showed real average hourly earnings for all employees increasing 0.2 percent from January to February on a seasonally adjusted basis, reflecting a 0.4 percent rise in nominal average hourly earnings combined with a 0.3 percent increase in the CPI-U. Over the year from February 2025 to February 2026, real average hourly earnings rose 1.4 percent, while real average weekly earnings increased 1.7 percent, boosted by a 0.3 percent expansion in the average workweek. For production and nonsupervisory employees, real average hourly earnings were unchanged over the month but also rose 1.4 percent year-over-year, with real average weekly earnings up 2.0 percent annually. [(BLS, Mar. 11, 2026)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/realer_03112026.htm)

The BLS Real Earnings report for January 2026, released February 13, 2026, showed real average hourly earnings for all employees increasing 0.3 percent from December to January on a seasonally adjusted basis, reflecting a 0.4 percent rise in nominal average hourly earnings combined with a 0.2 percent increase in the CPI-U. Real average weekly earnings rose 0.5 percent over the month, boosted by a 0.3 percent expansion in the average workweek. Over the year from January 2025 to January 2026, real average hourly earnings increased 1.2 percent, while real average weekly earnings rose 1.9 percent; for production and nonsupervisory employees, the corresponding year-over-year gains were 1.5 percent and 2.2 percent respectively. The release also incorporated revised seasonal adjustment factors and new employment benchmarks affecting hours and earnings data from January 2021 through December 2025. [(BLS, Feb. 13, 2026)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/realer_02132026.htm)

The BLS Real Earnings report for December 2025, released January 13, 2026, showed real average hourly earnings for all employees unchanged from November to December on a seasonally adjusted basis, as a 0.3 percent rise in nominal average hourly earnings was offset by a 0.3 percent increase in the CPI-U. Real average weekly earnings decreased 0.3 percent over the month, reflecting no change in real hourly earnings combined with a 0.3 percent contraction in the average workweek. Over the year from December 2024 to December 2025, real average hourly earnings increased 1.1 percent, with real average weekly earnings also up 1.1 percent; for production and nonsupervisory employees, the corresponding year-over-year gains were 0.9 percent and 1.0 percent respectively. October 2025 data remained unavailable due to the lapse in federal appropriations. [(BLS, Jan. 13, 2026)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/realer_01132026.htm)

The BLS Real Earnings report for November 2025, released December 18, 2025, showed real average hourly earnings for all employees increasing 0.8 percent from November 2024 to November 2025, seasonally adjusted, reflecting a 3.5 percent rise in nominal average hourly earnings combined with a 2.7 percent increase in the CPI-U. Real average weekly earnings also rose 0.8 percent over the year, with no change in the average workweek. For production and nonsupervisory employees, real average hourly earnings increased 1.1 percent year-over-year, driven by a 3.9 percent gain in nominal earnings against a 2.7 percent rise in the CPI-W, while real average weekly earnings rose 1.4 percent annually. October 2025 data remained unavailable due to the lapse in federal appropriations that prevented CPI data collection for that reference period. [(BLS, Dec. 18, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/realer_12182025.htm)

The BLS Real Earnings report for September 2025, released November 21, 2025, showed real average hourly earnings for all employees unchanged from August to September on a seasonally adjusted basis, as a 0.2 percent rise in nominal average hourly earnings was offset by a 0.3 percent increase in the CPI-U. Real average weekly earnings decreased 0.1 percent over the month, reflecting no change in real hourly earnings combined with no change in the average workweek. Over the year from September 2024 to September 2025, real average hourly earnings increased 0.8 percent, with real average weekly earnings up 0.7 percent. For production and nonsupervisory employees, real average hourly earnings decreased 0.1 percent over the month but rose 0.8 percent year-over-year, with real average weekly earnings up 0.8 percent annually. [(BLS, Nov. 21, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/realer_11212025.htm)

The BLS Real Earnings report for August 2025, released September 11, 2025, showed real average hourly earnings for all employees decreasing 0.1 percent from July to August on a seasonally adjusted basis, as a 0.3 percent rise in nominal average hourly earnings was more than offset by a 0.4 percent increase in the CPI-U. Real average weekly earnings also decreased 0.1 percent over the month. [(BLS, Sep. 11, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/realer_09112025.htm)

The BLS Real Earnings report for July 2025, released August 12, 2025, showed real average hourly earnings for all employees increasing 0.1 percent from June to July on a seasonally adjusted basis, as a 0.3 percent rise in nominal average hourly earnings outpaced a 0.2 percent increase in the CPI-U. Real average weekly earnings increased 0.4 percent over the month. [(BLS, Aug. 12, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/realer_08122025.htm)

The BLS Real Earnings report for June 2025, released July 15, 2025, showed real average hourly earnings for all employees decreasing 0.1 percent from May to June on a seasonally adjusted basis, as a 0.2 percent rise in nominal average hourly earnings was more than offset by a 0.3 percent increase in the CPI-U. Real average weekly earnings decreased 0.4 percent over the month. [(BLS, Jul. 15, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/realer_07152025.htm)

The BLS Real Earnings report for May 2025, released June 11, 2025, showed real average hourly earnings for all employees increasing 0.3 percent from April to May on a seasonally adjusted basis, as a 0.4 percent rise in nominal average hourly earnings outpaced a 0.1 percent increase in the CPI-U. Real average weekly earnings also increased 0.3 percent over the month. [(BLS, Jun. 11, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/realer_06112025.htm)

The BLS Real Earnings report for April 2025, released May 13, 2025, showed real average hourly earnings for all employees unchanged from March to April on a seasonally adjusted basis, as a 0.2 percent rise in nominal average hourly earnings was offset by a 0.2 percent increase in the CPI-U. Real average weekly earnings decreased 0.1 percent over the month. [(BLS, May 13, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/realer_05132025.htm)

The BLS Real Earnings report for March 2025, released April 10, 2025, showed real average hourly earnings for all employees increasing 0.3 percent from February to March on a seasonally adjusted basis, as a 0.3 percent rise in nominal average hourly earnings was reinforced by a 0.1 percent decrease in the CPI-U. Real average weekly earnings also increased 0.3 percent over the month. [(BLS, Apr. 10, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/realer_04102025.htm)

The BLS Consumer Price Index report for February 2026, released March 11, 2026, showed the CPI-U rising 0.3 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis, after a 0.2 percent increase in January; over the 12 months ending February 2026, the all-items index rose 2.4 percent, unchanged from the January 12-month rate. Shelter was the largest contributor to the monthly increase, rising 0.2 percent, while food rose 0.4 percent and energy increased 0.6 percent; the index for all items less food and energy rose 0.2 percent. The CPI-W increased 2.2 percent over the 12 months ending February 2026, and the Chained CPI-U (C-CPI-U) also rose 2.2 percent over the same period. [(BLS, Mar. 11, 2026)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/cpi_03112026.htm)

The BLS Consumer Price Index report for January 2026, released February 13, 2026, showed the CPI-U rising 0.2 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis, with shelter the largest contributor to the monthly increase at 0.2 percent; food rose 0.2 percent while energy fell 1.5 percent. Over the 12 months ending January 2026, the all-items index rose 2.4 percent, down from 2.7 percent for the 12 months ending December 2025. The all items less food and energy index rose 0.3 percent for the month and 2.5 percent over the year. The CPI-W increased 2.2 percent over the 12 months ending January 2026, and the Chained CPI-U (C-CPI-U) also rose 2.2 percent over the same period. [(BLS, Feb. 13, 2026)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/cpi_02132026.htm)

The BLS Consumer Price Index report for December 2025, released January 13, 2026, showed the CPI-U rising 0.3 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis, with shelter the largest contributor to the monthly increase at 0.4 percent; food rose 0.7 percent and energy increased 0.3 percent, while the index for all items less food and energy rose 0.2 percent. Over the 12 months ending December 2025, the all-items index rose 2.7 percent, matching the 12-month rate for November 2025. The CPI-W increased 2.6 percent over the 12 months ending December 2025 to an index level of 317.014, and the Chained CPI-U (C-CPI-U) rose 2.5 percent over the same period. October 2025 data remained unavailable due to the lapse in federal appropriations. [(BLS, Jan. 13, 2026)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/cpi_01132026.htm)

The BLS Consumer Price Index report for November 2025, released December 18, 2025, showed the CPI-U rising 2.7 percent over the 12 months ending November 2025, down from 3.0 percent for the 12 months ending September 2025; BLS did not publish a separate October 2025 figure because data collection was suspended during the federal government shutdown and could not be retroactively collected. On a two-month seasonally adjusted basis (September to November), the all-items index rose 0.2 percent, with shelter up 0.2 percent, energy up 1.1 percent, and all items less food and energy up 0.2 percent. The CPI-W also increased 2.7 percent over the 12 months ending November 2025, reaching an index level of 317.414, while the Chained CPI-U (C-CPI-U) rose 2.6 percent over the same period. BLS also announced with this release that it had removed long-term care insurance from the health insurance index, citing market changes that rendered it out of scope for CPI pricing. [(BLS, Dec. 18, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/cpi_12182025.htm)

The BLS Consumer Price Index report for September 2025, released October 24, 2025, showed the CPI-U rising 0.3 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis, after a 0.4 percent increase in August; over the 12 months ending September 2025, the all-items index rose 3.0 percent, up from 2.9 percent for the 12 months ending August. Gasoline was the largest contributor to the monthly increase, rising 4.1 percent, while the index for all items less food and energy rose 0.2 percent. The CPI-W increased 2.9 percent over the 12 months ending September 2025 to an index level of 318.139, and the Chained CPI-U (C-CPI-U) also rose 2.9 percent over the same period. BLS noted that September data collection was completed before the lapse in appropriations, and announced that with the next release it would remove long-term care insurance from the health insurance index due to market changes rendering it out of scope. [(BLS, Oct. 24, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/cpi_10242025.htm)

The BLS Consumer Price Index report for August 2025, released September 11, 2025, showed the CPI-U rising 0.4 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis, with shelter and food the largest contributors to the monthly increase; over the 12 months ending August 2025, the all-items index rose 2.9 percent. The index for all items less food and energy increased 0.3 percent for the month and 3.1 percent over the year. [(BLS, Sep. 11, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/cpi_09112025.htm)

The BLS Consumer Price Index report for July 2025, released August 12, 2025, showed the CPI-U rising 0.2 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis, with shelter the largest contributor to the monthly increase; over the 12 months ending July 2025, the all-items index rose 2.7 percent. The index for all items less food and energy increased 0.3 percent for the month and 3.1 percent over the year. [(BLS, Aug. 12, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/cpi_08122025.htm)

The BLS Consumer Price Index report for June 2025, released July 15, 2025, showed the CPI-U rising 0.3 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis, with shelter the largest contributor to the monthly increase; over the 12 months ending June 2025, the all-items index rose 2.7 percent. The index for all items less food and energy increased 0.2 percent for the month and 2.9 percent over the year. [(BLS, Jul. 15, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/cpi_07152025.htm)

The BLS Consumer Price Index report for May 2025, released June 11, 2025, showed the CPI-U rising 0.1 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis, with shelter the largest contributor to the monthly increase; over the 12 months ending May 2025, the all-items index rose 2.4 percent. The index for all items less food and energy increased 0.1 percent for the month and 2.8 percent over the year. [(BLS, Jun. 11, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/cpi_06112025.htm)

The BLS Consumer Price Index report for April 2025, released May 13, 2025, showed the CPI-U rising 0.2 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis, with shelter the largest contributor to the monthly increase; over the 12 months ending April 2025, the all-items index rose 2.3 percent. The index for all items less food and energy increased 0.2 percent for the month and 2.8 percent over the year. [(BLS, May 13, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/cpi_05132025.htm)

The BLS Consumer Price Index report for March 2025, released April 10, 2025, showed the CPI-U falling 0.1 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis, the first monthly decline in recent reporting periods, driven primarily by a drop in gasoline prices; over the 12 months ending March 2025, the all-items index rose 2.4 percent. The index for all items less food and energy increased 0.1 percent for the month and 2.8 percent over the year. [(BLS, Apr. 10, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/cpi_04102025.htm)

The BLS Consumer Price Index report for February 2025, released March 12, 2025, showed the CPI-U rising 0.2 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis, with shelter up and gasoline declining on the month; over the 12 months ending February 2025, the all-items index rose 2.8 percent, not seasonally adjusted. The index for all items less food and energy increased 0.2 percent for the month and 3.1 percent over the year. [(BLS, Mar. 12, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/cpi_03122025.htm)

The BLS U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes report for February 2026, released March 25, 2026, showed U.S. import prices rising 1.3 percent in February—the largest monthly increase since March 2022—following a 0.6 percent advance in January, driven by higher prices for both nonfuel imports (+1.1 percent) and fuel imports (+3.8 percent). Over the 12 months ending February 2026, import prices rose 1.3 percent, while nonfuel import prices advanced 2.5 percent year-over-year, the largest such annual gain since October 2022. U.S. export prices rose 1.5 percent in February, also the largest monthly advance since May 2022, with nonagricultural exports up 1.7 percent and agricultural exports up 0.7 percent; over the prior 12 months, export prices increased 3.5 percent. The release also noted that some October 2025 import and export price index values remain permanently suppressed due to the 2025 lapse in federal appropriations. [(BLS, Mar. 25, 2026)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ximpim_03252026.htm)

The BLS U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes report for January 2026, released March 5, 2026, showed U.S. import prices rising 0.2 percent, following a 0.2 percent advance in December, as higher nonfuel import prices (+0.5 percent) more than offset a 2.2 percent decline in fuel import prices. Over the 12 months ending January 2026, import prices fell 0.1 percent, while nonfuel import prices rose 1.2 percent year-over-year. U.S. export prices rose 0.6 percent in January, matching the December advance, driven by higher nonagricultural (+0.7 percent) and agricultural (+0.2 percent) export prices; over the prior 12 months, export prices increased 2.6 percent. The release noted that some October 2025 import and export price index values remain permanently suppressed due to the 2025 lapse in federal appropriations. [(BLS, Mar. 5, 2026)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ximpim_03052026.htm)

The BLS U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes report for December 2025, released February 10, 2026, showed U.S. import prices rising 0.1 percent in December, driven by higher nonfuel import prices, while export prices advanced 0.3 percent; over the prior 12 months, import prices were unchanged and export prices increased 3.1 percent. BLS issued only a summary data update rather than a full detailed news release, citing the compressed release schedule resulting from the 2025 lapse in federal appropriations. The release also noted that some October 2025 import and export price index values remain permanently suppressed due to that appropriations lapse. [(BLS, Feb. 10, 2026)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ximpim_02102026.htm)

The BLS U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes report for November 2025, released January 15, 2026, showed U.S. import prices rising 0.1 percent over the 12 months ending November 2025, with nonfuel import prices up 0.7 percent year-over-year while fuel import prices fell 6.6 percent. U.S. export prices increased 3.3 percent over the same 12-month period, driven by higher nonagricultural industrial supplies and materials (+4.9 percent) and finished goods. Because BLS did not collect survey data for October 2025 due to the lapse in federal appropriations, the release reported two-month changes from September to November rather than standard monthly figures, and many October 2025 index values—including all-goods import and export indexes—remain permanently suppressed. [(BLS, Jan. 15, 2026)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ximpim_01152026.htm)

The BLS U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes report for September 2025, released December 3, 2025, showed U.S. import prices unchanged in September, following a 0.1 percent advance in August, as higher nonfuel import prices (+0.2 percent) offset a 1.5 percent decline in fuel import prices; over the 12 months ending September 2025, import prices rose 0.3 percent. U.S. export prices were also unchanged in September, after rising 0.1 percent in August, while the 12-month export price gain reached 3.8 percent—the largest over-the-year advance since December 2022. The release noted that September data collection was completed before the lapse in federal appropriations, but that subsequent Import and Export Price Index releases would be delayed as a result. [(BLS, Dec. 3, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ximpim_12032025.htm)

The BLS U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes report for August 2025, released September 16, 2025, showed U.S. import prices rising 0.3 percent, following a 0.2 percent advance in July; over the prior 12 months, import prices were unchanged. U.S. export prices also rose 0.3 percent in August, matching the July advance, with export prices up 3.4 percent over the prior 12 months. [(BLS, Sep. 16, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ximpim_09162025.htm)

The BLS U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes report for July 2025, released August 15, 2025, showed U.S. import prices rising 0.4 percent in July, following a 0.1 percent decrease in June, while export prices advanced 0.1 percent after a 0.5 percent increase the prior month. Over the 12 months ending July 2025, import prices declined 0.2 percent and export prices increased 2.2 percent. [(BLS, Aug. 15, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ximpim_08152025.htm)

The BLS U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes report for June 2025, released July 17, 2025, showed U.S. import prices rising 0.1 percent in June, following a 0.4 percent decrease in May, driven by higher nonfuel import prices. U.S. export prices rose 0.5 percent in June, after falling 0.6 percent the previous month. Over the 12 months ending June 2025, import prices declined 0.2 percent and export prices increased 2.8 percent. [(BLS, Jul. 17, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ximpim_07172025.htm)

The BLS U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes report for May 2025, released June 17, 2025, showed U.S. import prices unchanged in May, following a 0.1 percent advance in April; over the 12 months ending May 2025, import prices rose 0.2 percent. U.S. export prices decreased 0.9 percent in May, after rising 0.1 percent the previous month, with export prices up 1.7 percent over the prior 12 months. [(BLS, Jun. 17, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ximpim_06172025.htm)

The BLS U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes report for April 2025, released May 16, 2025, showed U.S. import prices rising 0.1 percent in April, following a 0.4 percent decline in March, driven by higher nonfuel import prices. U.S. export prices advanced 0.1 percent for the second consecutive month in April. Over the 12 months ending April 2025, import prices rose 0.1 percent and export prices increased 2.0 percent. [(BLS, May 16, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ximpim_05162025.htm)

The BLS U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes report for March 2025, released April 15, 2025, showed U.S. import prices declining 0.1 percent, following a 0.2 percent rise in February, driven by lower fuel prices. U.S. export prices were unchanged in March, after advancing 0.5 percent the previous month. Over the 12 months ending March 2025, import prices rose 0.9 percent and export prices increased 2.4 percent. [(BLS, Apr. 15, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ximpim_04152025.htm)

The BLS U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes report for February 2025, released March 18, 2025, showed U.S. import prices rising 0.4 percent, matching the 0.4 percent advance in January; over the 12 months ending February 2025, import prices increased 2.0 percent. U.S. export prices rose 0.1 percent in February, following a 1.3 percent increase the previous month, with export prices up 2.1 percent over the prior 12 months. [(BLS, Mar. 18, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ximpim_03182025.htm)

The BLS Producer Price Index report for February 2026, released March 18, 2026, showed the index for final demand rising 0.7 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis—the largest monthly increase since August 2023—following a 0.5 percent advance in January. Goods prices drove much of the gain, rising 1.1 percent, led by a 48.9 percent jump in fresh and dry vegetable prices and a 2.4 percent increase in final demand foods overall; services prices rose 0.5 percent, with traveler accommodation services up 5.7 percent. Over the 12 months ending February 2026, final demand prices rose 3.4 percent on an unadjusted basis, matching the largest 12-month advance since February 2025, while the index for final demand less foods, energy, and trade services rose 3.5 percent year-over-year, its tenth consecutive monthly advance. BLS noted that the 2025 federal government shutdown continued to delay transmission of PPI price-update requests, though the response rate for February data was within the normal range and no methodology changes were required. [(BLS, Mar. 18, 2026)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ppi_03182026.htm)

The BLS Producer Price Index report for January 2026, released February 27, 2026, showed the index for final demand rising 0.5 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis, following a 0.4 percent advance in December 2025. The January increase was driven by a 0.8 percent rise in final demand services—the largest monthly gain since July 2025—while final demand goods fell 0.3 percent, led by a 5.5 percent drop in gasoline prices. Over the 12 months ending January 2026, final demand prices rose 2.9 percent on an unadjusted basis, while the index for final demand less foods, energy, and trade services rose 3.4 percent year-over-year, its ninth consecutive monthly increase. BLS also noted that the 2025 federal government shutdown continued to delay transmission of PPI price-update requests, though the response rate for January data was within the normal range and no methodology changes were required. [(BLS, Feb. 27, 2026)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ppi_02272026.htm)

The BLS Producer Price Index report for December 2025, released January 30, 2026, showed the index for final demand rising 0.5 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis, following a 0.2 percent advance in November; on an unadjusted basis, final demand prices rose 3.0 percent over all of 2025, after a 3.5 percent gain in 2024. The December increase was driven entirely by a 0.7 percent advance in final demand services—the largest monthly gain since July 2025—while final demand goods prices were unchanged, as a 0.4 percent rise in goods less foods and energy offset declines in energy (−1.4 percent) and foods (−0.3 percent). The index for final demand less foods, energy, and trade services rose 0.4 percent in December, its eighth consecutive monthly increase, and was up 3.5 percent for the full year. BLS noted that the 2025 federal government shutdown continued to delay transmission of PPI price-update requests, though the response rate for December data was within the normal range and no methodology changes were required. [(BLS, Jan. 30, 2026)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ppi_01302026.htm)

The BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) report for February 2026, released March 31, 2026, showed job openings little changed at 6.9 million, while hires fell to 4.8 million—a decline of 498,000 over the month and the lowest hires rate (3.1 percent) since April 2020. Total separations were little changed at 5.0 million, with quits holding at 3.0 million (a quits rate of 1.9 percent); declines in quits were concentrated in accommodation and food services (-119,000) and federal government (-6,000). Federal government total separations fell by 16,000 over the month, continuing a pattern of declining federal workforce activity visible across multiple BLS releases. [(BLS, Mar. 31, 2026)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/jolts_03312026.htm)

The BLS Producer Price Index report for November 2025, released January 14, 2026, showed the index for final demand rising 0.2 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis, following a 0.1 percent advance in October and a 0.6 percent increase in September. The November gain was driven entirely by a 0.9 percent advance in final demand goods—the largest monthly rise since February 2024—led by a 10.5 percent jump in gasoline prices, while final demand services prices were unchanged. Over the 12 months ending November 2025, final demand prices rose 3.0 percent on an unadjusted basis, and the index for final demand less foods, energy, and trade services climbed 3.5 percent year-over-year. BLS noted that the 2025 federal government shutdown significantly delayed transmission of PPI price-update requests, though response rates for both October and November data were within the normal range and no methodology changes were required. [(BLS, Jan. 14, 2026)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ppi_01142026.htm)

The BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) report for January 2026, released March 13, 2026, showed job openings little changed at 6.9 million (a rate of 4.2 percent), while hires were unchanged at 5.3 million and total separations changed little at 5.1 million. Quits held at 3.1 million (a quits rate of 2.0 percent) and layoffs and discharges were little changed at 1.6 million. Federal government total separations decreased by 10,000 over the month, continuing a pattern of declining federal workforce activity. The release also incorporated annual benchmark revisions, which revised 2025 job openings levels downward across most months; the 2025 annual average job openings level was 7.1 million, down 571,000 from 2024, and the annual average hires rate fell to 3.3 percent from 3.4 percent in 2024. [(BLS, Mar. 13, 2026)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/jolts_03132026.htm)

The BLS Producer Price Index report for September 2025, released November 25, 2025, showed the index for final demand rising 0.3 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis, following a decline of 0.1 percent in August; over the 12 months ending September 2025, final demand prices rose 2.7 percent on an unadjusted basis. The September advance was driven entirely by a 0.9 percent increase in final demand goods prices—the largest monthly goods gain since February 2024—led by an 11.8 percent jump in gasoline prices, while final demand services prices were unchanged. The index for final demand less foods, energy, and trade services edged up 0.1 percent for the month and rose 2.9 percent over the prior 12 months. BLS noted that while September data collection was completed before the lapse in federal appropriations, data processing could not be completed until appropriations resumed, delaying the release by more than five weeks from its originally scheduled date. [(BLS, Nov. 25, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ppi_11252025.htm)

The BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) report for December 2025, released February 5, 2026, showed job openings continuing to trend down to 6.5 million (−386,000 over the month), the lowest level in the series for that period, with the job openings rate falling to 3.9 percent. Hires and total separations were little changed at 5.3 million each, while quits held at 3.2 million (a quits rate of 2.0 percent). Job openings declined most sharply in professional and business services (−257,000), retail trade (−195,000), and finance and insurance (−120,000), while federal government total separations increased by 10,000 over the month. [(BLS, Feb. 5, 2026)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/jolts_02052026.htm)

The BLS Producer Price Index report for August 2025, released September 10, 2025, showed the index for final demand edging down 0.1 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis, as a 0.2 percent decline in final demand services prices more than offset a 0.1 percent rise in final demand goods prices. Over the 12 months ending August 2025, final demand prices rose 2.6 percent on an unadjusted basis. [(BLS, Sep. 10, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ppi_09102025.htm)

The BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) report for November 2025, released January 7, 2026, showed job openings little changed at 7.1 million (a rate of 4.3 percent), down 885,000 over the year. Hires were little changed at 5.1 million (a rate of 3.2 percent), while total separations were unchanged at 5.1 million; quits held at 3.2 million (a quits rate of 2.0 percent) and layoffs and discharges were little changed at 1.7 million. Job openings declined in accommodation and food services (-148,000), transportation, warehousing, and utilities (-108,000), and wholesale trade (-63,000), while construction gained 90,000 openings. The release also revised October 2025 job openings down by 221,000 to 7.4 million, with the revision larger than normal because the alignment procedure had been suspended for October preliminary data. [(BLS, Jan. 7, 2026)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/jolts_01072026.htm)

The BLS Producer Price Index report for July 2025, released August 14, 2025, showed the index for final demand rising 0.9 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis, following a 0.1 percent decline in June. The July advance was driven by a 1.1 percent increase in final demand services prices and a 0.7 percent rise in final demand goods prices. Over the 12 months ending July 2025, final demand prices rose 3.3 percent on an unadjusted basis. [(BLS, Aug. 14, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ppi_08142025.htm)

The BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) report for October 2025, released December 9, 2025, showed job openings unchanged at 7.7 million (a rate of 4.6 percent), while hires and total separations were little changed at 5.1 million each. Quits held at 2.9 million (a quits rate of 1.8 percent), with notable declines in accommodation and food services (-136,000), health care and social assistance (-114,000), and federal government (-25,000); federal government quits had reached a series high of 46,000 in September 2025. Federal government total separations fell by 34,000 over the month to 46,000, and federal job openings declined by 25,000. BLS noted that the September 2025 JOLTS release was canceled due to the lapse in appropriations, that September estimates incorporated partial self-reported data and data collected in November, and that the monthly alignment methodology was temporarily suspended for October 2025 preliminary estimates. [(BLS, Dec. 9, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/jolts_12092025.htm)

The BLS Producer Price Index report for June 2025, released July 16, 2025, showed the index for final demand unchanged on a seasonally adjusted basis, following a 0.9 percent advance in May. Final demand goods prices rose 0.3 percent while final demand services prices fell 0.1 percent. Over the 12 months ending June 2025, final demand prices rose 2.3 percent on an unadjusted basis. [(BLS, Jul. 16, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ppi_07162025.htm)

The BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) report for August 2025, released September 30, 2025, showed job openings unchanged at 7.2 million (a rate of 4.3 percent), while hires and total separations were little changed at 5.1 million each. Within separations, quits held at 3.1 million (a quits rate of 1.9 percent) and layoffs and discharges were little changed at 1.7 million. Job openings declined in construction (-115,000) and federal government (-61,000), with the federal government job openings rate falling to 2.6 percent. [(BLS, Sep. 30, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/jolts_09302025.htm)

The BLS Producer Price Index report for May 2025, released June 12, 2025, showed the index for final demand rising 0.1 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis, following a 0.1 percent decline in April. Final demand goods prices rose 0.2 percent while final demand services prices increased 0.1 percent. Over the 12 months ending May 2025, final demand prices rose 2.6 percent on an unadjusted basis. [(BLS, Jun. 12, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ppi_06122025.htm)

The BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) report for July 2025, released September 3, 2025, showed job openings little changed at 7.2 million, while hires and total separations were both unchanged at 5.3 million. [(BLS, Sep. 3, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/jolts_09032025.htm)

The BLS Producer Price Index report for April 2025, released May 15, 2025, showed the index for final demand falling 0.5 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis, following a 0.1 percent rise in March. The April decline was driven by a 0.7 percent decrease in final demand services prices, while final demand goods prices were unchanged. Over the 12 months ending April 2025, final demand prices rose 2.4 percent on an unadjusted basis. [(BLS, May 15, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ppi_05152025.htm)

The BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) report for June 2025, released July 29, 2025, showed job openings little changed at 7.4 million, while hires were little changed at 5.2 million and total separations were little changed at 5.1 million. [(BLS, Jul. 29, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/jolts_07292025.htm)

The BLS Producer Price Index report for March 2025, released April 11, 2025, showed the index for final demand falling 0.4 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis, following a 0.1 percent rise in February. The March decline was driven by a 0.9 percent decrease in final demand goods prices and a 0.2 percent decline in final demand services prices. Over the 12 months ending March 2025, final demand prices rose 2.7 percent on an unadjusted basis. [(BLS, Apr. 11, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ppi_04112025.htm)

The BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) report for May 2025, released July 1, 2025, showed job openings little changed at 7.8 million, while hires and total separations were also little changed at 5.5 million and 5.2 million, respectively. [(BLS, Jul. 1, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/jolts_07012025.htm)

The BLS Producer Price Index report for February 2025, released March 13, 2025, showed the index for final demand unchanged on a seasonally adjusted basis, following a 0.1 percent rise in January. Final demand goods prices rose 0.3 percent while final demand services prices fell 0.2 percent. Over the 12 months ending February 2025, final demand prices rose 3.2 percent on an unadjusted basis. [(BLS, Mar. 13, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ppi_03132025.htm)

The BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) report for April 2025, released June 3, 2025, showed job openings little changed at 7.4 million, while hires were little changed at 5.6 million and total separations were little changed at 5.3 million. [(BLS, Jun. 3, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/jolts_06032025.htm)

The BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) report for March 2025, released April 29, 2025, showed job openings little changed at 7.2 million, while hires held at 5.4 million and total separations changed little at 5.1 million. [(BLS, Apr. 29, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/jolts_04292025.htm)

The BLS Productivity and Costs report for the fourth quarter and full year 2025, released March 24, 2026, showed nonfarm business sector labor productivity increasing 1.8 percent in Q4 2025 (revised down from a preliminary estimate of 2.8 percent), as output rose 1.5 percent and hours worked fell 0.2 percent; year-over-year, nonfarm business productivity grew 2.5 percent. Unit labor costs in the nonfarm business sector rose 4.4 percent in Q4 2025—revised up from 2.8 percent—reflecting a 6.3 percent increase in hourly compensation partially offset by the productivity gain, while unit labor costs increased 2.4 percent over the prior four quarters. For the full year 2025, nonfarm business productivity averaged 2.1 percent growth and unit labor costs rose 2.3 percent; manufacturing sector productivity increased 1.9 percent for the year, the largest annual gain since 2010, while manufacturing unit labor costs rose 2.4 percent, below the 4-plus percent increases recorded in each of the prior three years. BLS noted that publication of the release was delayed due to the 2025 lapse in federal appropriations. [(BLS, Mar. 24, 2026)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/prod2_03242026.htm)

The BLS Productivity and Costs report for the fourth quarter and annual averages 2025, preliminary release, published March 5, 2026, showed nonfarm business sector labor productivity increasing 2.8 percent in Q4 2025 (seasonally adjusted annual rate), as output rose 2.6 percent and hours worked fell 0.2 percent; year-over-year, nonfarm business productivity also grew 2.8 percent. Unit labor costs in the nonfarm business sector rose 2.8 percent in Q4 2025, reflecting a 5.7 percent increase in hourly compensation partially offset by the productivity gain, while unit labor costs increased just 1.3 percent over the prior four quarters. For the full year 2025, nonfarm business productivity averaged 2.2 percent growth and unit labor costs rose 1.9 percent; manufacturing sector productivity increased 2.0 percent for the year, the largest annual gain since 2010, while manufacturing unit labor costs rose 2.3 percent, below the 4-plus percent increases recorded in each of the prior three years. The labor share of output in the nonfarm business sector fell to 53.8 percent in Q4 2025, the lowest level since the series began in 1947, and BLS noted the release was delayed due to the 2025 lapse in federal appropriations. [(BLS, Mar. 5, 2026)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/prod2_03052026.htm)

The BLS Productivity and Costs report for the third quarter of 2025, revised release, published January 29, 2026, showed nonfarm business sector labor productivity increasing 4.9 percent (seasonally adjusted annual rate), unrevised from the preliminary estimate, as output rose 5.4 percent and hours worked increased 0.5 percent; year-over-year, nonfarm business productivity grew 1.9 percent. Unit labor costs in the nonfarm business sector decreased 1.9 percent in Q3 2025, reflecting a 2.9 percent increase in hourly compensation more than offset by the productivity gain, while unit labor costs increased 1.3 percent over the prior four quarters. Manufacturing sector productivity was revised upward to 3.7 percent growth in Q3 2025 from the previously reported 3.3 percent, with total manufacturing unit labor costs revised down to a 1.1 percent increase; nonfinancial corporate sector productivity was also revised up to 3.3 percent, with unit labor costs revised down to a 0.3 percent increase. BLS noted that publication of the release was delayed due to the 2025 lapse in federal appropriations. [(BLS, Jan. 29, 2026)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/prod2_01292026.htm)

The BLS Productivity and Costs report for the second quarter of 2025, revised release, published September 4, 2025, showed nonfarm business sector labor productivity increasing 3.3 percent (seasonally adjusted annual rate)—revised up from a preliminary estimate of 2.4 percent—as output rose 4.4 percent and hours worked increased 1.1 percent; year-over-year, nonfarm business productivity grew 1.5 percent. Unit labor costs in the nonfarm business sector increased 1.0 percent in Q2 2025, revised down from the preliminary estimate of 1.6 percent, reflecting a 4.3 percent rise in hourly compensation partially offset by the productivity gain, while unit labor costs increased 2.5 percent over the prior four quarters. Manufacturing sector productivity was revised up to 2.5 percent growth in Q2 2025 from a preliminary 2.1 percent, with total manufacturing unit labor costs rising 2.0 percent; the nonfinancial corporate sector posted preliminary productivity growth of 5.7 percent for the quarter, with unit labor costs falling 2.1 percent. [(BLS, Sep. 4, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/prod2_09042025.htm)

The BLS Productivity and Costs report for the second quarter of 2025, preliminary release, published August 7, 2025, showed nonfarm business sector labor productivity increasing 2.4 percent (seasonally adjusted annual rate), as output rose 3.7 percent and hours worked increased 1.3 percent; year-over-year, nonfarm business productivity grew 1.3 percent. Unit labor costs in the nonfarm business sector rose 1.6 percent in Q2 2025, reflecting a 4.0 percent increase in hourly compensation partially offset by the productivity gain, while unit labor costs increased 2.6 percent over the prior four quarters. Manufacturing sector productivity increased 2.1 percent in Q2 2025, with durable manufacturing up 3.3 percent and nondurable manufacturing up 1.2 percent; total manufacturing unit labor costs rose 1.7 percent for the quarter and 2.5 percent year-over-year. The release also revised Q1 2025 nonfarm business productivity down 0.3 percentage point to a decrease of 1.8 percent, with unit labor costs revised up to 6.9 percent. [(BLS, Aug. 7, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/prod2_08072025.htm)

The BLS Productivity and Costs report for the first quarter of 2025, revised release, published June 5, 2025, showed nonfarm business sector labor productivity decreasing 1.5 percent (seasonally adjusted annual rate)—revised down from a preliminary estimate of a 0.8 percent decrease—as output fell 0.2 percent and hours worked increased 1.3 percent; this was the first quarterly decline in nonfarm business productivity since Q2 2022. Unit labor costs in the nonfarm business sector rose 6.6 percent in Q1 2025, revised up from a preliminary 5.7 percent, reflecting a 5.0 percent increase in hourly compensation partially offset by the productivity decline, while unit labor costs increased 1.9 percent over the prior four quarters. Manufacturing sector productivity was revised slightly down to 4.4 percent growth in Q1 2025 from a preliminary 4.5 percent—the largest quarterly manufacturing productivity gain since Q2 2021—with manufacturing unit labor costs revised up to 2.0 percent from 1.6 percent. The nonfinancial corporate sector posted a preliminary productivity decrease of 1.2 percent for Q1 2025, with unit labor costs rising 5.5 percent. [(BLS, Jun. 5, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/prod2_06052025.htm)

The BLS Productivity and Costs report for the first quarter of 2025, preliminary release, published May 8, 2025, showed nonfarm business sector labor productivity decreasing 0.8 percent (seasonally adjusted annual rate)—the first quarterly decline since Q2 2022—as output fell 0.3 percent and hours worked increased 0.6 percent; year-over-year, nonfarm business productivity grew 1.4 percent. Unit labor costs in the nonfarm business sector rose 5.7 percent in Q1 2025, reflecting a 4.8 percent increase in hourly compensation partially offset by the productivity decline, while unit labor costs increased 1.3 percent over the prior four quarters. Manufacturing sector productivity increased 4.5 percent in Q1 2025—the largest quarterly gain since Q2 2021—with durable manufacturing up 7.1 percent and total manufacturing unit labor costs rising 1.6 percent. Preliminary Q4 2024 data for the nonfinancial corporate sector showed productivity increasing 4.9 percent, with unit labor costs falling 0.4 percent. [(BLS, May 8, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/prod2_05082025.htm)

The BLS Productivity and Costs report for the fourth quarter of 2024, released March 6, 2025, showed nonfarm business sector labor productivity increasing 1.5 percent (seasonally adjusted annual rate), with unit labor costs rising 2.2 percent. In manufacturing, productivity increased 0.3 percent and unit labor costs increased 3.7 percent. [(BLS, Mar. 6, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/prod2_03062025.htm)

The BLS Productivity and Costs report for the fourth quarter of 2024, preliminary release, published February 6, 2025, showed nonfarm business sector labor productivity increasing 1.2 percent (seasonally adjusted annual rate), with unit labor costs rising 3.0 percent. In manufacturing, productivity increased 0.8 percent and unit labor costs increased 3.3 percent. [(BLS, Feb. 6, 2025)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/prod2_02062025.htm)

The BLS Productivity and Costs report for the third quarter of 2024, released December 10, 2024, showed nonfarm business sector labor productivity increasing 2.2 percent (seasonally adjusted annual rate), with unit labor costs rising 0.8 percent. In manufacturing, productivity increased 0.9 percent and unit labor costs increased 1.7 percent. [(BLS, Dec. 10, 2024)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/prod2_12102024.htm)

The BLS Real Earnings report for March 2026, released April 10, 2026, showed real average hourly earnings for all employees decreasing 0.6 percent from February to March on a seasonally adjusted basis, reflecting a 0.2 percent rise in nominal average hourly earnings combined with a 0.9 percent increase in the CPI-U—the largest monthly CPI-U increase in the series in recent reporting periods. Real average weekly earnings decreased 0.9 percent over the month, reflecting the decline in real hourly earnings combined with a 0.3 percent contraction in the average workweek. Over the year from March 2025 to March 2026, real average hourly earnings increased just 0.3 percent, a sharp deceleration from the 1.3 percent year-over-year gain recorded in February 2026, as the CPI-U rose 3.3 percent over the year. For production and nonsupervisory employees, real average hourly earnings decreased 0.9 percent over the month and rose only 0.1 percent year-over-year, with the CPI-W also up 3.3 percent over the year. [(BLS, Apr. 10, 2026)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/realer_04102026.htm)

The BLS Consumer Price Index report for March 2026, released April 10, 2026, showed the CPI-U rising 0.9 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis—the largest monthly increase since June 2022—after rising 0.3 percent in February. Energy drove nearly three-quarters of the monthly gain, with the gasoline index surging 21.2 percent, the largest monthly increase since the series began in 1967, while the energy index overall rose 10.9 percent, its largest monthly advance since September 2005. Over the 12 months ending March 2026, the all-items index rose 3.3 percent, up from 2.4 percent for the 12 months ending February, while the index for all items less food and energy rose 2.6 percent year-over-year. The CPI-W increased 3.3 percent over the 12 months ending March 2026 to an index level of 323.500, and the Chained CPI-U (C-CPI-U) rose 3.1 percent over the same period. [(BLS, Apr. 10, 2026)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/cpi_04102026.htm)

The BLS Employment Cost Index (ECI) for March 2026, released April 30, 2026, showed civilian worker compensation costs rising 0.9 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis for the three months ending March 2026, and 3.4 percent over the full year ending March 2026. BLS also announced two methodology changes taking effect with this release: a shift to fixed weights for the ECI and the removal of workers' compensation from the index. [(BLS ECI Home)](https://www.bls.gov/eci/)

## Related Topics

- [Department of Labor — Federal Agency for Work, Wages, and Worker Safety](department-of-labor.md)
- [Federal Minimum Wage](federal-minimum-wage.md)
- [Overtime Eligibility Threshold](overtime-eligibility-threshold.md)
- [Unemployment Insurance — Federal Framework](unemployment-insurance-federal.md)
- [OSHA & Workplace Safety](osha-workplace-safety.md)
- [Social Security — Retirement Benefits](social-security-benefit-formula.md)

## Related Links
- [Department Of Labor](https://policyrisk.com/wiki/department-of-labor)
- [Federal Unemployment Tax Futa](https://policyrisk.com/wiki/federal-unemployment-tax-futa)
- [Unemployment Insurance Federal](https://policyrisk.com/wiki/unemployment-insurance-federal)
- [Federal Minimum Wage](https://policyrisk.com/wiki/federal-minimum-wage)
- [Overtime Eligibility Threshold](https://policyrisk.com/wiki/overtime-eligibility-threshold)
- [Osha Workplace Safety](https://policyrisk.com/wiki/osha-workplace-safety)