Unemployment Increased For All Groups Except Black Women

three women sitting beside table inside room during the day
Leslie Grover-Taylor
March 14, 2024

U.S. employment showed disappointing numbers last month, as the unemployment rate crept up to just under 4%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This was in direct contrast to the trends experts expected.

In spite of these numbers, Black women made gains, bucking the trend and entering the workforce in higher numbers than other groups. This means they may see slight increases in income overall, as wages increased by .01%, or about 5 cents an hour.

Though wage increases were still below expectations, this number is higher than at the same time last year. This signals some good news for Black women searching for jobs and those in the workforce.

Chief among the factors that contributed to Black women bucking the trend is the types of jobs being added to the economy.

Specifically, healthcare and government jobs increased the number of jobs available. These sectors historically employ higher numbers of Black women.

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