The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) monthly jobs report combines two surveys: one estimates payroll jobs, while the other measures whether people are employed, unemployed, or outside the labor force. The distinction matters: payroll employment is not a count of employed people, and the unemployment rate does not come from the payroll survey.
What does the monthly jobs report say?
The Employment Situation is BLS’s monthly report on employment and unemployment in the United States. As of the September 2026 release, published October 2, BLS reported that nonfarm payroll employment increased by 29,000 and the unemployment rate was 4.2 percent. BLS said both measures had changed little in September. These are estimates for that month, not final counts. See the September 2026 Employment Situation.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
The next report, covering October 2026, was scheduled for November 6, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. Release dates can change; consult the BLS release schedule for the current calendar.
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallWhich survey supplies each headline number?
The report brings together the Current Employment Statistics (CES) establishment survey and the Current Population Survey (CPS) household survey. They measure related but different things, using different samples and definitions.
#1 Best Overall
- QUALITY FORMS: Adams Repair Order books provide space for costs in materials and labor
- BACK PRINTING: Forms include space on the back to record materials used in the repair
- 33 THREE-PART CARBONLESS FORMS: Give customers one copy; retain the additional two copies for your records
- WRAP-AROUND COVER: Fold the back cover between sets to keep forms neat and legible
- ROOM FOR CUSTOMIZATION: A blank space at top leaves room for your company stamp; a big savings over custom-printed forms
| Measure | Survey and unit | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Nonfarm payroll employment | CES; jobs at worksites | Jobs at nonfarm businesses and government worksites. CES also estimates hours and earnings. |
| Unemployment rate and labor-force status | CPS; people age 16 and over | People in the civilian noninstitutional population classified as employed, unemployed, or not in the labor force. |
CES counts jobs, not unique workers: one person with two covered jobs can contribute two jobs to payroll employment. CPS classifies people, not payroll positions. Its coverage includes groups outside CES payroll coverage, such as agricultural workers, people self-employed in unincorporated businesses, unpaid family workers, and private household workers. BLS explains the differences between the CES and CPS employment measures.
How should you interpret the unemployment rate and jobs-added figure?
Unemployment rate
The unemployment rate is calculated from the household survey. It is the share of the labor force—people classified as employed or unemployed—who are unemployed. In the CPS, being unemployed generally means not employed, available for work, and actively looking for work; people who are neither employed nor actively seeking work are generally outside the labor force, not counted as unemployed.
Rank #2
- HIGH-QUALITY MATERIALS: Black front and back covers made of sturdy polypropylene and pocket pages made of clear non-glare polypropylene to provide long-lasting, spill-proof, stain-resistant durability paper report covers can't provide.
- DISTINCTIVE DETAILING: Rounded corners, medium weight front and back cover, and a full-page front exterior clear pocket to complement your polished presentation.
- ACCOMMODATING: Each pocket holds back-to-back sheets for times when a book-style presentation is preferred to a front page only display.
- ADDENDUM POCKET: Back cover includes a slanted clear poly interior pocket to hold extra documentation or materials
- CLASSIC LOOK: Black spine, front and back covers with heat-welded seams for a polished lay-flat look to complement your work
Payroll employment change
The monthly change in nonfarm payroll employment comes from CES. It estimates the net change in covered jobs between reference periods, rather than the number of people who found work. It does not reveal by itself how many people entered or left employment, how many jobs a person holds, or why the estimate changed.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →For September 2026, BLS’s FAQ gave approximate thresholds for a statistically significant monthly employment change of 122,000 for CES and 650,000 for CPS. Those survey-specific figures are not universal cutoffs: they should not be applied mechanically to other statistics, subgroups, or comparisons. The Employment Situation FAQ provides the agency’s explanation.
Rank #3
Why can payroll employment and the unemployment rate tell different stories?
The two numbers can move differently without either being an error. Payroll employment counts covered nonfarm jobs; the unemployment rate reflects the labor-force status of people in a broader population. Their sample designs, coverage, and statistical precision also differ.
- Unit: CES measures jobs; CPS measures people.
- Coverage: CES covers nonfarm employer payrolls; CPS includes certain workers who are not on those payrolls.
- Method: CES samples business and government worksites; CPS samples households.
- Estimate stage: The latest CES figure may be an initial estimate or a revised one.
- Comparison basis: Check the reference month and whether each figure is seasonally adjusted.
Choose the measure that matches the question. For changes in covered payroll jobs and industry detail, CES is the relevant series. For how many people are employed, unemployed, or in the labor force, CPS is the relevant source. BLS describes the surveys’ different strengths and limitations in its FAQ.
Rank #4
- Used Book in Good Condition
Why are the jobs numbers revised?
The first CES estimate is preliminary because BLS receives employer reports over time. It revises that estimate in each of the next two months as more responses arrive and seasonal factors are recalculated. An annual benchmark revision then aligns the survey series with more complete employment counts derived principally from unemployment insurance records. A surprising first estimate can therefore change in later releases.
CPS is also sample-based and subject to uncertainty, but its revision and adjustment schedule differs from CES. Avoid treating either survey as a final census of every worker or job. BLS outlines the CES revision process and the surveys’ methodological differences in its documentation.
What does seasonal adjustment mean?
Seasonal adjustment removes recurring patterns—such as those associated with holidays, school calendars, or weather—to make underlying changes easier to see. It does not eliminate uncertainty or make an estimate final. BLS uses concurrent seasonal adjustment, in which current observations inform the factors and those factors are recalculated as data accumulate. When quoting or comparing a figure, note whether it is seasonally adjusted or not seasonally adjusted. See BLS’s seasonal adjustment explanation.
Where can you check the release and its methods?
The monthly release page contains the summary, tables, FAQ, and technical note. Use the page for the exact month you are reviewing, since headline values and release dates update each month. For broader explanations of the survey designs, BLS also publishes a guide to the employment situation.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
