Overall Unemployment: 5.0% (5.0%)
African America Unemployment: 9.4% (9.2%)
Latino America Unemployment: 6.4% (6.3%)
European America Unemployment: 4.3% (4.4%)
Asian America Unemployment: 3.9% (3.5%)
Previous month in parentheses.
Analysis: Overall unemployment went unchanged in the month of November from the previous month. All groups saw rises in their unemployment rates, except European America who saw a 10 basis point decline.
African American Male Unemployment: 9.9% (9.2%)
African American Female Unemployment: 8.0% (8.1%)
African American Teenage Unemployment: 23.7% (25.6%)
African American Male Participation: 66.7% (67.0%)
African American Female Participation: 62.8% (62.5%)
African American Teenage Participation: 27.4% (27.0%)
Previous month in parentheses.
Analysis:African American males had a 70 basis point increase in their unemployment rate and a 30 basis point decrease in their participation rate. African American females had a 10 basis point decrease in their unemployment rate and a 30 basis point increase in their participation rate. African American teenagers unemployment rate declined 190 basis points and participation rate experienced an increase of 40 basis points.
CONCLUSION: The overall economy added 211 000 jobs in November. African America added a mere 11 000 jobs in November. The African American labor force is at a five month high, but this is more likely due to confidence in seasonal hiring. The participation rate over the past five months remains virtually unchanged meaning that African America’s employment situation is basically doggy paddling in the middle of the economic ocean. Just how much optimism can be put into this current economy with the Federal Reserve set to raise rates for the first time in a decade and uncertainty of how companies will respond is tough to get a pulse on. Many believe the more expensive debt even by only 25 basis points could squeeze the public sector where African America is overly concentrated in employment. The economy’s response to the rate hike could say a lot for the coming year as it relates to African American employment for better or worse. African American needs an increase of 756 000 jobs to match the country’s unemployment rate. A decrease of 61 000 from October’s number.
HBCU Money 