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October 10, 2008    DOL Home > Newsroom > News Releases   

News Release

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OPA News Release: [09/02/2005]
Contact Name: Lisa Kruska
Phone Number: (202) 693-4676
Release Number: 05-1667-NAT

Statement of U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao On August Employment Numbers

WASHINGTON—U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao issued the following statement on the August employment situation released today:

“The national unemployment rate is 4.9%, the lowest since August 2001. Our country is facing the challenge of Hurricane Katrina from a position of economic strength. Our economy has seen 27 straight months of job growth. Net job growth has averaged about 194,000 per month, which has been above forecasts. It is also significant that the unemployment rate fell last month while the labor force participation rate rose, meaning a higher percentage of the population is working.”




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