The U.S. Labor Department's statistical agency should prioritize the production of November employment and inflation reports when the government reopens to ensure Federal Reserve officials have up-to-date information at their December policy meeting,

The US Labor Department will absorb some of the work administering federal education programs, as the Trump administration seeks to drastically shrink the Department of Education.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon didn’t mention immediate workforce reductions, but acknowledged shutdown-era layoffs could return in early 2026.

U.S. job growth likely picked up moderately in September, while the unemployment rate held steady near a four-year high of 4.3%, consistent with sluggish labor market conditions that economists and policymakers have blamed on low supply and demand for workers.

Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer greeted returning employees via email but didn’t welcome staff in person or through a virtual meeting, as previous DOL leaders have done following government shutdowns, the worker said. In her email to DOL staff Thursday morning, the secretary said she was “eager” for them to get back to work.

Initial applications for US jobless benefits totaled 232,000 in the week ended Oct. 18, according to the Labor Department website showing historical data for claims.

The number of Americans receiving unemployment benefits stood at a two-month high in mid-October at the time when the Labor Department would have been conducting its survey of U.S. households for the monthly employment report that has been held up by the recently ended government shutdown.

The latest report from the US Labor Department highlighted that initial jobless claims reached 232,000 for the week ending October 18.