The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics announced Monday that the highly anticipated January jobs report will not be released Friday due to a partial shutdown of the federal government.
According to a Bloomberg report, Emily Liddel, BLS associate commissioner for publications and special studies, said in a statement: “Due to the partial shutdown of the federal government, the Bureau of Labor Statistics will suspend data collection, processing and dissemination.”
When will it be released?
“The release will be rescheduled once government funding is restored,” Emily said.
Other reports scheduled for this week, including the December Survey of Job Vacancies and Labor Turnover and the Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment Report, will also be delayed.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics, which operates under the Department of Labor, along with several other government agencies, only had funding until Jan. 30. Although the Senate voted to extend the funding, the measure still requires approval by the House of Representatives. House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed hope that the House will pass the bill on Tuesday.
In addition to regular monthly data on wages and unemployment, the January employment report will include highly anticipated revisions to annual employment data. These updates are expected to show that job growth for the year ending in March 2025 was significantly weaker than previously reported.
Partial shutdown of the US government
Political tensions in the US House of Representatives over President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdowns threaten to extend the partial government shutdown that began on Saturday.
House Speaker Mike Johnson faces an uphill task in securing passage of the Senate-passed spending bill, the result of negotiations between Trump and Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer. The legislation would fund most federal agencies through Sept. 30 and the Department of Homeland Security through Feb. 13, while maintaining resources for immigration raids while the two sides continue discussions on enforcement policy.
But the bill is facing opposition from members of both parties, raising the possibility that the brief shutdown could last longer than originally expected. Johnson said he expects the rules committee to vote on Monday, with the hope that the bill could be fully approved by Tuesday.
The tax filing season that began last week could face disruption, while government contractors may experience delayed payments and interrupted services if the funding gap persists. Essential federal employees would reportedly be furloughed.
Democrats, responding to public outrage over the administration’s immigration tactics, are trying to prevent more deaths by undercover gunmen in cities like Minneapolis, where two American citizens have already been killed. But conservatives worry that backing Trump’s deal to curb the actions of agents could mean abandoning key campaign promises.
(With agency input)