The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has cancelled the release of the October jobs report due to the government shutdown, which prevented the collection of necessary data. The BLS, which informs statistics like the unemployment rate said that the figures couldn’t be gathered retroactively and hence the statistics won’t be published as a result.
In a press release, the BLS said, "BLS will not publish an October 2025 Employment Situation news release. Establishment survey data from the Current Employment Statistics survey for October 2025 will be published with the November 2025 data."
However, this combined report is now scheduled for release on December 16, two weeks later than the typical monthly schedule, slated to release on December 5, 2025. This marks the first time the report has been cancelled since 2013.
Along with the employment situation news, the household survey data from the current population survey could not be collected for the October 2025 reference period due to a lapse in appropriations.
"The collection period for November 2025 data will be extended for both surveys, and extra processing time will be added," said the release.
The US jobs report combines data from two main sources. The first one is Business Survey, which is also known as the establishment survey.It collects data from businesses, non-profits, and government agencies to track job creation, wages, and other labor market measurements. Many businesses retain records and report this data electronically.
While the second is the household survey which involves contacting individuals to determine the unemployment rate and gather other employment information. Due to the recent government shutdown, the household survey couldn't be conducted for October, making it impossible to calculate the unemployment rate for that month.
Economists are concerned about the implications of the missing data, particularly with the Federal Reserve's December policy meeting looming. The Fed relies heavily on labour market data to inform its interest rate decisions. Without the October report, policymakers will have to rely on incomplete information, leading to more cautious decisions.
The shutdown, which spanned from October 1 to November 12, ended only after Congress passed a stopgap funding bill, but the administrative backlog means the ripple effects on economic reporting will be felt well into 2026.
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