Unemployment in the United States has risen to 4.6 percent, the highest level in more than four years, according to a delayed government report cited by The Wall Street Journal. The figures point to a cooling labor market shaped by policy uncertainty and recent government disruptions. Job growth has slowed sharply, with the economy adding 64,000 jobs in November after a revised loss of 105,000 in October, marking one of the weakest stretches for employment in several years.

While jobs have still been added in 2025, most gains have been concentrated in healthcare and education, masking broader softness across the economy. Economists say shifting trade policies and tighter immigration rules have weighed on hiring by limiting both labor supply and employer confidence. Joseph Brusuelas of RSM said the data do not yet point to a recession but reflect pressures that were largely absent a year ago.

The report also shows a steep decline in federal employment, with payrolls down 6,000 in November after a 162,000 drop in October. Since January, roughly 270,000 federal jobs have been cut, bringing the workforce to its smallest size in more than a decade as part of President Donald Trump’s push to shrink government. Analysts note the impact of layoffs has appeared gradually, but the overall picture suggests mounting strain in the US labor market.