CUNA Research: Unemployment Decline Shows Signs of Economic Recovery

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
December 3, 2021
Washington, DC 

Credit Union National Association (CUNA) Senior Economist Dawit Kebede, PhD, issued the following statement in response to the Labor Department’s November Jobs Report:

“The labor market added fewer than expected new jobs in November. The unemployment rate, however, has shown a marked decline to 4.2%, a sign of continued recovery.

“Labor force participation has increased for the first time in several months, showing a return to work by some who opted out due to COVID fears or lack of childcare. Emergence of the new variant Omicron, which is more transmissible than Delta, could derail progress in labor market and exacerbate supply chain disruptions if cases continue to rise.

“As inflation continues to rise, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has indicated that he is open to ending the large-scale asset purchase program sooner than anticipated. Although the economy is not yet at maximum employment, a declining unemployment rate is a step in the right direction to fast track those changes.”

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About CUNA:            
Credit Union National Association (CUNA) is the only national association that advocates on behalf of all of America’s credit unions, which are owned by 120 million consumer members. CUNA, along with its network of affiliated state credit union leagues, delivers unwavering advocacy, continuous professional growth and operational confidence to protect the best interests of all credit unions. For more information about CUNA, visit cuna.org. To find your nearest credit union, visit YourMoneyFurther.com. 

CONTACT: 
Lauren Williams 
CUNA Communications 
202-672-3396