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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 4, 2026
Contact: media@iwpr.org
The Jobs Report for August 2026 was released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The following is a statement from Kate Bahn, PhD, chief economist and senior vice president of research at the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR), on what the current report reveals about the larger economy and its impact on women and families.
Amid a stagnant labor market and anemic wage growth, the addition of 162,000 jobs last month far exceeded expectations—and revealed a volatile economy that makes it harder for workers to get better jobs.
People are facing the lowest wage growth since the pandemic, with high inflation reducing their economic power. While the unemployment rate in August remained steady at 4.1% and the 162,000 jobs added outpaces the past year’s average of just 31,000 jobs a month, today’s “low hire, low fire” economic environment means workers—such as families returning from parental leave, or students searching for their first job—have reduced leverage to improve their economic situation.
Before this past month, the labor force participation rate was on its longest prolonged decline (10 months) in a decade, which could have several causes, including workers not feeling confident that they will be adequately compensated for their labor and thus to rejoin the labor force. A sustainable and equitable economy doesn’t just mean equal access to the workplace—it requires high-quality, good-paying jobs that can ease the affordability crisis and support families.
Relevant Reports:
Degrees Don’t Close the Divide: Black Women’s Educational Attainment Doesn’t Translate to Equal Earnings
Barriers, Not Bootstraps: Job Prospects Are Uneven for Young Black Women
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The Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) is the nation’s leading think tank working to win economic equity for all women. Through evidence-based research, policy solutions, and advocacy, IWPR is advancing the power and well-being of women across the US. Learn more at IWPR.org.