Last week was quite a week for President Donald Trump! He started out the week with a phenomenal State of the Union address on Tuesday night. In that address, he honored American heroes, described his vision for an even more prosperous America, and most importantly to CWF, shared his many accomplishments for American workers. The next day, the U.S. Senate acquitted him, and he gave another terrific speech on the impeachment on Thursday. 

Then, on Friday, the jobs numbers delivered yet another victory for President Trump, ending an incredible week on a high. 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released its Employment Situation Summary on Friday for January 2020. Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 225,000 in January with gains in construction, health care, transportation and warehousing.

Despite this increase in jobs, the unemployment rate rose to 3.6%, but even this was outstanding news. The unemployment rate increased because more Americans decided to start looking for a job. In fact, the number of Americans who entered the labor force increased by 183,000. This increasing number of Americans in the labor force is a big change from the last roughly 20 years, which saw the labor force participation rate decrease. The fact that this trend has changed is outstanding for Americans and the economy, and it’s a tremendous achievement for President Trump.  

As Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia explained:

“For the 23rd consecutive month, the unemployment rate was at or below 4%. At 3.6%, the unemployment rate ticked up slightly as more Americans entered the labor force. The labor force participation rate moved up to the highest point since 2013.”

Wages also increased. Average hourly earnings rose by seven cents in January, and over the past year, they have increased by 3.1%. January was the 18^th consecutive month of over 3% growth in average hourly earnings.

Finally, the November and December jobs numbers were revised up by a total of 7,000 jobs.

These numbers confirm that the low tax policies and deregulatory agenda of the Trump administration is working and working for all Americans. In fact, Deputy Secretary of Labor Patrick Pizzella just explained in his article, “The Deregulatory Achievements of the Trump Labor Department” that the Labor Department alone has saved the American economy over $11 billion since President Trump took office. Those savings will not only help American businesses, but will also translate into more jobs for American workers.

Congratulations once again to President Trump, the Trump administration, Secretary Scalia and the U.S. Department of Labor on another strong month of job creation!