Jobs report postponed due to government shutdown

The big picture: Congress failed to pass funding bills last week including for the Labor Department, of which the Bureau of Labor Statistics is part, amid a standoff over funding for immigration enforcement.

• The shutdown will also delay the release of Job Openings and Labor Turnover data for December, which was scheduled for Tuesday, and metro area employment data for December that was due out Wednesday.

Yes, but: Signs out of Capitol Hill are that this shutdown will be brief — unlike the 43-day shutdown that concluded Nov. 12. House Speaker Mike Johnson has said he anticipates passing funding legislation early this week.

• Unlike last year's shutdown — which resulted in major inflation and unemployment data going uncollected for October — in this case, the relevant data has been collected.

What they're saying: "The Employment Situation release for January 2026 will not be released as scheduled on Friday, February 6, 2026," BLS associate commissioner Emily Liddel said in a statement. "The release will be rescheduled upon the resumption of government funding."

• "Once funding is restored, BLS will resume normal operations and notify the public of any changes to the news release schedule on the BLS release calendar."