Americans are returning to the labor force at a quickening rate – do they just really need the work?

Americans are returning to the labor force at a quickening rate – do they just really need the work?: Americans are returning to the labor force at a quickening rate – do they just really need the work? The U.S. economy surprised analysts by adding 467,000 jobs in January, overcoming omicron concerns and continuing a long streak of gains, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Feb. 4, 2022. Yet at the same time, the unemployment rate ticked up a notch, from 3.9% to 4%. Confused? Shouldn’t a large increase in jobs drive joblessness lower? I believe the main culprit behind these conflicting results is a jump in the number of people rejoining the job market – in fact, the biggest increase in 19 months.