The unemployment rate for Black women increased by over a percentage point in November.

• The jobless rate among Black women increased from 4.9% in October to 6% in November, resulting in a sharp rise.
• According to Kevin Rinz of the Washington Center for Equitable Growth, while the labor market is still strong and gradually cooling, marginalized workers are not benefiting as much from the data.

The unemployment rate climbed sharply for Black women in November.

While the overall jobless rate increased slightly to 4.2% from 4.1% in October, certain groups experienced more substantial increases in unemployment compared to others, as per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The jobless rate for black women increased the most, rising from 4.9% to 6%, while the jobless rate for white women only increased slightly, from 3.3% to 3.4%, in October.

According to Kevin Rinz, senior fellow and research advisor at the Washington Center for Equitable Growth, the increase in Black women's representation has been more significant than that of white women.

Last month, the highest unemployment rate was among Black workers, which increased to 6.4% from 5.7%. The jobless rate for Black men rose to 6%, while it remained unchanged at 3.5% for white men.

Rinz stated that the labor market is gradually cooling down, but still relatively strong compared to recent historical standards. However, the market is less able to provide gains for marginalized workers as it did immediately after the pandemic. Rinz also emphasized the volatility in month-to-month data.

In November, the labor force participation rate for Black women decreased from 62.6% to 62.3%, while the rate for Black men decreased from 69.3% to 68.7%.

In November, the unemployment rate increased from 4% in October to 4.4%, affecting not only white men but also other demographic groups, including Hispanic men.