The unemployment rate showed little change in September, holding steady at 4.1 percent, according to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Employment increased by 254,000 new jobs in September with the biggest growth seen in food services and drinking establishments, health care, government, social assistance and construction sectors. 

The number of unemployed people also held steady in September, remaining mostly unchanged at 6.8 million people. In a statement, the BLS noted that these measures are higher than a year earlier, when the jobless rate was 3.8 percent, and the number of unemployed people was 6.3 million. 

The unemployment rate fell among adult men to 3.7 percent. In comparison, the jobless rates for adult women (3.6 percent), teenagers (14.3 percent), Whites (3.6 percent), Blacks (5.7 percent), Asians (4.1 percent) and Hispanics (5.1 percent) showed little or no change for the month of September.

According to the BLS, the number of people jobless for less than 5 weeks decreased by 322,000 to 2.1 million in September, while the number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) changed little over the month and totaled 1.6 million. 

For the third consecutive month, the labor force participation rate was 62.7 percent and the employment-population ratio remained at approximately 60 percent.

The number of people employed part-time for economic reasons increased to 4.6 million in September compared with 4.1 million a year earlier. According to BLS, these individuals would have preferred full-time employment but were working part-time because their hours had been reduced, or they could not find full-time jobs.

The number of people not in the labor force who currently want a job also remained relatively unchanged at 5.7 million. These individuals were not counted as unemployed because they were not actively looking for work during the 4 weeks preceding the survey or were unavailable to take a job. 

The number of people not in the labor force who wanted a job increased by 204,000 to 1.6 million.