U.S. Jobs Report Delayed by Government Shutdown
U.S. jobs report delayed as a partial government shutdown causes BLS data delay, postponing JOLTS and metro releases and complicating trader calendars.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- BLS postponed the January Employment Situation, originally set for Feb. 6, until government funding resumes.
- December JOLTS and metro employment releases were also delayed, creating immediate data gaps for economists.
- Traders face calendar uncertainty until BLS resumes operations and posts a new release schedule.
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The U.S. jobs report was delayed after a partial government shutdown began on Saturday, January 31, 2026. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) said the January Employment Situation, originally due Friday, February 6, will be rescheduled once government funding is restored.
Jobs Data Postponed Amid Shutdown
On Monday, February 2, the BLS confirmed it would not release the January Employment Situation report as scheduled. This postponement leaves traders and economists without the monthly payroll and unemployment snapshot until operations resume. The agency also delayed December’s Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), originally set for Tuesday, February 3, and metro-area employment statistics planned for Wednesday, February 4.
January data collection had been completed before the shutdown, so this interruption affects publication rather than survey gathering. By contrast, a 43-day shutdown from October 1 to November 12, 2025, halted data collection for October and disrupted the federal release calendar. This marks the second shutdown in five months to unsettle official economic statistics.
Government Shutdown Halts Federal Operations
The partial shutdown began Saturday morning after Congress failed to approve Labor Department funding amid a dispute over immigration enforcement. Nonessential BLS staff responsible for compiling and publishing economic data were furloughed, suspending normal operations.
The shutdown also disrupted other federal services, including tax refunds and air travel. Capitol Hill signals suggest the lapse could be brief, with House Speaker Mike Johnson expressing optimism that funding legislation might advance early this week. The BLS said it will notify the public via its release calendar once operations resume.
