US Employment Data Release Postponed Amid Ongoing Government Shutdown
The Bureau of Labor Statistics has confirmed a further delay to the publication of its highly anticipated monthly jobs report, as the partial federal government shutdown continues to disrupt official economic data releases. The January 2026 employment situation report, which was originally scheduled for publication on Friday, 6th February 2026, will now be rescheduled for a later date, to be confirmed only after government funding is fully restored.
Compounding Delays from Previous Shutdowns
This latest postponement compounds significant existing delays faced by the statistical agency, which is still recovering from the extensive 43-day federal shutdown that occurred in October and November of the previous year. Emily Liddel, the Associate Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, stated formally that "The Employment Situation release for January 2026 will not be released as scheduled" and emphasised that a new publication date will be set upon the resumption of normal government operations.
Data collection for the January report has reportedly been completed, but the processing and public release cannot proceed without funded staff and operational systems. The delayed report is particularly crucial for economists and policymakers, as it will provide the first comprehensive snapshot of the US labour market following what was the weakest year for job creation since 2020. Preliminary figures indicate that only 584,000 jobs were added in 2025, a sharp decline from the approximately 2 million jobs created during 2024.
Political Standoff Over Homeland Security Funding
The current government shutdown stems from a political impasse in Congress concerning funding for the Department of Homeland Security. Federal funding officially lapsed on Sunday after lawmakers failed to reach an agreement. The deadlock centres on proposed restrictions and operational guardrails for Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, following the controversial killings of two US citizens by federal agents last month.
Democratic senators are currently refusing to support any spending authorisation bill for the DHS that does not include these new restrictions, demanding a substantive rewrite of the proposed legislation. While the Senate passed five separate measures late last week to fund other government agencies through to September, alongside a two-week temporary funding bill for Homeland Security, the House of Representatives has yet to secure passage.
House Democrats have not guaranteed the necessary votes, and Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has asserted that House Republicans possess sufficient votes independently to potentially reopen the government by Tuesday. The ongoing uncertainty continues to stall vital economic reporting and numerous other federal functions.
