
May 2022
On June 3rd, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that employment rose by 390,000 in May, and the unemployment rate remained at 3.6 percent. Notable job gains occurred in leisure and hospitality, in professional and business services, and in transportation and warehousing. Employment in retail trade declined.[1] For veterans, unemployment decreased from 2.9 percent to 2.7 percent in May. Post-9/11 veteran unemployment decreased from 3.4 percent to 3.2 percent. Of the total 242,000 unemployed veterans ages 18 and over, 40 percent have been unemployed for less than five weeks and 60 percent have been unemployed for more than five weeks. The average length of unemployment is 13.9 (the median is 7.3 weeks). The overall unemployment trend varies by different veteran demographic factors, however, some more than others.