US job growth barely improved in September, with joblessness still hovering close to its highest point since 2021. Unemployment rate is still at 4.3% and according to a Bloomberg survey, only about 50,000 job positions were added in September 2025. US lawmakers are still under pressure to pass the spending bill or risk causing a federal shutdown. However, a shutdown could delay Friday’s report, giving a fresh read on whether demand for workers is holding steady enough to keep unemployment from rising further.