September Non Farm Payroll Release Postponed

Although the Current Employment Statistics section of the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics still says:

The Employment Situation for September 2013 is scheduled to be released on October 4, 2013, at 8:30 A.M. Eastern Time.

the BLS home page currently displays this notice:

This website is currently not being updated due to the suspension of Federal government services. The last update to the site was Monday, September 30. During the shutdown period BLS will not collect data, issue reports, or respond to public inquiries. Updates to the site will start again when the Federal government resumes operations. Revised schedules will be issued as they become available.

Please visit www.opm.gov for the most recent information on Federal government suspensions, shutdowns, and closings.

It looks like tomorrow's anticipated release of the September NFP numbers will not now take place. It also looks like even Barack Obama doesn't know when everyone will be back at their desks at the BLS, and hence when their "revised schedules" might be made available. The Office of Personnel Management web site is currently showing a message from the President "to the dedicated and hard-working employees of the United States Government" dated October 1st 2013, in which he says:

The Federal Government is America's largest employer, with more than 2 million civilian workers and 1.4 million active duty military who serve in all 50 States and around the world. But Congress has failed to meet its responsibility to pass a budget before the fiscal year that begins today. And that means much of our Government must shut down effective today.

This shutdown was completely preventable. It should not have happened. And the House of Representatives can end it as soon as it follows the Senate's lead, and funds your work in the United States Government without trying to attach highly controversial and partisan measures in
the process.

Hopefully, we will resolve this quickly. In the meantime, I want you to know-whether you are a young person who just joined public service because you want to make a difference, or a career employee who has dedicated your life to that pursuit-you and your families remain at the front of my mind.

Hope springs eternal, but it doesn't actually pay anybody's bills. According to the August statistics available for download from the US Treasury Direct web site, the United States total public debt outstanding on August 31st was 16,738,650 million dollars.