?Despite an economy in flux, Black workers are landing jobs at record numbers.
New data released by the Department of Labor in May revealed that the unemployment rate for Black people shrunk to a record-low 4.7 percent in April, which is the first time the rate fell below 5 percent since the department began tracking the statistic for Black individuals in 1972.
The unemployment rate for the group may be driven, in part, by a drop in labor force participation among Black individuals—from 64.1 percent in March to 63 percent in April. The unemployment rate remains higher than that of white (3.1 percent) and Asian (2.1 percent) individuals.
The previous record-low unemployment rate for Black individuals was 5.3 percent in 2019, as The Wall Street Journal noted. In May 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic swept the nation, the rate for the group soared to 16.8 percent.
SHRM Online gathered additional news on this topic.
Black Employees Among Workers Who Received Biggest Pay Raises
Black workers, young employees and low-wage earners saw the largest pay increases in 2022. The median raise for Black individuals employed full time was 11.3 percent when compared with the prior year.
Black Workers’ Progress in the World of Work
Black employees deal with workplace challenges that many other groups do not. Kelisha B. Graves, an educator and author, discussed how employers can help Black workers overcome systemic barriers by embracing diversity, equity and inclusion.
The Past and Future of Workplace Safety for Black Americans
Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that the share of fatalities among Black workers reached an all-time high at 12.6 percent in 2021, with most in the transportation industry or related to workplace violence. Black or African American workers had a fatality rate of 4.0 per 100,000 full-time workers, compared with an average of 3.6 for all workers.
Nearly Half of Black Workers Want to Quit
Black workers are among the most unhappy employees, with 49 percent saying they want to quit, according to a recent Indeed survey. Pay transparency, a misalignment of personal values with company values and the desire for more diverse leadership contribute to these negative feelings.
(CNBC)
Black Employees Are Penalized for Self-Promotion, Study Finds
Employees are regularly told to share their accolades and achievements to appear more favorable to managers. But a 2022 study indicated that Black employees who engage in self-promotion are rated less favorably on job performance and person-organization fit measures compared with white, Hispanic and Asian employees.
(Forbes)
