Unemployment among Black Americans can be an early sign of economic strain. It’s rising
Overall, Black Americans account for 18% of the federal workforce as of September, compared to 12% of the overall workforce, according to a May National Women’s Law Center report. Black employees make up an even larger share at some of the agencies that have seen some of the most severe job cuts, like the Department of Education (36%), U.S. Agency for International Development (21%) and the Health and Human Services Department (20.5%), according to September figures from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
