Claim Check · Jobs
“More people are working in the United States right now than at any point in the history of the country”
Verdict: MisleadingPublished automatically from the cited sources below; the editor, Cory Hepler, has not yet reviewed it. Something off? Request a correction →
While raw U.S. employment hit an all-time peak in January 2026, it slightly dropped by February, and the raw figure is largely driven by ongoing population growth rather than robust economic expansion.
According to reporting by PolitiFact and WRAL.com, U.S. employment did reach an all-time high of 158.6 million in January 2026, but it declined slightly to 158.5 million in February. PolitiFact notes that raw employment numbers naturally rise over time due to overall population growth, making it a routine milestone that economists do not consider a meaningful measure of health. Furthermore, both PolitiFact and WRAL.com point out that the claim masks weak underlying job creation, with the period seeing the weakest job growth record in 16 years.
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