The broad U.S. U6 unemployment rate, which captures underemployment as well as joblessness, rose to 8.2% in April 2026, up from 8.0% in March 2026. The latest reading, updated on 8 May 2026, points to a modest deterioration in overall labor market slack during the month.
Unlike the headline unemployment rate, U6 includes discouraged workers, marginally attached workers, and those working part time for economic reasons. The uptick from March’s level suggests that more Americans either struggled to secure full-time positions or remained only tenuously attached to the labor force in April.
While the increase is small in absolute terms, it will be closely watched by investors and policymakers as a potential early indicator of cooling momentum in the job market. Any sustained rise in U6 could influence expectations around consumer spending resilience and future monetary policy decisions in the United States.
