U.S. Private-Sector Job Growth Hits Record Low: 38,000 Added in August

ADP reported September 2 that U.S. private employers added just 38,000 jobs in August 2026 — the slowest pace on the company's record and well below the 48,000 economists expected. Base pay rose 3.2% and gross pay 4.7%. The miss intensifies labor-market scrutiny ahead of the Bureau of Labor Statistics' official payrolls release. ADP and BLS figures have diverged in past cycles.