In August there was a 200,000 drop in part-time.
In September there was a nearly 600,000 gain in part-time.
Somehow or other that gets explained. My sense is gearing up for holiday hiring. I’m open to other explanations.
But, it has to be explained one way or other. Those are the numbers on the chart.
Reporting errors, or unintentional or intentional computation errors in the Labor Department.
And with a 200,000 drop in August, then a 600,000 gain in September, that has the markings of some sort of error slopping over from one month to the next. An understatement in one month will lead to an overstatement in the month in which it is corrected.
And I'd think back-to-school hiring would take place in August since most all schools restart in August or early September. And Halloween does lead to some big, new displays of decorations, costumes and candy, but I'm not buying that Halloween leads to much new hiring.
We might not get an explanation since the gov't is unlikely to admit errors, especially intentional errors. And if there are logical explanations for such a flip/flop between August and September, the gov't should supply that explanation.