The Brief The unemployment rate ticked up to 4.3% last month, worse than expected and the highest level since 2021. Unemployment ticked up last month, with employers adding just 22,000 jobs amid uncertainty over the U.S. economy. August jobs reportBy the numbers:According to the Labor Department, hiring decelerated from 79,000 in July. Factories slashed 12,000 jobs last month, the fourth straight month that manufacturers have cut payrolls. But for now, pending Antoni’s confirmation by the Senate, the jobs report is in the hands of the acting BLS commissioner, William Wiatrowski, a career Labor Department official.