The jobs report on Tuesday "paints a sobering picture of a job market that may officially be turning frigid after a prolonged cooling period," Laura Ullrich, director of economic research in North America at the Indeed Hiring Lab, told ABC News in a statement.

The unemployment rate hit its highest level in more than four years, fueling questions about the economy’s underlying strength.

The unemployment rate jumped to 4.6%, its highest level since September 2021 – up from 4.4% in September, according to government data.

While a falling unemployment rate sounds like a good thing, it can actually be indicative of people leaving the labor force because they can't find a job.

The U.S. unemployment rate was 4.6% in November, the BLS reported Tuesday. While the BLS didn’t publish a jobless rate for October, unemployment was higher compared with September’s pace of 4.4%. Most economists surveyed by FactSet expected unemployment would remain unchanged from September,

US job growth remained sluggish in November and the unemployment rate rose to a four-year high, pointing to a continued cooling in the labor market after a weak October.

The latest jobs report shows Black workers facing higher joblessness, longer unemployment spells, and growing economic risk.

It is vital to keep your credit score high, which will allow for a world of opportunities when you’re back on your feet,” says Steve Azoury, chartered financial consultant