• Private-sector employment fell by an average of 13,500 jobs per week over the four weeks ending November 8.
  • The data signals a continued slowdown in hiring, extending a pattern of weak or negative job growth in recent months.
  • Large firms continued to add workers, while small and medium-sized businesses contracted.

Private payrolls in the United States continued their downward trend, declining by an average of 13,500 jobs per week over the four weeks ending November 8, 2025, according to the latest ADP National Employment Report preliminary estimate. This marks the third consecutive four-week period of negative average weekly job growth, underscoring a persistent softness in the labor market as employers grapple with economic uncertainty.

The sustained decline comes despite a moderate rebound in October, when the economy added 42,000 private jobs. That gain, however, was not broadly distributed across industries or regions, and the overall trend has reverted to negative territory. According to people familiar with the data, the weakness appears concentrated in professional and business services, information, and leisure and hospitality sectors, while education, health care, and trade and transportation showed more resilience.

Pay growth remained steady, with median annual pay for job-stayers holding at 4.5% and for job-changers at 6.7% in October. This stability in wages, even as hiring slows, suggests a balancing act between labor supply and demand. The payroll data also revealed a stark divide by company size: large establishments added 73,000 jobs, while medium-sized firms shed 21,000 and small businesses cut 10,000 positions.

Efforts to stabilize the job market have so far yielded mixed results. The labor market's sluggishness is being closely monitored by the Federal Reserve as it weighs future monetary policy decisions. Without a more robust hiring trend, consumer spending power could be at risk heading into the new year.

ADP has not responded to a request for further comment on the preliminary figures. The next comprehensive monthly ADP employment report is scheduled for release on December 3, which will provide a clearer picture of whether this negative trend is accelerating or stabilizing.