The US economy lost 32,000 private sector jobs in September

Question

Private payrolls plunged in September, complicating the picture for the US economy as policymakers and investors struggle to assess the state of the labor market amid a government shutdown.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics is unlikely to release the monthly jobs report this Friday due to the closure. That means many flying blind without critical economic data are having to key into any information they can get, including Wednesday’s private sector jobs data from payroll company ADP.

Answer 1

1. According to the CNN article, I found that the number 32,000 was projected from the employment company ADP. I checked their most recent employment report, which indeed matches the article's claim of 32,000. 
2. https://adpemploymentreport.com/ - This ADP employment report confirms the monthly jobs decrease. 
4. I don't see a reason why CNN would be biased

Comments

While it is a good source, CNN does have a slightly left-leaning bias. Regardless, it is a credible source and the information you found is truthful.

Answer 2

Claim:
“The US economy lost 32,000 private sector jobs in September. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is unlikely to release its monthly jobs report because of the shutdown, so people are relying on ADP’s data instead.”

Verdict:
Mostly true.

Why:

• Job losses: ADP, a major payroll company, reported that private employers cut 32,000 jobs in September 2025 (ADP report). Major outlets like Reuters and CBS News confirmed the same number (Reuters, CBS).

• BLS shutdown: Because of the government shutdown, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said it would not release its monthly jobs report (BLS notice; Fox Business).

• Reliance on ADP: With no official report, investors and policymakers turned to ADP for clues. Barron’s even said “with no jobs report, ADP gains unusual importance” (Barron’s).

Caveats:

• ADP tracks only private sector jobs and often differs from the official BLS report when it eventually comes out.

• The September figure included a rebenchmarking adjustment that made the decline look larger.

• One month of losses doesn’t automatically mean a long-term trend.

Conclusion:
The claim is accurate overall, ADP did show a 32,000 private-sector job loss, the BLS did pause its jobs release, and people really did lean on ADP as a stand-in. The only catch is that ADP isn’t the same as the official government jobs report.