U.S. hiring cools in June with Leisure, hospitality shedding jobs

CEI’s Labor Policy Expert Sean Higgins was cited in the Washington Times for his thoughts on June hiring numbers.

“The big picture: It’s a better job market than a year ago, but the opportunities are limited,” Heather Long, the chief economist at the Navy Federal Credit Union, said on social media.

Some experts interpreted the June report as a sign that consumers are getting cautious.

“The sharpest blow was in leisure and hospitality, which shed 61,000 jobs in June despite it being the summer hiring season. Americans are cutting back on their vacation and family spending, and the employers that rely on that are cutting back as well,” said Sean Higgins, a research fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute.

Job gains were lackluster in 2025, as employers eased off a post-pandemic hiring frenzy and worried about factors such as new tariffs. The situation prompted the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates despite lingering inflation concerns.

There have been signs of a rebound in activity in 2026.

Read the full article in the Washington Times.