Federal Reserve Beige Book: Employment overall is on the rise, future uncertainty increases

The Federal Reserve's Beige Book noted that during the reporting period, overall employment saw a slight increase. Six Federal Reserve districts reported a slight increase in employment numbers, while six districts reported no change. Respondents from several service industries, including healthcare, continued to report growth in employment. Employment in the construction industry slightly increased, while manufacturing employment remained steady. Respondents from various industries pointed out difficulties in finding skilled workers and layoffs were still rarely reported. However, some respondents from reserve districts showed greater uncertainty about future staffing needs. The wage growth rate accelerated to a moderate level in most reserve districts, although there were also reports of easing wage pressure.