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U.S. Added 171,000 Jobs in October U.S. Added 171,000 Jobs in October
(35 minutes later)
In the last assessment of the  job market before the presidential election, the Labor Department announced Friday that the nation’s employers had added 171,000 positions in October. The unemployment rate rose to 7.9 percent, from 7.8 percent in September.In the last assessment of the  job market before the presidential election, the Labor Department announced Friday that the nation’s employers had added 171,000 positions in October. The unemployment rate rose to 7.9 percent, from 7.8 percent in September.
 The report showed persistent but modest improvement in the American economy. It was based on surveys conducted too early in the month to capture the work stoppages across the East Coast from Hurricane Sandy. The report showed persistent but modest improvement in the American economy. It was based on surveys conducted too early in the month to capture the work stoppages across the East Coast from Hurricane Sandy.
 The biggest gains were in professional and business services, health care and retail trade, the department said. Government payrolls dipped slightly. The biggest gains were in professional and business services, health care and retail trade, the department said. Government payrolls dipped slightly.
Job gains in previous months were revised to show even bigger gains. September’s 114,000 new jobs were revised to 148,000, and August’s 142,000 was revised to 192,000, the government said.
 There have now been 25 straight months of jobs gains in the United States, but the increases have been barely large enough to absorb people entering the work force. A queue of about 12 million unemployed people remain waiting for work, about two out of five of whom have been out of a job for more than six months. There have now been 25 straight months of jobs gains in the United States, but the increases have been barely large enough to absorb people entering the work force. A queue of about 12 million unemployed people remain waiting for work, about two out of five of whom have been out of a job for more than six months.
 That is in addition to more than eight million people who are working part-time but really want full-time jobs. That is in addition to more than eight million people who are working part-time but really want full-time jobs.
 “I’m not just competing against all the other people who are out of work,” said Griff Coxey, 57, of Cascade, Wis., who was laid off in May from his controller job at a small business. “I’m also competing against all those people who are actually working but are underemployed.” “I’m not just competing against all the other people who are out of work,” said Griff Coxey, 57, of Cascade, Wis., who was laid off in May from his controller job at a small business. “I’m also competing against all those people who are actually working but are underemployed.”
 Like two million other idle workers, Mr. Coxey is scheduled to lose his unemployment benefits the last week of the year, when the federal extensions abruptly expire. He said he still has some savings to fall back on, but many workers do not. Like two million other idle workers, Mr. Coxey is scheduled to lose his unemployment benefits the last week of the year, when the federal extensions abruptly expire. He said he still has some savings to fall back on, but many workers do not.
 Labor advocates and economists are hopeful that Congress will renew the benefits as part of their discussions of the “fiscal cliff” during their postelection session. So far, though, the issue has received little attention, and analysts worry that ending extended benefits could disrupt what modest forward momentum the economy currently has. Labor advocates and economists are hopeful that Congress will renew the benefits as part of their discussions of the “fiscal cliff” during their postelection session. So far, though, the issue has received little attention, and analysts worry that ending extended benefits could disrupt what modest forward momentum the economy currently has.
 “Federal unemployment benefits are one of the most effective stimuli we have,” said Christine L. Owens, the executive director of the National Employment Law Project, a liberal research and advocacy organization that focuses on labor issues. “Federal unemployment benefits are one of the most effective stimuli we have,” said Christine L. Owens, the executive director of the National Employment Law Project, a liberal research and advocacy organization that focuses on labor issues.
“The recovery is still fragile,” she said, “and to pull that amount of income and expenditure out of the economy — particularly at a time when people thinking about the holiday season  — will have a significant impact on not just those individuals and their families but the economy as a whole.”“The recovery is still fragile,” she said, “and to pull that amount of income and expenditure out of the economy — particularly at a time when people thinking about the holiday season  — will have a significant impact on not just those individuals and their families but the economy as a whole.”