Labor Department: Jobs report on Friday

The Labor Department said Monday that it intends to release its monthly jobs report as scheduled on Friday, hurricane or no hurricane.

That report comes four days before Election Day.

Labor Department officials responded to news reports suggesting the report might be delayed because of fallout from Hurricane Sandy.

"Our intention is that Friday will be business as usual regarding the October employment ... report," said Jennifer Kaplan, a department spokeswoman.

The federal government is closed Monday and could stay closed indefinitely depending on storm damage.

From The Wall Street Journal:

"The Labor Department is also scheduled to release its third-quarter employment cost index Wednesday, and the third-quarter productivity and weekly jobless claims reports Thursday.

"The most closely watched is Friday's jobs report, which will give the final measure the unemployment ahead of next week's presidential election.

"In September, the rate fell to 7.8%, the lowest level since President Barack Obama took office in January 2009. Meanwhile, the economy added 114,000 that month.

"The surveys for the October employment report were conducted earlier this month. The unemployment rate comes from a survey of 60,000 households and the jobs figures come from the establishment survey of 141,000 business and agencies.

"However, it isn't clear that government statisticians and others will be able complete the preparation of the jobs report before scheduled release time due to the weather and associated power outages and transportation disruptions.

"A Census official said that agency too has made 'no decision' on delaying economic data reports due out later this week. The Census, part of the Department of Commerce, is scheduled to release the construction spending report Thursday and the factory order data Friday."