Puzzle overhanging job market: When will more people return?

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER
AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — When the U.S. government issues the September jobs report on Friday, the spotlight will fall not only on how many people were hired last month. A second question will command attention, too: Are more people finally starting to look for work? To an extent that has confounded economists, many people who lost or quit their jobs in the pandemic recession have yet to look for work again despite a robust economic rebound that has left many employers desperate to hire to meet growing customer demand. Across the country, widespread and persistent labor shortages have hampered industries from restaurants and hotels to manufacturing and construction.