The economy added 114,000 jobs in September, down from 142,000 in August and not nearly enough to keep pace with population growth.

The unemployment rate decreased to 7.8 percent, because the number of self-employed jumped dramatically. With the economy growing so slowly many of these are likely workers laid off during the economic collapse who have established home-based businesses.

In the weakest recovery since the Great Depression, nearly the entire reduction in unemployment from its 10.0 percent peak in October 2009 has been accomplished through a significant drop in the percentage of adults participating in the labor force — either working or looking for work. Were the adult participation the same today, the unemployment rate would be 9.8 percent.