{"success":true,"data":{"pressRelease":{"id":"155357","rtpr_id":"nGNXrvZCX-20260929","ticker":"PAYX","exchange":"NASDAQ","all_tickers":["PAYX"],"title":"U.S. Small Business Employment Rate Remains Steady in September","author":"Globe Newswire","published_at":"2026-09-29T12:30:00.516Z","article_body":"ROCHESTER, N.Y., Sept. 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the Paychex\nSmall Business Employment Watch\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=71cMAAo8rhkh45Z0NkpLpDkMSSJ1qOgRUyNCL8B5Ueyz15btZe_J7j_l2WSjAZX0cQOHACDc_2Jw1QNMPrlqwOiBxnMaPwfeV0gumoiu8EmrtO2tyrqiostJRjxkSvCR4v-1cQ0WkYJHBfbWS1VdBw==),\nwhich reports on employment levels in U.S. small businesses with fewer than 50\nemployees, the pace of job growth increased 0.02 percentage points to 99.15 in\nSeptember. The jobs index remained broadly in line with the 2026 year-to-date\naverage of 99.19. Hourly earnings growth remained below three percent in\nSeptember (2.78%), extending a more than two-year trend of moderating wage\ngrowth. At the same time, weekly earnings and hours worked growth remained\npositive, indicating businesses continue to meet demand through existing\nworkforce capacity.\n\n“The small business labor market continues to demonstrate remarkable\nstability,” said John Gibson\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=Fn8QBnPDQUTS90hf2zXZBO7ba-Ywp0nP6Q0RBOgZ60E5GIDqqnZyLT9R58kM-animGuSVyKqljl93OA8Y6ugtFLw6zx4Io-gWj6kV25acPZu8alya6ZnlMNw8XSQZvL14oaWHRVRV0bSe7YdxcJFqA==),\nPaychex president and CEO. “Our data shows businesses are largely\nmaintaining staffing levels. The pace of employment growth across our overall\nclient base improved slightly in September, with stronger growth among\nbusinesses with more than 50 employees. Sustained increases in weekly earnings\nand hours worked growth demonstrate that businesses continue to meet\noperational needs without increasing hiring. With hourly earnings growth\nremaining below three percent for more than two years, labor cost pressures\nhave become more manageable. These trends point to a labor market that remains\nfundamentally solid.”\n\nJobs Index and Wage Data Highlights\n* Hourly earnings growth (2.78%) moderated slightly in September as one-month\nannualized growth (2.41%) slowed to its lowest level in nearly six years\n(October 2020: 2.40%).\n* Weekly earnings growth increased to 3.07% in September, marking the ninth\nconsecutive month of growth.\n* Weekly hours worked growth (0.21%) was positive for the seventh consecutive\nmonth in September.\n* The Midwest remained the top region for small business employment growth\nwith a 99.62 jobs index in September.\n* Arizona (100.59) led states for small business job growth in September and\nhas reported an index level above 100 for the last five months. Phoenix\n(101.31) led U.S. metros for job growth in September.\n* Education and Health Services (99.79) remained the top sector for small\nbusiness job growth in September and has ranked among the top two sectors\nevery month since February 2023.\nAbout the Paychex Small Business Employment Watch\nSince 2014, the Paychex Small Business Employment Watch has been a trusted\nsource of employment trends for U.S. small businesses with fewer than 50\nemployees. The Employment Watch website\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=sdiw2EOAaiddqBuDTOZ5wLvgAG5Eddg8rv3UbbLEItHTsyYkFfqiiFuGXajzcHqID_wZRSr1Z5D8Xe1WHCBqyFgGguhI2NmAeVxKuTD9tyujjcgmutUKwwxSXLc4Q0gU)\noffers interactive charts and historical data across the report’s two key\ncomponents – the jobs index\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=Gt4xjmzuZisG6LUqzLGFcyJ5b2luQoTzVh6-hIf0Waku2KQSy26ipmdX7NBiYtk8GyQapac10l0vcVPG0wQlHnymx0MK9Sx5C-wXxD7sb8Cmj7cHGqs32s7uO76JaRljYNNKfdRlobBGRbHXIdXMdA==)\nand wage data\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=7DN8MpS42IEuzpN51ZxKvlpqdX6164_p8YdaJ1Q1hk0I4MiEzUCmC0BtgLa-qPObQJ9fsAHipTMw9lRCc8w0vkEBCdet1dD3Ee4ZhMYzhuHxhy9mj80a261eqX9mBv6n)\n– as well as the methodology for both analyses. Visit the Bloomberg\nTerminals or subscribe to receive monthly alerts with the latest data\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=EvXGfhpR6wtJIvXf-96BBXTbatpWaLT4Beh2lg0FKAUSMCAbYnu-SWmRKM3J3kuai2OUCwA4vjYFNwri52YxUVo9Z0c3vJsD2at6_rUNdt2EimcZUQ8p0jq5CnGlOjxvjfc4lDZluDQYlhx4pvqAaCovT2G9-bTigseeaw6JwB3gP8zi3jlmrDsabF26FiKr).\n\n\n\n*Information regarding the professions included in the industry data can be\nfound at the Bureau of Labor Statistics website.\n\nAbout Paychex\nPaychex, Inc. (Nasdaq: PAYX) provides a comprehensive suite of expert-enabled\ntechnology and advisory solutions that help businesses manage HR, payroll, and\nbenefits. Serving approximately 840,000 customers and paying 1 in 11 U.S.\nprivate sector workers, Paychex combines scale, trusted expertise, and\ninnovation to help businesses succeed. Built on more than 50 years of\nworkforce experience and one of the industry’s largest proprietary HR\ndatasets, Paychex’s WISE agentic AI engine embeds intelligence directly into\nworkflows to improve productivity, enhance decision-making, and deliver better\noutcomes. Learn more at paychex.com\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=lSnQSLX00hr6awR2V8M1iENyEAJpaeZgkGu5FDBOGv4xfCc4e1tnmJLHtoedLNQQsjWKpZFF4A48mYNbWkCiO7TKpBEJVBYVPKkKvLxB_wOgAbxES5mMhMpzWyZNUrFVDatV524Ay-RotwyJO-As2v8Acn9LdvDiwpgFHTB-4ipdkJJrK7DU0cl8qLwAc0JOkau5RMvptTAmx6Tqdzl7HXS-M5WnmDg351vjy7IgLXs=).\n\nMedia Contacts\nTracy Volkmann\nPaychex, Inc.\nManager, Public Relations\n(585) 387-6705\ntvolkmann@paychex.com\n\nErin McAward\nICR, Inc.\nAccount Director\npaychexpr@icrinc.com\n\nA photo accompanying this announcement is available at\nhttps://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3545f218-10d1-412e-80d3-9e3960084691\n\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7d951b09-5234-42ca-bde6-32a0b2f62002)\nPaychex Small Business Employment Watch \n(https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3545f218-10d1-412e-80d3-9e3960084691/en)\nPaychex data shows small businesses are largely maintaining staffing levels as\nthe pace of employment remains steady as of September 2026.\n\n\nGlobeNewswire, Inc. 2026","article_body_html":"","raw_payload":{"data":{"id":"nGNXrvZCX-20260929","title":"U.S. Small Business Employment Rate Remains Steady in September","author":"Globe Newswire","ticker":"PAYX","created":"2026-09-29T12:30:00.516Z","tickers":["PAYX"],"exchange":"NASDAQ","article_body":"ROCHESTER, N.Y., Sept. 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the Paychex\nSmall Business Employment Watch\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=71cMAAo8rhkh45Z0NkpLpDkMSSJ1qOgRUyNCL8B5Ueyz15btZe_J7j_l2WSjAZX0cQOHACDc_2Jw1QNMPrlqwOiBxnMaPwfeV0gumoiu8EmrtO2tyrqiostJRjxkSvCR4v-1cQ0WkYJHBfbWS1VdBw==),\nwhich reports on employment levels in U.S. small businesses with fewer than 50\nemployees, the pace of job growth increased 0.02 percentage points to 99.15 in\nSeptember. The jobs index remained broadly in line with the 2026 year-to-date\naverage of 99.19. Hourly earnings growth remained below three percent in\nSeptember (2.78%), extending a more than two-year trend of moderating wage\ngrowth. At the same time, weekly earnings and hours worked growth remained\npositive, indicating businesses continue to meet demand through existing\nworkforce capacity.\n\n“The small business labor market continues to demonstrate remarkable\nstability,” said John Gibson\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=Fn8QBnPDQUTS90hf2zXZBO7ba-Ywp0nP6Q0RBOgZ60E5GIDqqnZyLT9R58kM-animGuSVyKqljl93OA8Y6ugtFLw6zx4Io-gWj6kV25acPZu8alya6ZnlMNw8XSQZvL14oaWHRVRV0bSe7YdxcJFqA==),\nPaychex president and CEO. “Our data shows businesses are largely\nmaintaining staffing levels. The pace of employment growth across our overall\nclient base improved slightly in September, with stronger growth among\nbusinesses with more than 50 employees. Sustained increases in weekly earnings\nand hours worked growth demonstrate that businesses continue to meet\noperational needs without increasing hiring. With hourly earnings growth\nremaining below three percent for more than two years, labor cost pressures\nhave become more manageable. These trends point to a labor market that remains\nfundamentally solid.”\n\nJobs Index and Wage Data Highlights\n* Hourly earnings growth (2.78%) moderated slightly in September as one-month\nannualized growth (2.41%) slowed to its lowest level in nearly six years\n(October 2020: 2.40%).\n* Weekly earnings growth increased to 3.07% in September, marking the ninth\nconsecutive month of growth.\n* Weekly hours worked growth (0.21%) was positive for the seventh consecutive\nmonth in September.\n* The Midwest remained the top region for small business employment growth\nwith a 99.62 jobs index in September.\n* Arizona (100.59) led states for small business job growth in September and\nhas reported an index level above 100 for the last five months. Phoenix\n(101.31) led U.S. metros for job growth in September.\n* Education and Health Services (99.79) remained the top sector for small\nbusiness job growth in September and has ranked among the top two sectors\nevery month since February 2023.\nAbout the Paychex Small Business Employment Watch\nSince 2014, the Paychex Small Business Employment Watch has been a trusted\nsource of employment trends for U.S. small businesses with fewer than 50\nemployees. The Employment Watch website\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=sdiw2EOAaiddqBuDTOZ5wLvgAG5Eddg8rv3UbbLEItHTsyYkFfqiiFuGXajzcHqID_wZRSr1Z5D8Xe1WHCBqyFgGguhI2NmAeVxKuTD9tyujjcgmutUKwwxSXLc4Q0gU)\noffers interactive charts and historical data across the report’s two key\ncomponents – the jobs index\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=Gt4xjmzuZisG6LUqzLGFcyJ5b2luQoTzVh6-hIf0Waku2KQSy26ipmdX7NBiYtk8GyQapac10l0vcVPG0wQlHnymx0MK9Sx5C-wXxD7sb8Cmj7cHGqs32s7uO76JaRljYNNKfdRlobBGRbHXIdXMdA==)\nand wage data\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=7DN8MpS42IEuzpN51ZxKvlpqdX6164_p8YdaJ1Q1hk0I4MiEzUCmC0BtgLa-qPObQJ9fsAHipTMw9lRCc8w0vkEBCdet1dD3Ee4ZhMYzhuHxhy9mj80a261eqX9mBv6n)\n– as well as the methodology for both analyses. Visit the Bloomberg\nTerminals or subscribe to receive monthly alerts with the latest data\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=EvXGfhpR6wtJIvXf-96BBXTbatpWaLT4Beh2lg0FKAUSMCAbYnu-SWmRKM3J3kuai2OUCwA4vjYFNwri52YxUVo9Z0c3vJsD2at6_rUNdt2EimcZUQ8p0jq5CnGlOjxvjfc4lDZluDQYlhx4pvqAaCovT2G9-bTigseeaw6JwB3gP8zi3jlmrDsabF26FiKr).\n\n\n\n*Information regarding the professions included in the industry data can be\nfound at the Bureau of Labor Statistics website.\n\nAbout Paychex\nPaychex, Inc. (Nasdaq: PAYX) provides a comprehensive suite of expert-enabled\ntechnology and advisory solutions that help businesses manage HR, payroll, and\nbenefits. Serving approximately 840,000 customers and paying 1 in 11 U.S.\nprivate sector workers, Paychex combines scale, trusted expertise, and\ninnovation to help businesses succeed. Built on more than 50 years of\nworkforce experience and one of the industry’s largest proprietary HR\ndatasets, Paychex’s WISE agentic AI engine embeds intelligence directly into\nworkflows to improve productivity, enhance decision-making, and deliver better\noutcomes. Learn more at paychex.com\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=lSnQSLX00hr6awR2V8M1iENyEAJpaeZgkGu5FDBOGv4xfCc4e1tnmJLHtoedLNQQsjWKpZFF4A48mYNbWkCiO7TKpBEJVBYVPKkKvLxB_wOgAbxES5mMhMpzWyZNUrFVDatV524Ay-RotwyJO-As2v8Acn9LdvDiwpgFHTB-4ipdkJJrK7DU0cl8qLwAc0JOkau5RMvptTAmx6Tqdzl7HXS-M5WnmDg351vjy7IgLXs=).\n\nMedia Contacts\nTracy Volkmann\nPaychex, Inc.\nManager, Public Relations\n(585) 387-6705\ntvolkmann@paychex.com\n\nErin McAward\nICR, Inc.\nAccount Director\npaychexpr@icrinc.com\n\nA photo accompanying this announcement is available at\nhttps://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3545f218-10d1-412e-80d3-9e3960084691\n\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7d951b09-5234-42ca-bde6-32a0b2f62002)\nPaychex Small Business Employment Watch \n(https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3545f218-10d1-412e-80d3-9e3960084691/en)\nPaychex data shows small businesses are largely maintaining staffing levels as\nthe pace of employment remains steady as of September 2026.\n\n\nGlobeNewswire, Inc. 2026"},"type":"article","timestamp":"2026-09-29T12:30:01.111017321Z","server_sent_at_ms":1790685001111},"received_at":"2026-09-29T12:30:01.161Z","source_url":null},"analysis":{"id":"144086","press_release_id":"155357","analysis_json":{"industry":{"label":"Professional Services","sector":"Industrials"},"redFlags":[],"eventType":"operations_update","narrative":"Paychex released its September Small Business Employment Watch, with the jobs index edging up 0.02 percentage points to 99.15, broadly in line with the 2026 year-to-date average of 99.19.\n\nHourly earnings growth remained below three percent at 2.78%, extending a more than two-year trend of moderating wage growth, while weekly earnings growth rose to 3.07% for a ninth consecutive month of increases.\n\nCEO John Gibson characterized the small business labor market as remarkably stable, noting businesses are largely maintaining staffing levels and meeting demand through existing workforce capacity.\n\nThe report is a routine monthly data publication from Paychex and does not alter the company's financial outlook.","sentiment":"neutral","agentHooks":{"shouldPost":false,"suggestedAngle":"Steady small business labor data from Paychex index — useful as macro color on wage disinflation, low trading signal."},"keyFigures":{"customDimensions":{"customers_served":"approximately 840,000","arizona_jobs_index":100.59,"midwest_jobs_index":99.62,"phoenix_jobs_index":101.31,"jobs_index_change_pp":0.02,"hourly_earnings_growth":"2.78%","weekly_earnings_growth":"3.07%","ytd_average_jobs_index":99.19,"weekly_hours_worked_growth":"0.21%","education_health_services_index":99.79,"small_business_jobs_index_sep_2026":99.15}},"quotedText":"The small business labor market continues to demonstrate remarkable stability","namedEntities":{"people":[{"name":"John Gibson","role":"Paychex president and CEO"},{"name":"Tracy Volkmann","role":"Manager, Public Relations, Paychex"},{"name":"Erin McAward","role":"Account Director, ICR, Inc."}],"products":["Paychex Small Business Employment Watch","WISE agentic AI engine"],"companies":[{"name":"Paychex, Inc.","ticker":"PAYX","relationship":"filer/index publisher"},{"name":"ICR, Inc.","relationship":"PR agency"},{"name":"Bureau of Labor Statistics","relationship":"data source"}],"dollarAmounts":[]},"materialImpact":{"score":1,"reasoning":"Routine monthly publication of the Paychex Small Business Employment Watch showing steady small business employment; no change to company financials, guidance, or strategy."},"tickerRelevance":{"others":[],"primary":"PAYX"},"globalImportance":12,"audienceRelevance":15,"eventTypeSecondary":[],"importanceComponents":{"macroAngle":"wage-growth disinflation signal","tickerTier":"large-cap but index news is macro-adjacent","eventGravity":"routine monthly data release","issuerAuthored":true}},"event_type":"operations_update","event_type_secondary":null,"sentiment":"neutral","material_impact_score":1,"narrative":"Paychex released its September Small Business Employment Watch, with the jobs index edging up 0.02 percentage points to 99.15, broadly in line with the 2026 year-to-date average of 99.19.\n\nHourly earnings growth remained below three percent at 2.78%, extending a more than two-year trend of moderating wage growth, while weekly earnings growth rose to 3.07% for a ninth consecutive month of increases.\n\nCEO John Gibson characterized the small business labor market as remarkably stable, noting businesses are largely maintaining staffing levels and meeting demand through existing workforce capacity.\n\nThe report is a routine monthly data publication from Paychex and does not alter the company's financial outlook.","key_figures":{"customDimensions":{"customers_served":"approximately 840,000","arizona_jobs_index":100.59,"midwest_jobs_index":99.62,"phoenix_jobs_index":101.31,"jobs_index_change_pp":0.02,"hourly_earnings_growth":"2.78%","weekly_earnings_growth":"3.07%","ytd_average_jobs_index":99.19,"weekly_hours_worked_growth":"0.21%","education_health_services_index":99.79,"small_business_jobs_index_sep_2026":99.15}},"named_entities":{"people":[{"name":"John Gibson","role":"Paychex president and CEO"},{"name":"Tracy Volkmann","role":"Manager, Public Relations, Paychex"},{"name":"Erin McAward","role":"Account Director, ICR, Inc."}],"products":["Paychex Small Business Employment Watch","WISE agentic AI engine"],"companies":[{"name":"Paychex, Inc.","ticker":"PAYX","relationship":"filer/index publisher"},{"name":"ICR, Inc.","relationship":"PR agency"},{"name":"Bureau of Labor Statistics","relationship":"data source"}],"dollarAmounts":[]},"model_name":"glm-5.3-flashx","prompt_hash":"sha256:727b4b9429a443af","schema_hash":"sha256:05005c02d9cffac9","created_at":"2026-09-29T12:30:12.605Z","global_importance":12,"audience_relevance":15,"importance_components":{"macroAngle":"wage-growth disinflation signal","tickerTier":"large-cap but index news is macro-adjacent","eventGravity":"routine monthly data release","issuerAuthored":true}},"durationMs":6175,"modelName":"glm-5.3-flashx"}}