Texas entered autumn 2026 with job growth still positive over the year, but the statewide picture is softer than it appeared after the strong June report. Seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment stood at 14,461,300 in September, down 11,100 from August and up 154,300 from September 2025. The annual growth rate was 1.1 percent, while the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held at 4.4 percent.[Statewide data]
The 2026 forecast has changed direction as well. The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas raised its forecast to 2.0 percent growth in July after the midyear pickup, then lowered the estimate to 1.2 percent in September after weaker July growth and benchmark revisions reduced the measured pace earlier in the year. The September forecast calls for about 173,600 additional jobs during 2026, well below the 286,000 projected in July.[Forecast revision]
The statewide total also hides a mixed sector pattern. Professional and business services remained the strongest major industry over the year, manufacturing moved back above its September 2025 level, and construction continued to grow annually. Information and financial activities remained below year-earlier employment, while government also recorded an annual decline.
Data Scope
- Latest statewide reference month: September 2026.
- Statewide payroll and unemployment figures: seasonally adjusted.
- June-to-September industry comparison: statewide seasonally adjusted payroll levels; earlier monthly estimates may have been revised after their first release.
- Latest metro payroll reference month used below: August 2026, reported on a not seasonally adjusted basis for metropolitan statistical areas.
- Latest metro unemployment reference month used below: September 2026, also not seasonally adjusted.
- Data status: monthly estimates are preliminary or subject to later revision where the source identifies them as such.
Texas Employment Position in September 2026
The June report marked the strongest point of the midyear acceleration, but later data did not extend that pace. The current September total of 14,461,300 jobs is slightly below the revised June level now shown in federal data, and the annual growth rate has eased to 1.1 percent. September itself produced an 11,100-job decline after seasonal adjustment.
| Measure | Latest Value | How to Read It |
|---|---|---|
| Total nonfarm employment | 14,461,300 | Seasonally adjusted jobs on Texas employer payrolls |
| Change from August | −11,100 | One-month payroll change after seasonal adjustment |
| Change over 12 months | +154,300 | Equivalent to annual growth of 1.1 percent |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4 percent | Seasonally adjusted share of the civilian labor force without work and actively seeking work |
| Dallas Fed 2026 forecast | +1.2 percent | December-to-December forecast rather than a recorded result |
| Forecast job increase | 173,600 | Model-based estimate for 2026 |
| Forecast December employment | 14.5 million | Projected year-end payroll level |
The 2026 Forecast Has Moved Up and Then Back Down
| Forecast Date | 2026 Growth Forecast | Projected Job Gain | Projected December Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 6 | 1.1 percent | 154,600 | 14.4 million |
| July 17 | 2.0 percent | 286,000 | 14.6 million |
| September 18 | 1.2 percent | 173,600 | 14.5 million |
The sequence matters more than any one forecast value. February began with a cautious 1.1 percent estimate. Stronger midyear payroll readings pushed the July forecast to 2.0 percent, but the September update moved back toward the early-year view. The Dallas Fed attributed much of the September reduction to first-quarter benchmark revisions, which lowered measured year-to-date growth, while July employment had also weakened. The September forecast carries an 80 percent confidence range of 0.8 to 1.6 percent.
The September 18 forecast remains the latest published Dallas Fed Texas employment forecast available on October 17. The bank states that the update originally scheduled for October 16 will be released on October 19 because of data-processing delays.[Forecast timing]
Forecast values are not job announcements. The September estimate represents expected net payroll growth across the state. It does not mean that 173,600 identifiable vacancies are available at one time, and it does not imply equal growth across occupations or regions.
Why Payroll Growth and Unemployment Can Move Differently
Texas payroll employment declined in September while the unemployment rate remained at 4.4 percent. The civilian labor force, meanwhile, increased by 15,800 people to 15,948,400. These results are not contradictory because employer payroll data and household-based labor-force data come from different statistical programs and answer different questions.[Measure comparison]
| Measure | Primary Question | What Is Counted |
|---|---|---|
| Current Employment Statistics | How many jobs do Texas employers have? | Payroll positions reported by establishments |
| Local Area Unemployment Statistics | How many Texas residents are employed or unemployed? | People classified by labor-force status |
| Unemployment rate | What share of the labor force is looking for work? | Unemployed people divided by the civilian labor force |
| Job-openings data | How many positions meet a defined vacancy standard? | Open positions for which employers are actively recruiting |
| Online job postings | How many advertisements are visible? | Posted advertisements, which may contain duplicates or remain open after hiring activity changes |
A payroll job belongs to the establishment survey, while employed and unemployed residents belong to household-based labor-force statistics. A person with two payroll jobs can appear twice in payroll employment but once in household employment. Commuters and changes in labor-force participation can also make the two series move differently from month to month.
Why the monthly totals may be revised
Initial employment estimates rely on survey responses, statistical adjustment, and incomplete administrative records. Later releases incorporate additional responses and benchmark data. The revised June payroll level already differs from the figure first reported in July, which is why comparisons should use the latest available series rather than preserving an older preliminary value as a fixed benchmark.
Industry Growth Is Uneven by September 2026
September did not produce a broad advance across major industries. Manufacturing added 4,700 jobs over the month, professional and business services added 1,600, information added 1,400, and other services added 1,100. Construction, trade and transportation, financial activities, private education and health services, leisure and hospitality, mining and logging, and government all declined from August. Over the year, professional and business services remained the strongest major sector at 3.3 percent growth.[Industry data]
| Industry | June 2026 | September 2026 | June–September Change | September 12-Month Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professional and business services | 2,185.4 | 2,192.0 | +6.6 | +3.3 percent |
| Manufacturing | 980.3 | 990.6 | +10.3 | +0.9 percent |
| Construction | 925.1 | 921.6 | −3.5 | +1.7 percent |
| Information | 214.0 | 212.9 | −1.1 | −3.9 percent |
| Financial activities | 944.8 | 940.6 | −4.2 | −0.2 percent |
| Private education and health services | 2,008.0 | 2,003.8 | −4.2 | +0.9 percent |
| Leisure and hospitality | 1,554.6 | 1,555.4 | +0.8 | +1.6 percent |
| Government | 2,127.3 | 2,131.8 | +4.5 | −0.3 percent |
The June values in this comparison reflect revised series rather than the first estimates published for June. The net June-to-September differences therefore should not be reconstructed by adding the monthly changes reported in older news releases. Revisions can alter earlier levels even when the latest month is unchanged.
Professional Services Remain the Strongest Major Sector
Professional and business services reached 2.192 million jobs in September after adding 1,600 over the month. Employment was 69,400 above September 2025, a 3.3 percent annual increase. That makes the sector a larger source of annual growth than the September statewide total alone might suggest.
The category includes legal and accounting services, engineering, management services, administrative support, and employment services. Growth in the aggregate does not mean every office-based occupation is expanding at the same rate. Staffing-services activity can also move earlier than permanent hiring because employers can add flexible labor before committing to longer-term positions.
Dallas Fed service-sector respondents reported modest employment growth in September. The employment index was 4.1, while the hours-worked index was 0.1 and the revenue index was −0.9. That combination points to more firms reporting higher employment than lower employment, but little net movement in hours and broadly flat revenue among survey respondents.[Business survey]
A diffusion index is not a job-growth rate. A positive Dallas Fed employment index means a larger share of responding firms reported an increase than a decrease. An index of 4.1 does not mean service employment rose by 4.1 percent.
Construction and Manufacturing Are Following Different Paths
Construction Remains Above 2025 but Below Its June Level
Texas construction employment stood at 921,600 in September, down 2,400 from August but 15,000 above September 2025. The 1.7 percent annual gain remains positive, although the sector is now below its revised June level of 925,100.[Sector payrolls]
Housing is only one source of construction labor demand. Transportation and utility infrastructure, industrial facilities, power systems, and data-center development can support hiring even when residential conditions are uneven across Texas metros.
Data-center construction can create concentrated demand for electricians, equipment operators, HVAC specialists, controls technicians, engineers, inspectors, and construction managers. The number and type of jobs change when a facility moves from construction to operation.
| Project Stage | Typical Labor Demand | Employment Character |
|---|---|---|
| Site preparation and construction | Equipment operators, laborers, electricians, pipefitters, concrete crews, supervisors | Large but often project-limited workforce |
| Commissioning | Engineers, controls specialists, inspectors, testing technicians | Smaller technical workforce during system activation |
| Ongoing operation | Facility technicians, network staff, security, maintenance, management | Longer-lasting but usually much smaller headcount |
A large construction contract should therefore not be converted directly into an estimate of permanent jobs. The build phase and operating phase require different occupations, staffing levels, and timelines.
Manufacturing Payrolls Have Moved Back Above 2025
Manufacturing employment reached 990,600 in September after adding 4,700 jobs over the month. The sector was 8,400 jobs, or 0.9 percent, above September 2025. That is a change from June, when the revised manufacturing series was still below its year-earlier level.
The September Texas Manufacturing Outlook Survey also showed stronger activity among respondents. The production index was 29.5, the employment index rose to 15.1, the hours-worked index was 5.6, and the wages-and-benefits index was 27.4. The future production index reached 40.3, while the future general business activity index was 20.8.[Manufacturing survey]
The survey and payroll series now point in the same direction more clearly than they did at midyear, but they still measure different things. A survey can turn before or after payroll employment, and manufacturers can raise output through overtime, equipment, automation, or productivity without matching the same percentage change in headcount.
Production growth and employment growth are separate measures. A factory can produce more with existing staff, longer workweeks, new equipment, or higher labor productivity. Manufacturing output should not be treated as a direct estimate of manufacturing hiring.
Health Services Stay Positive Over the Year While Information Remains Lower
Private education and health services employed 2,003,800 people in September, down 4,800 from August but up 18,100, or 0.9 percent, from September 2025. Information employment moved in the opposite annual direction: the sector added 1,400 jobs in September but remained 8,700 jobs, or 3.9 percent, below its year-earlier level.[Sector comparison]
Health Demand Is Broader Than Hospital Hiring
The combined private education and health-services category includes more than nurses and hospitals. It covers ambulatory care, physician offices, residential care, social assistance, private schools, colleges, and other education services. A decline in the combined monthly total does not establish that every health subsector reduced employment.
Job seekers evaluating health-related demand should compare the specific occupation, employer type, metro area, and licensing requirement. A statewide annual increase does not guarantee that every hospital system or county is hiring at the same pace.
Information Employment Is Not the Entire Technology Workforce
The information industry includes publishing, broadcasting, telecommunications, data-processing activities, and related services. It does not contain every software developer, cybersecurity analyst, database administrator, or technology manager working in Texas.
Technology occupations are distributed across professional services, finance, manufacturing, health care, energy, retail, government, and other industries. A software engineer employed by a bank is counted in financial activities, while a network specialist employed by a manufacturer is counted in manufacturing.
Industry and occupation should not be used interchangeably. Industry data classify the employer’s main business. Occupational data classify the work performed by the employee. The annual decline in information employment does not establish that all technology occupations are contracting.
The Four Largest Metro Areas Are Still Moving at Different Speeds
Texas metro data are reported for metropolitan statistical areas, or MSAs. An MSA contains a central urban area and surrounding counties linked through commuting and economic activity. It is not the same as the city proper, a single county, or a cultural region.
The latest comparable payroll series used here is August 2026, while the unemployment-rate column uses September 2026 labor-force estimates. Both metro measures are not seasonally adjusted, so they should not be compared directly with the seasonally adjusted statewide unemployment rate or statewide payroll change.
| Metropolitan Area | August Payroll Jobs | 12-Month Payroll Change | September Unemployment Rate | Selected Annual Industry Patterns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin–Round Rock–San Marcos[Austin data] | 1,415,900 | +1.2 percent | 3.7 percent | Mining, logging, and construction +4.2 percent; manufacturing +2.9 percent; information −5.5 percent |
| Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington[DFW data] | 4,357,000 | +1.0 percent | 4.1 percent | Professional and business services +3.1 percent; mining, logging, and construction +3.0 percent; information −2.1 percent |
| Houston–Pasadena–The Woodlands[Houston data] | 3,495,300 | +1.3 percent | 4.6 percent | Construction +5.5 percent; professional services +2.6 percent; information −5.9 percent |
| San Antonio–New Braunfels[San Antonio data] | 1,191,700 | +0.5 percent | 4.3 percent | Professional and business services +4.8 percent; construction +2.9 percent; information −7.7 percent |
Austin: Construction Remains Strong While Information Is Lower
Austin’s August payroll employment was 1.2 percent above a year earlier. The combined mining, logging, and construction group grew by 4.2 percent, and manufacturing was up 2.9 percent. Information employment remained 5.5 percent below August 2025, so the metro’s total growth still does not amount to a uniform rebound across technology-associated industries.
Dallas–Fort Worth: Scale, Business Services, and Construction
The Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington MSA had about 4.36 million payroll jobs in August. Professional and business services grew 3.1 percent over the year, and the combined mining, logging, and construction group grew 3.0 percent. Information remained below its year-earlier level.
The term Metroplex is commonly used for the broader Dallas–Fort Worth region, but it is not a separate government jurisdiction. The combined MSA also masks differences between the Dallas–Plano–Irving and Fort Worth–Arlington–Grapevine metropolitan divisions.
Houston: The Fastest Annual Gain Among the Four in August
Houston–Pasadena–The Woodlands recorded 1.3 percent annual payroll growth in August, slightly above Austin and Dallas–Fort Worth and above San Antonio. Construction employment was 5.5 percent higher than a year earlier, while professional and business services grew 2.6 percent. Information employment remained 5.9 percent lower.
San Antonio: Business Services Outpace the Metro Total
San Antonio–New Braunfels recorded the slowest annual payroll growth among the four largest MSAs in August at 0.5 percent. Professional and business services increased 4.8 percent and construction rose 2.9 percent, while information employment was 7.7 percent below its year-earlier level.
The informal “Texas Triangle” usually refers to the Austin, Dallas–Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio urban system. It has no single administrative boundary. Comparisons should therefore use named MSAs rather than treating the Triangle as an official labor-market jurisdiction.
Labor Demand Beyond the Four Largest Metros
Statewide growth can obscure conditions in border, energy, and regional service centers. El Paso, Midland, and McAllen–Edinburg–Mission continue to show different employment structures and different unemployment rates.
| Metropolitan Area | August Payroll Jobs | 12-Month Payroll Change | September Unemployment Rate | Selected Annual Industry Patterns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Paso[El Paso data] | 363,500 | +0.9 percent | 4.3 percent | Professional services +3.5 percent; information −4.5 percent |
| Midland[Midland data] | 129,800 | +3.3 percent | 3.2 percent | Mining, logging, and construction +5.2 percent; manufacturing +2.0 percent; information −10.0 percent |
| McAllen–Edinburg–Mission[McAllen data] | 308,100 | +1.0 percent | 5.6 percent | Mining, logging, and construction +2.1 percent; professional services +1.2 percent; information −8.1 percent |
Midland had the lowest September unemployment rate among Texas MSAs at 3.2 percent. It is one employment center within the wider Permian Basin, but the Midland MSA should not be treated as a statistical measure of the entire basin. Oilfield commuting, service activity, and production extend into the Odessa area, rural West Texas counties, and southeastern New Mexico.
McAllen–Edinburg–Mission covers a major part of Hidalgo County and the Lower Rio Grande Valley economy. The Lower Rio Grande Valley is a broader cultural and economic region rather than a single MSA. Brownsville–Harlingen is reported separately.
El Paso’s labor market is shaped by cross-border trade, government, health services, logistics, and regional professional services. Its MSA statistics should not be combined with Ciudad Juárez employment or treated as a count of the wider binational economy.
Wages, Openings, and Long-Term Demand
Employer Wage Expectations in September
Texas firms responding to the Dallas Fed’s September special questions reported average wage growth of 3.9 percent over the previous 12 months and expected another 3.9 percent over the next 12 months. Manufacturing respondents reported 4.2 percent past growth and 3.7 percent expected growth, while service-sector respondents reported 3.8 percent and 4.0 percent, respectively.[Wage expectations]
These are averages from surveyed businesses, not a statewide pay rule or a forecast for every occupation. Individual pay changes depend on occupation, experience, licensing, employer budget, local competition, work schedule, and whether the position is new or existing.
A Job Advertisement, an Opening, and a Projection Are Different Measures
| Data Product | What It Measures | Appropriate Use | Main Limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current Employment Statistics | Monthly jobs by industry | Identify recent employer payroll direction | Does not show individual occupations or vacancies |
| Local Area Unemployment Statistics | Labor force, resident employment, unemployment | Evaluate labor-force conditions by place of residence | Does not count employer job openings |
| Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics | Employment and wage estimates by occupation | Compare occupational pay and concentration | Annual estimates may lag fast-moving market changes |
| Online job-posting data | Advertisements collected from online sources | Identify employers, titles, and skills appearing in active recruiting | Postings can be duplicated, renewed, cancelled, or left online |
| State JOLTS | Job openings, hires, quits, layoffs, and separations | Evaluate labor demand and worker turnover | State estimates are model-supported and the news release is now annual |
| Texas employment projections | Expected industry and occupational change over two or ten years | Evaluate training and career direction | Not a count of positions available today |
The Bureau of Labor Statistics defines a JOLTS job opening as a specific position with work available, a possible start within 30 days, and active external recruiting. In July 2026, BLS moved the state JOLTS news release from monthly publication to an annual release; monthly state estimates for the preceding calendar year are published with that annual release.[Openings definition]
As a result, state JOLTS should not be presented as a live monthly count of 2026 Texas vacancies. Current advertisements and employer recruiting activity require a separate online-posting source, while long-term career comparisons should use the Texas Workforce Commission projections system.
The Texas Workforce Commission projections portal now reports the 2024–2034 projection period and allows users to examine statewide results or results for one of Texas’ 28 Workforce Development Areas. These projections are intended for longer-term industry and occupational planning; they are not a count of positions available today.[Projection period]
A Practical Reading for Job Seekers
- Check whether the occupation is growing, not only whether the employer’s industry is growing.
- Compare the relevant MSA or Workforce Development Area rather than relying solely on the statewide rate.
- Separate permanent openings from temporary, contract, seasonal, and project-based work.
- Use current postings to identify requested skills, but use wage estimates and projections for broader comparison.
- Confirm any Texas license, registration, certification, or examination requirement with the agency or occupational board responsible for that profession.
- Evaluate an offered wage together with work hours, benefits, commuting distance, and the local cost of housing rather than comparing the salary alone.
A Practical Reading for Employers
- Compare recruiting results with the relevant occupation and metro area rather than the statewide unemployment rate alone.
- Track application volume, interview acceptance, offer acceptance, and time to fill separately.
- Watch temporary-staffing demand as an early indicator, but confirm whether permanent hiring and work hours are also improving.
- Budget for occupation-specific wage pressure rather than applying a single statewide percentage to every role.
- Distinguish construction-phase labor demand from the smaller operating workforce associated with completed facilities.
Data Checkpoints for the Rest of 2026
The September data do not erase the midyear improvement, but they narrow the case for a broad acceleration. The statewide payroll level is still above September 2025, professional and business services remain strong, and manufacturing has moved back into annual growth. At the same time, the September payroll decline, weaker information employment, uneven metro growth, and lower Dallas Fed forecast make the late-year path less certain than it appeared in July.
| Indicator | Stronger Reading | Softer Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Professional and business services | Annual growth remains broad across permanent business services | Gains become concentrated in a narrow set of staffing or administrative activities |
| Information employment | Annual losses narrow across several metros | The statewide and metro declines persist |
| Construction | Annual growth continues across several project types and regions | Payrolls keep slipping from the midyear level as projects mature |
| Manufacturing | Payroll gains continue alongside positive survey readings | Survey strength fades or payroll employment reverses |
| Labor force | New entrants are absorbed into employment without a higher unemployment rate | The number of job seekers rises faster than hiring |
| Dallas Fed forecast | The 1.2 percent estimate stabilizes or moves higher | Benchmark revisions or weaker monthly data produce another reduction |
The Texas Workforce Commission’s published 2026 release schedule lists November 20 for October reference-month CES and LAUS data. Texas LMI currently carries a separate notice stating that October and November employment-data release timing will be determined as TWC works with the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The live Texas LMI notice should therefore take priority over assuming the older calendar will hold unchanged.[Release status]
Before using the figures for relocation, hiring, training, or compensation decisions: confirm the latest reference month, adjustment status, geographic definition, and revision status on the relevant BLS or Texas Workforce Commission data page. A city name in a metro title does not mean the result applies only to that city or equally to every county in the MSA.
Official labor-market sources and verification notes
Official Records Used for the 2026 Texas Labor Market Analysis
- ↩ Texas Workforce Commission current labor-market summary and Texas Current Employment Statistics data tool — Provide the September statewide nonfarm employment level, annual job gain, annual growth rate, and unemployment rate used at the beginning of the analysis and in “Texas Employment Position in September 2026.”
- ↩ Dallas Fed Texas employment forecast, February 6, 2026, Dallas Fed Texas employment forecast, July 17, 2026, and Dallas Fed Texas employment forecast, September 18, 2026 — Supply the 1.1 percent, 2.0 percent, and 1.2 percent forecast path and the projected job gains used in the forecast-revision table. The September page also describes the effect of benchmark revisions on the lower estimate.
- ↩ Dallas Fed Texas employment forecast schedule — Supports the note in “Texas Employment Position in September 2026” that the forecast scheduled for October 16 was moved to October 19 because of data-processing delays.
- ↩ Texas Local Area Unemployment Statistics data tool and Texas Current Employment Statistics data tool — Support the distinction between September payroll employment, the civilian labor force, and the unemployment rate in “Why Payroll Growth and Unemployment Can Move Differently.”
- ↩ Texas Workforce Commission July 2026 payroll release and Texas Current Employment Statistics data tool — Provide the revised June levels and current September industry levels used in “Industry Growth Is Uneven by September 2026.” Monthly estimates are subject to revision.
- ↩ Texas Service Sector Outlook Survey, September 2026 — Provides the employment, hours-worked, and revenue diffusion indexes used under “Professional Services Remain the Strongest Major Sector.”
- ↩ Texas Current Employment Statistics by industry — Supplies the September construction and manufacturing employment levels, monthly changes, and year-over-year changes used in “Construction and Manufacturing Are Following Different Paths.”
- ↩ Texas Manufacturing Outlook Survey, September 2026 — Provides the production, employment, hours-worked, wages-and-benefits, and future-activity indexes discussed under “Manufacturing Payrolls Have Moved Back Above 2025.”
- ↩ Texas Current Employment Statistics by industry — Provides the September private education and health-services and information-sector employment figures used in “Health Services Stay Positive Over the Year While Information Remains Lower.”
- ↩ BLS Austin–Round Rock–San Marcos employment series and Texas metro unemployment data — Provide the August payroll total, annual payroll change, selected industry changes, and September unemployment rate used in the major-metro table.
- ↩ BLS Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington employment series and Texas metro unemployment data — Supply the August payroll and industry figures and the September unemployment rate used for Dallas–Fort Worth.
- ↩ BLS Houston–Pasadena–The Woodlands employment series and Texas metro unemployment data — Provide the August payroll and industry changes and the September unemployment rate used for Houston.
- ↩ BLS San Antonio–New Braunfels employment series and Texas metro unemployment data — Supply the August payroll and industry changes and the September unemployment rate used for San Antonio.
- ↩ BLS El Paso employment series and Texas metro unemployment data — Provide the August payroll measures and September unemployment rate used for El Paso.
- ↩ BLS Midland employment series and Texas metro unemployment data — Supply the August payroll measures and September unemployment rate used for Midland. The MSA does not represent the entire Permian Basin.
- ↩ BLS McAllen–Edinburg–Mission employment series and Texas metro unemployment data — Provide the August payroll measures and September unemployment rate used for McAllen–Edinburg–Mission.
- ↩ Dallas Fed Texas Business Outlook Survey special questions, September 2026 — Supplies the past and expected wage-growth averages used in “Employer Wage Expectations in September.” The figures are survey averages rather than individual pay guarantees.
- ↩ BLS State Job Openings and Labor Turnover release — Defines a job opening for “A Job Advertisement, an Opening, and a Projection Are Different Measures” and supports the change from monthly to annual state JOLTS news releases.
- ↩ Texas industry and occupational projections portal — Shows the 2024–2034 projection period and statewide or Workforce Development Area selection used in the long-term demand discussion.
- ↩ Texas LMI current release notice and Texas Workforce Commission 2026 labor-market release schedule — Support the release-status note in “Data Checkpoints for the Rest of 2026.” The posted calendar lists November 20 for October reference-month data, while the current Texas LMI notice says October and November release timing will be determined with BLS partners.