After May's fickle job growth, and an increase of just 79,000 jobs in March, June provided welcome relief for the labor market.
Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 222,000 in June, up from 181,000 the month before, according to the latest Employment Situation Summary from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is significantly higher than ADP’s prediction, which reported an increase of just 158,000.
The unemployment rate remained little changed at 4.4%, and the number of unemployed persons remained at 7 million, the report showed. Since the beginning of the year, the employment rate and number of unemployed dropped 0.4% and 658,000 respectively.
The labor force participation rate also remained unchanged at 62.8% and has shown no clear trend over the past year.
Here are some of the significant changes in the job market in May:
- Leisure and hospitality increased by 29,000
- Employment in health care increased by 37,000
- Mining increased by 8,000
- Employment in professional and business services increased by 35,000
- Social assistance employment increased by 23,000
- Employment in financial activities increased by 17,000
Employment in other major industries, including construction, manufacturing, wholesale trade, retail trade, transportation and warehousing, information and government, showed little change over the month.
The average workweek for employees increased by 0.1 hour to 34.5 hours in June and hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls increased four cents to $26.25.
Nonfarm payroll employment in April was revised up from 174,000 to 207,000 and May employment was revised upwardly from 138,000 to 152,000.
