Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 4.8 million in June, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Total unemployed persons fell 3.2 million to 17.8 million in June. Despite the large increase in nonfarm payroll over the month, unemployment still stands at 11.1%.
As the country continues to reopen, large employment increases occurred in leisure and hospitality, retail trade, education and health services, and manufacturing. The leisure and hospitality industry led the increase with 2.1 million jobs added, mostly attributed to the 1.5 million jobs gained in food services and drinking places. Retail trade rose 740,000 after a gain of 372,000 in May. Employment increased by 568,000 in education and health services.
Goods-producing employment rose by 504,000 jobs during the month. Manufacturing rose by 356,000, with gains in the durable sector driving the increase. Construction employment increased by 158,000.
The civilian labor force participation rate rose by 0.7 percentage points over the month to 61.5%. Workers unemployed less than 5 weeks decreased by 1.0 million to 2.8 million. Unemployed workers who have been jobless 5 to 14 weeks decreased by 3.3 million to 11.5 million. The number of long-term unemployed (jobless for 27 weeks or more) increased by 227,000 over the month.
Average hourly earnings fell by 35 cents to $29.37. The decreases in average hourly earnings largely reflect job gains among lower-paid workers.
Read the BLS release.
