Key Points:
- Total nonfarm payroll employment improved in February, adding 379,000 jobs as the unemployment rate fell by 0.1% to 6.2%.
- This is the second month of job gains after payrolls fell steeply in December.
- Employment in leisure and hospitality increased by 355,000 jobs in February, led by food services and drinking places increasing by 286,000, accommodation by 36,000, and amusements, gambling, and recreation by 33,000.
- In February, employment in construction declined by 61,000, local government education declined by 37,000, and state government education declined by 32,000.
- Manufacturing employment increased by 21,000 over the month, but is down by 561,000 over the year.
- In February, average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls increased by 7 cents to $30.01.
- The average workweek for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls decreased by 0.3 hour to 34.6 hours in February.