U.S. ADDS 916K JOBS IN MARCH

Key Points:

  • Total nonfarm payroll employment improved in March, adding 916,000 jobs as the unemployment rate fell by 0.2% to 6.0%.
  • This is the third month of job gains after payrolls fell steeply in December.
  • Job growth was widespread in March, led by gains in leisure and hospitality, public and private education, and construction.
  • Employment in leisure and hospitality increased by 280,000, as pandemic-related restrictions eased in many parts of the country.
  • Construction added 110,000 jobs in March, manufacturing added 53,000 jobs, and transportation and warehousing added 48,000 jobs.
  • Employment rose by 76,000 in local government education, by 50,000 in state government education, and by 64,000 in private education.
  • In March, average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls fell by 4 cents to $29.96.
  • The average workweek for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls increased by 0.3 hour to 34.9 hours in March.
  • Even with sustained hiring, the U.S. isn’t expected to fully recover all jobs lost during the pandemic until at least the second half of 2022.