U.S. employers expanded payrolls by 850,000 in June, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Employers in leisure and hospitality continue to lead in hiring, adding 343,000 last month as pandemic restrictions and health concerns continue to decrease.
Several Industries Saw Notable Job Gains in June
In addition to the leisure and hospitality industry, the following industries experienced growth last month:
- Education: 269,000 jobs added
- Professional and Business Services: 72,000 jobs added
- Retail: 67,000 jobs added
- Other Services Industry: 56,000 jobs added
- Social Assistance: 32,000 jobs added
- Wholesale Trade: 21,000 jobs added
- Mining: 10,000 jobs added
Unemployment sees Little Change at 5.9%
The unemployment rate, at 5.9%, and the number of unemployed persons, at 9.5 million, were little changed in June. The unemployment rate is down considerably from its recent high levels in April 2020 but remains well above the pre-coronavirus rate of 3.5% of February 2020. Among the unemployed, the number of job leavers (those who quit or voluntarily left their previous job and are looking for new employment) increased by 164,000 in June.
Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rates are:
- Adult Men: 5.9%
- Adult Women: 5.5%
- Teenagers: 9.9%
- Whites: 5.2%
- Blacks: 9.2%
- Asians: 5.8%
- Hispanics: 7.4%
In contrast to May, the number of long-term unemployed (jobless for 27 weeks+) increased to 4.0 million. Long-term unemployed accounted for 24.1 percent of the total unemployed in June.
Part-Time Work & Telework Decreases
The number of persons employed part-time decreased by 644,000 in June. This decline reflects the drop in employee hours cut due to slack work or business conditions. The number of part-time employees is up by 229,000 since February 2020, representing those whose hours were reduced or those who were unable to find full-time employment. In June, 14.4 percent of employed persons teleworked, down from 16.6 percent in May.
Increase in Hourly Earnings and Decrease in Average Workweek
In June, the average hourly earnings rose by 10 cents to $30.40, following the increases in May and April (13 cents and 20 cents, respectively). The rising demand for labor associated with the recovery from the pandemic has put upward pressure on wages. Still, since average hourly earnings vary widely across industries, large employment fluctuations complicate the analysis of hourly earnings. The average workweek decreased 0.1 hours to 34.7 hours.
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