The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that U.S. employers added 115,000 jobs in April, with gains led by health care, transportation and warehousing, and retail trade. The unemployment rate stayed the same at 4.3%.

Both the labor force participation rate, at 61.8 percent, and the employment-population ratio, at 59.1 percent, changed little in April.

In April, employment trended up in BLS sectors and subsectors including:

• Health care and social assistance (+53,900)
• Retail trade (+21,800)
• Transportation and warehousing (+30,300)
• Construction (+9,000)
• Legal services (+2,400)
• Accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping, and payroll services (+1,200)

Employment changed little or declined in BLS sectors and subsectors including:

• Federal government (-9,000)
• Manufacturing (–2,000)
• Administrative and support services (–1,300)
• Information (-13,000)

Average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls increased by 6 cents over the month. On a year-over-year basis, average hourly earnings have increased by 3.6%.

In addition to April’s numbers, the BLS revised reported employment from February and March in this month’s report. The change in total nonfarm payroll employment for February was revised down by 23,000 to -156,000, and the change for March was revised up by 7,000 to +185,000., forward‑thinking workforce solutions so that you can stay competitive, manage costs strategically, and maintain access to top-tier talent. 

Job Report Tops Expectations

April’s gain of 115,000 jobs from March’s updated employment of 158.6 million, paired with unemployment holding at 4.3%, marked an encouraging signal for the labor market. The report topped expectations of 55,000 projected in the Dow Jones consensus estimate, according to CNBC.  

Indeed Economist Cory Stahle described April’s report as “generally positive,” but “the progress feels more like a tentative first step than a confident stride forward.”

As conditions evolve, organizations that adapt quickly will be best positioned to attract and retain the talent they need to grow.

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