WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. job growth roared back in June, with employers across most sectors vigorously ramping up hiring.
The leisure and hospitality sector added 59,000 jobs, led by robust gains at restaurants and hotels. Also contributing were performing arts and spectator sports, which added 14,000.
Health care and social assistance, a category that has consistently fueled job growth, was on a roll again in June. It added more than 58,000 jobs at places like hospitals, clinics, nursing care facilities and child day care centers.
The information sector added 44,000 jobs, largely because of the return of workers after the recent Verizon strike.
But the construction sector showed no change in jobs in June, and transportation and warehousing lost 9,400.
Overall, employers added 287,000 jobs in June, the most since October 2015. The unemployment rate rose from 4.7 percent to a still-low 4.9 percent. But the uptick occurred mainly for an encouraging reason: More Americans began seeking jobs — a sign of growing confidence in their prospects — though many didn't immediately find work.
Industry June 2016 May 2016 Past 12 mos.
Construction 0 -16,000 217,000
Manufacturing 14,000 -16,000 -29,000
Retail 29,900 3,000 312,800
Transportation, warehousing -9,400 3,600 38,400
Information (Telecom, publishing) 44,000 -39,000 36,000
Financial services 16,000 14,000 163,000
Professional services
(Accounting, engineering, temp work) 38,000 18,000 497,000
Education and health 59,000 52,000 668,000
Hotels, restaurants, entertainment 59,000 -3,000 413,000
Government 22,000 17,000 129,000
Source: Labor Department
