U.S. employers added 115,000 jobs in April, while the unemployment rate held at 4.3%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The report showed continued job gains in parts of the economy, led by health care, transportation and warehousing, and retail trade. Federal government employment continued to fall.
The number of unemployed people changed little at 7.4 million, BLS said. The labor force participation rate stood at 61.8%, while the employment-population ratio was 59.1%.
Health care added 37,000 jobs in April, with gains in nursing and residential care facilities and home health care services.
Transportation and warehousing added 30,000 jobs, led by couriers and messengers. Retail trade added 22,000 jobs.
Federal government employment fell by 9,000 in April. BLS said federal government employment has declined by 348,000, or 11.5%, since reaching a peak in October 2024.
The April report also included revisions to earlier payroll figures. February employment was revised down by 23,000, from a loss of 133,000 jobs to a loss of 156,000. March was revised up by 7,000, from a gain of 178,000 jobs to a gain of 185,000.
Together, February and March employment was 16,000 lower than previously reported.
The Federal Reserve left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 3.50% to 3.75% on April 29.
In its statement, the Fed said recent indicators suggested economic activity continued to expand at a solid pace. It also said job gains had remained low on average in recent months, while the unemployment rate had changed little.
The Fed said inflation remained somewhat elevated and uncertainty about the economic outlook had increased further. It also said the implications of Middle East developments for the U.S. economy were uncertain.
The central bank said it would continue to review incoming data, the evolving outlook and the balance of risks before making future decisions on interest rates.
BLS said its monthly employment report is based on two surveys. The household survey measures labor force status, including unemployment. The establishment survey measures nonfarm employment, hours and earnings by industry.
According to the BLS employment situation guide, the establishment survey counts jobs, not individual workers. A person with two jobs may be counted twice. The survey does not include agricultural workers, private household employees or the self-employed.
BLS said payroll estimates are based on employer sample reports and a birth-death model, which helps account for employment changes tied to new businesses and business closures.
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