Commissioner's Statement on the Employment Situation News Release — 2016-07-08

Advance copies of this statement are made available to the press under lock-up conditions with the explicit understanding that the data are embargoed until 8:30 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Nonfarm payroll employment increased by 287,000 in June, after changing little in May (+11,000). The unemployment rate rose to 4.9 percent in June. Job gains occurred in leisure and hospitality, health care and social assistance, and financial activities. Employment in information also increased, largely due to the return of workers from a strike. Incorporating revisions for April and May, which reduced nonfarm payroll employment by 6,000 on net, monthly job gains have averaged 147,000 over the past 3 months. In the 12 months prior to June, employment growth averaged 199,000 per month. In June, employment in leisure and hospitality rose by 59,000, after changing little in the prior month. Employment rose in performing arts and spectator sports in June (+14,000), after edging down in May.