Commissioner's Statement on the Employment Situation News Release — 2015-08-07

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 rose by 215,000 in July, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 5.3 percent. Employment increased in retail trade, health care, professional and technical services, and financial activities. Incorporating revisions for May and June, which increased nonfarm payroll employment by 14,000, monthly job gains have averaged 235,000 over the past 3 months. In the 12 months prior to July, employment growth averaged 246,000 per month. Retail trade employment rose by 36,000 in July, with motor vehicle and parts dealers contributing 13,000 of the increase. Over the year, retail trade has added 322,000 jobs. Health care employment increased by 28,000 over the month, and has grown by 436,000 over the year. Hospitals added 16,000 jobs in July.