Commissioner's Statement on the Employment Situation News Release - 2022 M01 Results — 2022-02-04

Nonfarm payroll employment increased by 467,000 in January, and the unemployment rate was little changed at 4.0 percent. Employment growth continued in leisure and hospitality, in professional and business services, in retail trade, and in transportation and warehousing. Employment has increased by 19.1 million since April 2020 but is down by 2.9 million, or 1.9 percent, from its level before the onset of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in February 2020. Monthly job growth averaged 555,000 in 2021. Leisure and hospitality continued adding jobs in January (+151,000). Employment in the industry grew by 2.4 million over the year but is down by 1.8 million, or 10.3 percent, from its February 2020 level. Within the industry, food services and drinking places (+108,000) and accommodation (+23,000) added jobs in January. Professional and business services employment continued to grow in January (+86,000).