The Employment Situation: April 2005 — 2005-05-06

Employment rose in April, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 5.2 percent, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor re- ported today. Nonfarm payroll employment increased by 274,000 over the month. Job growth was widespread, with gains in construction, mining, and several service-providing industries. Both the number of unemployed persons, 7.7 million, and the unemployment rate, 5.2 percent, were unchanged in April. The jobless rate was down from 5.5 percent a year earlier. Over the month, the unemployment rates for adult men (4.4 percent), adult women (4.6 percent), teenagers (17.7 percent), whites (4.4 percent), and blacks (10.4 percent) showed little or no change. After declining in March, the unemployment rate for Hispanics or Latinos increased to 6.4 percent, the same as in February. The jobless rate for Asians was 3.9 percent, not seasonally adjusted.