Commissioner's Statement on the Employment Situation News Release - 2022 M13 Results — 2023-01-06

Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 223,000 in December, and the unemployment rate edged down to 3.5 percent. Notable job gains occurred in leisure and hospitality, health care, construction, and social assistance. Payroll employment increased by an average of 375,000 per month in 2022, for a total gain of 4.5 million. In comparison, job gains averaged 562,000 per month in 2021, for a total gain of 6.7 million. Leisure and hospitality continued to add jobs in December (+67,000). Within the industry, employment continued to trend up in food services and drinking places (+26,000); amusements, gambling, and recreation (+25,000); and accommodation (+10,000). Employment in leisure and hospitality grew by an average of 79,000 per month in 2022, substantially less than the 2021 average monthly increase of 196,000. Employment in the industry is down by 932,000, or 5.5 percent, from its pre-pandemic February 2020 level.