Commissioner's Statement on the Employment Situation News Release — 2019-05-03

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. In April, nonfarm payroll employment increased by 263,000, and the unemployment rate declined to 3.6 percent. Over the month, notable job gains occurred in professional and business services, construction, health care, and social assistance. The April employment gain compares with an average monthly gain of 213,000 over the prior 12 months. (The prior 12-month average incorporates revisions for February and March, which increased nonfarm payroll employment by 16,000 on net.) Employment in professional and business services increased by 76,000 in April. Job gains occurred in administrative and support services (+53,000) and computer systems design and related services (+14,000). Over the past 12 months, professional and business services has added 535,000 jobs.