Commissioner's Statement on the Employment Situation News Release — 2015-11-06

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 Standard Time. Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 271,000 in October, and the unemployment rate was essentially unchanged at 5.0 percent. Job gains occurred in professional and business services, health care, retail trade, food services and drinking places, and construction. Incorporating revisions for August and September, which increased nonfarm payroll employment by 12,000, on net, monthly job gains averaged 187,000 over the past 3 months. In the 12 months prior to October, employment growth averaged 230,000 per month. Employment in professional and business services rose by 78,000 in October, compared with an average monthly gain of 52,000 over the prior 12 months. In October, job gains occurred in administrative and support services (+46,000), computer systems design and related services (+10,000), and architectural and engineering services (+8,000).