The Employment Situation: June 2000 — 2000-07-07

Total nonfarm payroll employment was little changed in June, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Private- sector payroll employment rose by 206,000, following a decline of 165,000 (as revised) in May. The June increase in private payrolls was largely offset by a decline in federal government employment, as 190,000 temporary workers hired for the decennial census completed their work. The unemployment rate was 4.0 percent in June, about the same as in May. Average hourly earnings increased by 5 cents over the month and by 3.6 percent over the year. Both the number of unemployed persons, 5.6 million, and the unemployment rate, 4.0 percent, were little changed in June. The jobless rate has been in a 3.9- to 4.1-percent range since October 1999.