Commissioner's Statement on the Employment Situation News Release — 2021-10-08

Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 194,000 in September, and the unemployment rate fell by 0.4 percentage point to 4.8 percent. Notable job gains occurred in leisure and hospitality, in professional and business services, in retail trade, and in transportation and warehousing. Employment declined in public education over the month. Thus far this year, monthly job growth has averaged 561,000. Employment has increased by 17.4 million since April 2020 but is down by 5.0 million, or 3.3 percent, from its level before the onset of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in February 2020. Employment in leisure and hospitality rose by 74,000 in September, after changing little in August. Arts, entertainment, and recreation added 43,000 jobs in September. Employment in food services and drinking places changed little for the second consecutive month, following an average monthly gain of 197,000 from January through July. Employment in leisure and hospitality is 1.6 million, or 9.4 percent, lower than in February 2020.