Commissioner's Statement on the Employment Situation News Release — 2017-08-04

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. Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 209,000 in July, and the unemployment rate, at 4.3 percent, was little changed. Job gains occurred in food services and drinking places, professional and business services, and health care. Employment growth has averaged 184,000 per month thus far this year, in line with the average monthly gain in 2016 (+187,000). In July, employment in food services and drinking places rose by 53,000. The industry has added 313,000 jobs over the year. Professional and business services added 49,000 jobs in July. Thus far this year, monthly job gains in the industry have averaged 47,000, in line with average monthly employment growth in 2016 (+45,000). Health care employment grew by 39,000 over the month.