Commissioner's Statement on the Employment Situation News Release — 2016-03-04

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 Standard Time. Nonfarm payroll employment increased by 242,000 in February, and the unemployment rate held at 4.9 percent. Job growth occurred in health care and social assistance, retail trade, food services and drinking places, and private educational services. Mining employment continued to decline. Incorporating revisions for December and January, which increased nonfarm payroll employment by 30,000, monthly job gains have averaged 228,000 over the past 3 months. In the 12 months prior to February, employment growth averaged 225,000 per month. Employment in health care and social assistance rose by 57,000 in February. Health care added 38,000 jobs over the month. Within health care, employment increased by 24,000 in ambulatory care services (which includes offices of physicians and home health care) and by 11,000 in hospitals.