Commissioner's Statement on the Employment Situation News Release — 2010-05-07

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. Thank you for the opportunity to discuss the employment and unemployment data we released this morning. Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 290,000 in April. The unemployment rate edged up to 9.9 percent, and the labor force increased sharply. Job growth was fairly widespread, with gains in manufacturing, professional and business services, health care, and leisure and hospitality. Federal government employment increased, with the addition of 66,000 short-term workers for Census 2010. Nonfarm employment has risen by 573,000 since December, with 483,000 jobs added in the private sector. Manufacturing continued to add jobs in April (44,000). Employment in this industry has increased by 101,000 since December. Three industries--fabricated metal products, machinery, and primary metals--have accounted for more than half of factory job gains so far this year.