The national unemployment rate fell to 9.7 percent in January, down from 10 percent a month before, although nonfarm payroll employment remained essentially unchanged.
The strongest performing sectors, according to information released Friday from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, were temporary help services and retail trade. Gains in those sectors were offset by losses in construction and transportation and warehousing.
The number of long-term unemployed - those who have been jobless for at least 27 weeks - continues to climb, hitting 6.3 million in January. That's an increase of 5 million since December 2007.
The number of people who worked part-time for economic reasons, because their hours had been cut back or they were unable to find a full-time job, fell to 8.3 million from 9.2 million.
The unemployment total also does not include the 2.5 million people considered "marginally attached" to the work force. These people were not working; wanted and were available for work; and had looked for a job in the last 12 months but were not counted because they hadn't searched for work in the last four weeks.
