Employers add 288K jobs in June, unemployment drops

Employers added 288,000 jobs to the national nonfarm payroll ranks in June, when the unemployment rate decreased to 6.1 percent.

That's down from 6.3 percent in May.

According to a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics news release issued this morning, job gains were widespread last month, with growth led by professional and business services, retail trade, food services and drinking places, and health care.

Employment in professional and business services increased by 67,000 jobs in June, led by 8,000 new positions in management and technical consulting services, 7,000 architectural and engineering services jobs and 7,000 computer systems design and related services workers.

Retail trade employment rose by 67,000 jobs in June, led by 12,000 motor vehicle and parts dealer positions, according to the release.

Employers of food services and drinking places added 33,000 jobs last month, and health care employment rose by 21,000 positions.

During June, the number of people unemployed nationwide fell by 325,000 to 9.5 million. The number of part-time workers for economic reasons increased by 275,000 to 7.5 million last month, according to the release.

The most recent unemployment rates for Missouri and the Springfield metropolitan statistical area show jobless rates in May of 6.6 percent and 5.1 percent, respectively.[[In-content Ad]]