According to ‘THE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION — DECEMBER 2012’ report released today by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), total nonfarm payroll employment in the United States rose by 155,000 jobs in December 2012, bringing the total number of jobs created in 2012 to 1.84 million.
The BLS jobs report for December 2012 found the unemployment rate remained largely unchanged at 7.8 percent while the number of unemployed people, 12.2 million, also was little changed during the month.
The report also revealed that employment growth averaged 153,000 per month in 2012, the same as the average monthly gain for 2011.
In addition, the change in nonfarm employment for October 2012 was revised from 138,000 jobs added down to 137,000 jobs added while the change for November 2012 was revised from 146,000 jobs added up to 161,000 jobs added.
In December 2012, among specific industries, employment increased in health care, food services and drinking places, construction, and manufacturing:
- Health care employment continued to expand in December 2012 with 45,000 jobs added. During the month, ambulatory health care services added 23,000 jobs, hospitals added 12,000 jobs, and in nursing and residential care facilities added 10,000 jobs. In 2012, health care employment rose by 338,000 jobs.
- Food services and drinking places employment rose by 38,000 jobs in December 2012. The industry added an average of 24,000 jobs a month in 2012, essentially the same as in 2011.
- Construction employment added 30,000 jobs in December 2012, led by employment increases of 13,000 jobs in construction of buildings and 12,000 jobs in residential specialty trade contractors.
- Manufacturing employment rose by 25,000 jobs in December 2012, with small gains in a number of component industries. In 2012, factory employment increased by 180,000 jobs with most of the growth occurred during the first quarter.
Employment in other major industries, including retail trade, mining and logging, transportation and warehousing, financial activities, professional and businesses services, and government, showed little change over the month.
The December 2012 Employment Situation Report will be available at www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf until the January 2013 Employment Situation Report is released on Friday, February 1, 2013.
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