The U.S. Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics announced on Friday in its Employment Situation – December 2011 report that the United States added 200,000 non-farm payroll jobs to the economy in December, with a total of 212,000 jobs added by the private sector, resulting in a slight decrease in the unemployment rate from 8.6% in November to 8.5%.
Although gains in job creation have been slower than desired, the number of net private sector jobs has increased for 22 consecutive months.
In addition, October’s and November’s numbers of net increases in non-farm jobs were revised from +100,000 to +112,000 and from +120,000 to +100,000, respectively.
The report also stated that the number of discouraged workers, workers who have stopped searching for employment because they do not believe there is a job opportunity available for them, decreased to 945,000, which is a reduction of 373,000 compared to December 2010.
Labor Secretary Hilda Solis remarked in a statement on the latest labor numbers, “We've now created more than 3.2 million jobs over 22 consecutive months of private sector growth. But our hard-won progress cannot be compromised. Congress wisely extended Unemployment Insurance benefits and the payroll tax cut for two months, but if we're going to see our economy reach a self-sustaining path to durable and long-term economic growth, Congress will need to extend both programs for at least a full year.
"The American public has spoken loud and clear that it rejects the political gamesmanship that has created uncertainty for businesses around the country. Congress should do the right thing and extend middle class tax relief and Unemployment Insurance benefits through 2012 to keep our economy on the path to full recovery.”
December saw gains in various private business sectors: transportation and warehousing (50,000), retail (28,000), health care (+23,000), manufacturing (23,000), and leisure and hospitality (+24,000), mining (7,000). There was little change in job gains within the construction or the professional and business service-providing sectors. Local and state government employment decreased slightly in December.
For the year, there was a total of 1.9 million private sector jobs added to the economy, while government employment declined by approximately 280,000 over the year; this number does not include job losses in state government within the education sector.
Overall, the average work week in December for private sector non-farm jobs increased by .1 hours to 34.4 hours. Manufacturing sector average work week hours increased by .1 hours to 40.5 hours.
Average hourly pay for non farm employee payrolls increased by .2% to $23.24, and over the past 12 months average hourly earnings have increased by 2.4%.
The January 2012 employment situation report will be released on Friday February 3, 2012.
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