Revisions Show Weaker Spring Job Growth Than Previously Reported
(UCBJ) – The U.S. labor market showed little movement in June 2026, with payroll employment rising modestly and unemployment holding steady, according to a release from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Total nonfarm payrolls increased by 57,000 jobs last month, while the national unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.2%. Gains were concentrated in professional and business services, social assistance and health care, while leisure and hospitality posted notable losses.
At a glance:
- Health care added 22,000 jobs in June, continuing a steady upward trend
- professional and business services grew by 36,000 positions
- Social assistance added 25,000 jobs, led by gains in individual and family services
- Leisure and hospitality declined by 61,000 jobs, reflecting weaker seasonal hiring patterns
Wage growth continued at a moderate pace. Average hourly earnings for private-sector workers rose to $37.64, up 0.3 percent for the month and 3.5 percent over the year.
The average workweek held steady at 34.3 hours.
Labor force participation slipped slightly to 61.5 percent, while the employment-population ratio edged down to 59.0 percent. Long-term unemployment remained elevated at 1.9 million people, accounting for 27.3 percent of all unemployed workers.
Revisions painted a softer picture of spring hiring. April job gains were revised down by 31,000 and May by 43,000, reducing combined employment growth by 74,000 jobs. According to the report, national conditions, trends in health care and business services remain relevant to the Upper Cumberland.
It is in the Upper Cumberland that those sectors anchor the private employment base alongside education, manufacturing and small business growth.
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