WASHINGTON, May 2 (Xinhua) -- U.S. employers added 177,000 jobs in April as federal government employment continues to decline, with the unemployment rate unchanged at 4.2 percent, the U.S. Labor Department reported on Friday.
Total non-farm payroll employment increased by 177,000 in April, lower than the average monthly gain of 152,000 over the prior 12 months, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Employment continued to trend up in health care, transportation and warehousing, financial activities, and social assistance, the report noted. Federal government employment declined.
Within government, federal government employment declined by 9,000 in April and is down by 26,000 since January, the report said.
As the Donald Trump administration continues to reduce the federal workforce, this data could be negatively impacted in the coming months.
In April, average hourly earnings for all employees on private non-farm payrolls rose by 6 cents, or 0.2 percent, to 36.06 dollars. Over the past 12 months, average hourly earnings have increased by 3.8 percent.
The change in total nonfarm payroll employment for February was revised down by 15,000 to a gain of 102,000, and the change for March was revised down by 43,000 to a gain of 185,000. With these revisions, employment in February and March combined is 58,000 lower than previously reported. ■