The Bureau of Labor Statistics released the August employment situation on September 7, 2018. Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 201,000 in August, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.9 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Job gains occurred in professional and business services, health care, wholesale trade, transportation and warehousing, and mining.
Establishment Survey Data
Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 201,000 in August, in line with the average monthly gain of 196,000 over the prior 12 months.
Professional and business services added 53,000 jobs in August and 519,000 jobs over the year.
Wholesale trade employment increased by 22,000 in August and by 99,000 over the year. Durable goods wholesalers added 14,000 jobs over the month and accounted for about two-thirds of the over-the-year job gain in wholesale trade.
Employment in transportation and warehousing rose by 20,000 in August and by 173,000 over the past 12 months. Within the industry, couriers and messengers added 4,000 jobs in August.
