U.S. Added 916,000 Jobs in March as Hiring Accelerated

[Tariq Hakeem]

Hiring accelerated last month to the best pace since August, signaling a stronger rebound is under way that could deliver jobs to the industries, regions and workers hardest hit during the coronavirus pandemic. U.S. employers added a seasonally adjusted 916,000 jobs in March, the Labor Department said Friday. The gain affirms an accelerating employment trend after a recent stall and could be the start of a prolonged stretch of strong job creation. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate, determined by a separate survey, fell to 6.0%, a pandemic low. Last month more job seekers entered the labor market, which could provide a critical source of labor for employers ramping up hiring in the coming months. Nearly 2 million fewer Americans reported last month they were unable to work because their employer closed or lost business due to the pandemic and 500,000 less said they couldn’t seek work due to the pandemic.