Employment Situation Summary data reveals positive numbers for June

Total non-farm payroll employment rose by 4.8 million in June and the unemployment rate declined to 11.1 percent, according to a news release from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

These improvements in the labor market reflected the continued resumption of economic activity that had been curtailed in March and April due to coronavirus and efforts to contain it.

In June, employment in leisure and hospitality rose sharply, according to the report. Notable job gains also occurred in retail trade, education and health services, other services, manufacturing, and professional and business services.

Statistics provided in the release came from two monthly surveys: the household survey and the establishment survey.

Household survey data shows the unemployment rate declined by 2.2 percentage points to 11.1 percent in June and the number of unemployed persons fell by 3.2 million to 17.8 million. Although unemployment fell in May and June, the jobless rate and the number of unemployed are up by 7.6 percentage points and 12.0 million, respectively, since February, the release said.

The establishment survey reports that total non-farm payroll employment increased by 4.8 million in June, following an increase of 2.7 million in May. These gains reflect a partial resumption of economic activity that had been curtailed due to the coronavirus pandemic in April and March, when employment fell by a total of 22.2 million in the two months combined, according to the release.

In June, non-farm employment was 14.7 million, or 9.6 percent, lower than its February level. Employment in leisure and hospitality rose sharply in June. Notable job gains also occurred in retail trade, education and health services, other services, manufacturing, and professional and business services. Employment continued to decline in mining.