Healthcare employment continues climbing
Healthcare and social assistance employment continued to rise in February reported the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, gaining 61,000 jobs.
Over the last 12 months, the healthcare sector has gained 360,000 jobs. In February, gains were in ambulatory care services, adding 28,000 jobs, and in hospital employment, adding 15,000.
[See also: Healthcare employment growth predicted to skyrocket through 2020.]
Other sectors gaining jobs in February include professional and business services, increasing by 82,000, and manufacturing, gaining 31,000. All the gains in manufacturing were in durable goods, particularly in fabricated metal products, transportation equipment, machinery and furniture.
Nationally, nonfarm payroll employment rose by 227,000 last month. The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 8.3 percent, or 12.8 million people. The labor force participation rate rose to 63.9 percent and the employment-population ratio also rose, to 58.6 percent. The number of people who were not looking for work nor working remained basically unchanged from last year, at 2.6 million.
Follow HFN associate editor Stephanie Bouchard on Twitter @SBouchardHFN.
