August 2018 Jobs Report Shows U.S. Economy Added 201,000 Jobs in Month

Written By ESR News Blog Editor Thomas Ahearn

The United States economy added 201,000 jobs in August 2018 while the unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.9 percent during the month, according to the jobs report for August 2018 released by the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

The jobs report for August 2018 revealed that the number of unemployed persons declined to 6.2 million while job gains occurred in professional and business services, health care, construction, wholesale trade, transportation and warehousing, and mining. Among specific business sectors:

• Professional and technical services employment added 53,000 jobs in August 2018 and 519,000 jobs over the year.
• Health care employment rose by 33,000 jobs in August 2018 and has increased by 301,000 jobs over the past year.
• Construction employment added 23,000 jobs in August 2018 and has increased by 297,000 jobs over the past year.
• Wholesale trade employment increased by 22,000 jobs in August 2018 and by 99,000 jobs over the year.
• Transportation and warehousing employment rose by 20,000 jobs in August 2018 and by 173,000 jobs over the past 12 months.
• Mining employment increased by 6,000 jobs in August 2018 and has added 104,000 jobs since a recent trough in October 2016.
• Manufacturing employment lost 3,000 jobs in August 2018 but has risen by 254,000 jobs over the year.

Employment showed little change over the month in other major industries including retail trade, information, financial activities, leisure and hospitality, and government, according to the jobs report for August 2018.

The change in employment for June 2018 was revised from 248,000 jobs added to 208,000 jobs added while July 2018 was revised from 157,000 jobs added to 147,000 jobs added. With the revisions, employment gains in these two months were 50,000 jobs less than previously reported.

The jobs report is usually released on the first Friday of every month. The jobs report for August 2018 is scheduled to be released on Friday, October 5, 2018. Until then, the most recent jobs report is available at www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm (PDF).

A Good Jobs Report Shows Need for Background Checks

A survey of HR professionals released in May 2018 by the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS) – a non-profit trade organization representing the background screening industry – revealed that 95 percent of employers conducted background checks.

Employment Screening Resources® (ESR) – a leading global background check firm – helps employers in every industry fill jobs using fast, accurate, affordable, and compliant background checks. To learn more about ESR, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, or visit www.esrcheck.com.

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