WASHINGTON (Dec. 5, 2014) — U.S. nonfarm payroll employment increased by 321,000 jobs in November 2014, while unemployment remained at 5.8 percent, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The largest gains were in professional and business services, which added 86,000 jobs in November, including 23,000 in temporary help and 16,000 in accounting and bookkeeping services. Retail trade saw an increase of 50,000 jobs during the month, including 11,000 in the motor vehicle and parts sectors.
Manufacturing also was stronger in November than in previous months, adding 28,000 jobs including 17,000 in durable goods manufacturing.
The BLS figures on employment were far higher than those of the payroll management firm ADP Inc., which bases its figures on the payroll records of its clients.
According to ADP, U.S. nonfarm payroll employment increased by 208,000 jobs in November. Of these, 101,000 jobs were created in small business alone, with 48,000 jobs created in companies employing between one and 19 workers.
Job creation in November was lopsidedly in the service-producing sector, ADP said, with an increase of 176,000 jobs, compared with 32,000 in the goods-producing sector. According to ADP, manufacturing jobs increased by only 11,000 in November, compared with 37,000 in professional/business services and 49,000 in trade/transportation/utilities.