WASHINGTON — Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 138,000 jobs in May, according to the latest figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
The unemployment rate inched down to 4.3 percent from April's 4.4 percent, the BLS said in the employment report issued June 2.
The job sectors that saw the greatest gains in May were professional and business services (up 46,000), food services and drinking places (up 30,000) and health care (up 24,000). Most other sectors, including manufacturing, wholesale trade, retail trade, and transportation and warehousing, saw little change, the BLS said.
The low job numbers from the BLS contrast greatly with those from the payroll services firm ADP Inc. According to the ADP report released June 1, the U.S. gained 253,000 private sector jobs in May.
The biggest gains, ADP said, were in medium-sized businesses (50 to 499 employees), with 113,000 new jobs for the month. Small businesses (1 to 49 employees) gained 83,000 jobs, and large businesses (500 or more employees) grew by 57,000 jobs, it said.