Changes have arrived to a redesigned Causes: Check out new.causes.com!

Civic Register
| 2.4.22

U.S. Added 467K Jobs in January, Well Above Economists’ Expectations

How do you feel about the state of the job market?

What’s the story?

  • The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) on Friday released its jobs report for January 2022, which found the U.S. economy added 467,000 jobs and the unemployment rate increased slightly by 0.1 percentage point to 4.0% as more people looked for work. The report exceeds the Dow Jones forecast of 150,000 jobs and a 3.9% unemployment rate.
  • With January’s gains, the U.S. economy has recovered about 87% of jobs lost since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Roughly 2.9 million jobs are left to be regained to reach the pre-pandemic employment level. The labor force participation rate was 62.2% in January, a slight increase month-over-month as the number of job-seekers increased, but still below the February 2020 level of 63.4%.

Jobs Report Sector Breakdown

  • Leisure and hospitality employment grew by 151,000 jobs in January, with gains in food services and drinking places (+108,000) and in the accommodation industry (+23,000). Since February 2020, employment in the sector is down by 1.8 million, or 10.3%.
  • Professional and business services added 86,000 jobs in January with the largest gains in temporary help services (+26,000), management and consulting services (+16,000). and computer systems design (+15,000). Employment in the sector is 511,000 higher than in February 2020, with the biggest gains in temporary help services (+185,000), computer systems design and related services (+161,000), and management and technology consulting services (+151,000).
  • Retail employment rose by 61,000 in January as notable growth occurred in general merchandise stores (+29,000), and health and personal care stores (+11,000). The sector is 61,000 jobs above its level in February 2020.
  • Transportation and warehousing added 54,000 jobs in January with gains in couriers and messengers (+21,000), and warehousing and storage (+11,000). Employment in the sector is 542,000 jobs higher than in February 2020.
  • Local government education added 29,000 jobs in January but is down 359,000 -- or 4.4% -- compared to February 2020.
  • Healthcare added 18,000 jobs in January but is down 378,000 jobs relative to February 2020.
  • Employment changed little in construction, manufacturing, information, financial activities, and other services.

Long-Term Unemployment

  • The number of Americans considered to be long-term unemployed (defined as jobless for 27 weeks or more) declined to 1.7 million in January, down from 2 million in December.
  • The number of long-term unemployed is 570,000 higher than in February 2020. Long-term unemployed account for 25.9% of the total unemployed in January.

Demographic Unemployment Information

  • Unemployment rates edged up for adult men (to 3.8% from 3.6% in December), but changed little for adult women (3.6% from 3.6% in December), and teenagers (10.9% from 10.9% in December).
  • Unemployment rates edged up slightly among whites (3.4% from 3.2% in December), but declined or changed little among blacks (6.9% from 7.1% in December), Hispanics (4.9% from 4.9% in December), and Asians (3.6% from 3.8% in December).

Revisions & Data Notes

  • Employment in December was revised up by 311,000 from +199,000 to +510,000.
  • Employment in November was revised up by 398,000 from +249,000 to +647,000.


— Eric Revell

(Photo Credit: iStock.com / Alena Kravchenko)