ORLANDO, Fla. — U.S. hiring slowed in June, raising new questions about the strength of the labor market heading into the second half of the year.
Employers added 57,000 jobs last month, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The unemployment rate changed little at 4.2%.
The June total came in below many economists’ expectations and marked a slowdown from earlier months. Federal officials also revised job gains from April and May down by a combined 74,000 jobs.
The weaker report could be felt most by people already facing barriers to employment, including workers with gaps in their resumes, people with disabilities, veterans, people reentering the workforce after incarceration and those without traditional work histories.
Workforce experts say slower hiring can make an already competitive job market harder to navigate, especially for applicants who need additional support finding stable work.
The report comes as many Americans continue to look for jobs that offer steady hours, benefits and long-term security.
Average hourly earnings rose 0.3% in June and were up 3.5% from a year earlier, according to the federal report.
Some industries continued to add jobs, while others pulled back. Professional and business services, social assistance and health care were among the areas that added jobs, while leisure and hospitality lost jobs in June, according to federal data.
The next monthly jobs report is expected to give a clearer picture of whether June was a temporary slowdown or part of a longer cooling trend in the labor market.
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