[!@#$%!]

unemployment hit 4.4% in march, april outlook to be published in a week

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Employment Situation Summary
Transmission of material in this news release is embargoed until USDL-20-0521
8:30 a.m. (EDT) Friday, April 3, 2020

Technical information:
Household data: cpsinfo@bls.gov * www.bls.gov/cps
Establishment data: cesinfo@bls.gov * www.bls.gov/ces

Media contact: (202) 691-5902 * PressOffice@bls.gov


THE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION -- MARCH 2020


Total nonfarm payroll employment fell by 701,000 in March, and the unemployment
rate rose to 4.4 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.
The changes in these measures reflect the effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19)
and efforts to contain it. Employment in leisure and hospitality fell by 459,000,
mainly in food services and drinking places. Notable declines also occurred in
health care and social assistance, professional and business services, retail
trade, and construction.

This news release presents statistics from two monthly surveys. The household
survey measures labor force status, including unemployment, by demographic
characteristics. The establishment survey measures nonfarm employment, hours,
and earnings by industry. Note that the March survey reference periods for both
surveys predated many coronavirus-related business and school closures that
occurred in the second half of the month. For more information about the concepts
and statistical methodology used in these two surveys, see the Technical Note.

cont.: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm