A tale of 2 US employment surveys, at a glance

The U.S. economy added 80,000 jobs in June. Yet the unemployment rate stayed the same.

Why didn't the increase in jobs lower the unemployment rate?


One is called the payroll survey. It asks mostly large companies and government agencies how many people they employed during the month. This survey produces the number of jobs gained or lost. In June, the payroll survey showed that companies added 84,000 jobs, and federal, state and local governments cut 4,000.


In June, the household survey showed that the number of people who said they are unemployed rose by 29,000. In a work force of 153.2 million, that isn't enough of a statistical difference to boost the unemployment rate, which stayed at 8.2 percent for the second straight month.





Economists note that the surveys tend to even out over time. Since the recession ended in June 2009, the payroll surveys have shown that employers added roughly 2.6 million jobs. The household surveys have shown that more than 2.2 million more people said they found work.

The Associated Press