Statement of US Labor Secretary Perez on November employment numbers

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez issued the following statement about the November 2016 Employment Situation report released today:

“Under President Obama’s leadership, the U.S. economy continued to demonstrate steady growth in November, with the addition of 178,000 jobs and the decline of the unemployment rate to 4.6 percent. This latest report is one more positive indicator of economic resilience, as American businesses have added 15.6 million jobs since February 2010, in the longest recorded streak of job growth in U.S. history.

“We have made incredible progress since the depths of the recession. It’s particularly encouraging to see employment increases in industries like professional and business services, which has added 571,000 new jobs over the past year, as well as health care and construction, which have added 407,000 and 59,000 jobs respectively over the same period. Other economic indicators provide additional reason for confidence. As we head into the holiday shopping season, retail sales and consumer confidence are strong. Average hourly earnings have risen by 2.5 percent over the past year.

“Despite this steady and sustained growth, there is more work to do to ensure that job growth and economic strength translate into sustaining wages for American workers and the families they support. Too many hardworking families struggle to make ends meet.

“We must remain committed to building and sustaining a sturdy economic foundation for America’s future: expanding opportunity for all Americans; providing widespread access to meaningful, prosperous employment; and creating an economy that works for everyone – because we all succeed only when we all succeed.”