Statement by US Secretary of Labor Acosta on May jobs report

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta issued the following statement on the May 2017 Employment Situation report:

“May’s unemployment rate ticked down to 4.3 percent from the previous month’s level of 4.4 percent. The unemployment rate is the lowest it has been since May 2001, dropping 0.5 percentage points since President Trump took office. Non-farm payroll employment rose by 138,000 jobs, a positive sign that our economy is moving in the right direction. More than 600,000 private-sector jobs have been created since Inauguration Day. Multiple economic sectors showed job growth in May, including education and health services and mining. The mining sector posted its seventh straight month of employment increases.

“These continued improvements have real impact on the lives of American families, as more people take home a paycheck. Their spending will benefit themselves, their families, and the nation’s economy.

“While we continue to grow the economy, the U.S. Department of Labor is also working diligently to ensure that businesses have the workers they need, and that all Americans can find good, safe jobs by narrowing the skills gap in the labor market. Our shared mission is to expand economic opportunity and prosperity for all Americans.”