Statement by Assistant Secretary Julie McClain Downey on April Jobs Report

WASHINGTON – U.S. Assistant Secretary of Labor for Public Affairs Julie McClain Downey issued the following statement on the April 2023 Employment Situation Report:

“Today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the American economy added 253,000 jobs in the month of April, and the unemployment rate ticked down to a historic low mark of 3.4 percent – the lowest since May 1969. The last time the unemployment rate was lower was October 1953. 

“The report shows that the Biden-Harris administration’s actions have created a period of steady economic growth, marked by increased equity and historic levels of workforce participation for key demographics.  

“Average hourly earnings are up 4.4 percent over the year, and production and nonsupervisory employees are seeing average hourly earnings up 5 percent in that period, which is helping our workers keep pace with increased costs. Combined with steady increases in health care, construction, transportation and professional and business services jobs this month, this puts Americans on an increasingly solid footing to meet their families’ needs. 

“Women are making historic contributions to our country’s economic well-being. For prime-age women, the labor force participation rate was 77.5 percent in April, the highest rate since this measurement began in 1948. Additionally, in March, Black unemployment hit an all-time low at 5.0 percent. In April, it reached another: 4.7 percent. The President’s determination that no community be left behind is paying off. Continued focus on eliminating longstanding barriers and creating pathways to enable even more women and people in marginalized communities to fully participate in the economic life of our country will be crucial to sustain these gains. 

“The President’s Investing in America agenda continues to ease the economic burdens on families and create new avenues to prosperity. The Good Jobs initiative at the Department of Labor is achieving its objective of getting good jobs to people in an equitable way to ensure that this recovery is sustained, equitable and long-lasting for communities across the country.”