Unemployment Rate Held Steady at 6.7% in December

Washington, DC, January 8, 2021-Total nonfarm payroll employment declined by 140,000 in December, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 6.7%, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. 

The decline in payroll employment reflects the recent increase in coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and efforts to contain the pandemic. In December, job losses in leisure and hospitality and in private education were partially offset by gains in professional and business services, retail trade, and construction.