Employment, unemployment data unchanged

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Non-farm employment was unchanged in August and the unemployment rate held at 9.1 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday.

At 14.0 million, the number of unemployed persons essentially was unchanged in August and the 9.1 percent unemployment has shown little change since April, the Labor Department agency said in a release.

The total non-farm payroll employment was at 131.1 million in August. Employment changed little in most major private-sector industries, the bureau said.

The average job growth during the last four months was "markedly lower" than during the first four months of the year, Keith Hall, BLS commissioner, said in a statement.

In August, employment changed little in most major industries, Hall said.

The healthcare industry added 30,000 jobs over the month, while professional and business services saw an increase of 8,000 jobs, mainly in computer systems design and related services. In the information sector, employment dropped by 48,000 during the month, largely because of a strike by 45,000 telecommunications workers, Hall said.

Government employment trended down, despite Minnesota state workers returning to work after a partial government shutdown ended.

The unemployment rate for major worker groups showed little or no change in August, BLS statistics indicated.

The number of long-term unemployed -- those without a job for at least 27 weeks -- was unchanged at 6.0 million in August, accounting for 42.9 percent of the unemployed, the Labor Department said.