United States payrolls increased 372,000 in June and the national unemployment rate held steady at 3.6 percent for a fourth consecutive month, according to the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates.

Payroll gains for the previous two months were revised downward, however, a total of 74,000 to 384,000 for May and 368,000 in April.

With the latest numbers, nonfarm payrolls have increased an average of 383,000 a month over the past three months. 

Total U.S payrolls remain 524,000 below the February 2020 level and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. But private-sector employment has recovered job losses from the pandemic and related restrictions at 140,000 jobs higher than February 2020. Government employment is 664,000 lower.

For June, 5.9 million people were counted among those unsuccessfully looking for work. Of those, 1.3 million have been unemployed for 27 weeks or longer. Another 3.6 million people were counted among those working part-time because their hours were cut or they were unable to find full-time positions.

The labor participation rate — the portion of the population working or looking for work — edged down a tenth of a point to 62.2 percent. That’s still below the 63.4 percent labor participation rate in February 2020.

Payroll gains in May were spread out among industry sectors. Employment increased 74,000 in professional and business services, 67,000 in leisure and hospitality and 57,000 in health care. Payrolls also increased 36,000 in transportation and warehousing. 29,000 in manufacturing and 16,000 in wholesale trades.

The average workweek shortened a tenth of an hour to 34.5 hours. The manufacturing workweek slipped a tenth of an hour to 40.3 hours.

Average hourly earnings rose 10 cents to $32.08. Over the past year, hourly earnings have increased 5.1 percent.