Many expected winter weather to halt hiring in February, but the U.S. economy shed its cold feet and added 175,000 jobs — which is higher than the 150,000 predicted by economists.
After disappointing employment data in December and January, Americans weathered the ice and snow in much of the country to find work and bring the unemployment rate from 6.6 to 6.7 percent, according to the Department of Labor.
The professional or business sector increased workers by 79,000 last month to lead all hiring. Healthcare followed with 33,000, food services settled at 20,100 and construction — an occupation most influenced by weather — added 15,000 jobs.
Along with the increased jobs in February, wages also rose 9 cents to an average of $24.31 per hour — which is the highest gain in two years.
While the results from the labor force were more encouraging in February, the harsh winter conditions did affect workers, as nearly 6.9 million full-time employees had their hours reduced because of the weather. The wintry storms also played a role in the final numbers in the job report, as many economists say about 20,000 more jobs could’ve been added.
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