The U.S. Department of Labor Statistics revealed a June turnaround in retail employment.
The retail trade added 67,000 jobs in June year over year, although employment in the sector is down by 1.9% since February 2020, before the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic began to hit the U.S.
In June, clothing and clothing accessories stores added 28,000 jobs; general merchandise stores added 25,000; miscellaneous store retailers added 13,000, and automobile dealers added 8,000, the Labor Department indicted. Those gains are partially offset by losses in food and beverage stores, down 13,000 jobs; and health and personal care stores, down 7,000.
In May, retail employment fell by 6,000 jobs with the biggest moves coming in clothing and clothing accessories stores, which added 11,000 jobs; and food and beverage stores, which cut 26,000.
Total non-farm payroll employment rose by 850,000 in June, and the unemployment
rate held steady at 5.9%, the department reported. Besides those in retail, notable job gains occurred in the leisure and hospitality, public and private education, professional and business services and other services categories.
