U.S. Private Employers Added 38,000 Jobs in August as Hiring Slowed

Private-sector employment in the United States increased by 38,000 jobs in August, according to the ADP National Employment Report produced by ADP Research in collaboration with the Stanford Digital Economy Lab.

The August increase represented the slowest pace of private-sector job creation since January. Manufacturing, professional and business services, and information recorded employment declines, while education and health services, construction, and leisure and hospitality posted gains.

Service-providing businesses added 48,000 jobs, while goods-producing businesses lost 10,000. Education and health services recorded the largest sector increase at 45,000 jobs, followed by leisure and hospitality with 16,000 and construction with 12,000. Manufacturing declined by 17,000 jobs, while professional and business services fell by 16,000.

Large establishments with 500 or more employees added 34,000 jobs. Small establishments added 3,000 jobs, while medium-sized establishments recorded no overall change.

ADP Pay Insights reported that median base pay for private-sector workers increased 3.2% year over year in August, while median gross pay increased 4.7%. Base pay rose 3.0% for job-stayers and 4.7% for job-changers. Gross pay increased 4.4% for job-stayers and 7.3% for job-changers.

The August release also introduced expanded Pay Insights data, including base-pay growth, additional geographic information and an interactive platform covering 56 U.S. metropolitan areas. The report provides pay data by worker mobility, demographics, sector, employer size and pay quartile.

The July total number of jobs added was revised from 44,000 to 46,000.