The May 2021 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Hiring Situation Report showed moderate job gains last month, recording a job growth of 559,000 jobs. The smaller gains are reportedly a result of ongoing labor shortages as the economy reopens. The unemployment rate edged down from 6.1% in April to 5.8% in May, it's lowest since the pandemic shuttered businesses in March 2020. According to the U.S. Labor Department, job openings reached a record level of 8.1 million at the end of March, reflecting a widening labor shortage.
In May 22,500 new jobs were gained within healthcare, primarily within ambulatory care settings (22.5K). Hospital payrolls grew by 2,900 and nursing and residential care facilities lost 2,400 jobs last month. The unemployment rate for healthcare stands at 3.1% and at 2.2% within hospitals. Compared with February 2020, healthcare employment is down by 508,000.
