ABJ - June 4 - Non-farm payroll employment changed little in May (+69,000), and the unemployment rate was essentially unchanged at 8.2 per cent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Employment increased in health care, transportation and warehousing, and wholesale trade, but declined in construction. Employment was little changed in most other major industries.

The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27-plus weeks) rose from 5.1 to 5.4 million in May. These individuals accounted for 42.8 per cent of the unemployed. The civilian labor force participation rate increased in May by 0.2 per cent to 63.8 per cent, offsetting a decline of the same amount in April. The employment-population ratio edged up to 58.6 per cent in May.

Total non-farm payroll employment changed little in May, following a similar change in April (+77,000). In comparison, the average monthly gain was 226,000 in the first quarter of the year.

Health care employment continued to increase in May (+33,000). Within the industry, employment in ambulatory health care services, which includes offices of physicians and outpatient care centers, rose by 23,000 over the month. Over the year, health care employment has risen by 340,000.

Transportation and warehousing added 36,000 jobs over the month. Employment gains in transit and ground passenger transportation (20,000) and in couriers and messengers (5,000) followed job losses in those industries in April.