Latino unemployment continues to decline, health care jobs lead growth

According to the latest employment report from the Department of Labor, February saw steady improvement in the job market. The overall unemployment rate remained at January’s low of 4.9 percent, adding 242,000 jobs, almost doubling January’s addition of 151,000.

The unemployment rate for Latinos fell to 5.4 percent, continuing a consistent four-month decline in Latino unemployment. As of February, 25.2 million Latinos over the age of 16 are employed, while 1.4 million are unemployed. These numbers are encouraging, as they illustrate marked, quantifiable improvement in the employment landscape for Latinos. As the American economy continues its climb through recovery, it is reassuring to see these gains in the Latino community, despite the underrepresentation of Latinos in the workforce.

Of all economic sectors, the health care industry led in job growth for February, adding 57,000 new jobs. This gain is significant as health care has been projected to provide the most sustained job growth between 2014 and 2024.

Read the whole report below: (click report to download)