Healthcare sector continues adding jobs, Labor Department indicates

The healthcare industry, often considered the engine of the U.S.’ workforce during the Great Recession, augmented its payroll last month by 26,000 jobs.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, of the U.S. Labor Department’s additional healthcare careers, hospitals and physicians’ offices added 8,000 jobs each.

The nation’s jobless rate registered at 8.2 percent last month, according to the federal agency. Manufacturing, leisure and hospitality and financial services also saw gains in employment figures.

As a whole, the U.S. economy – considered the globe’s largest and ahead of that of China – increased payrolls by 120,000 during the month of March. That marked the first month since November of last year when the new jobs added to the economy did not reach 200,000.

During February, the healthcare industry increased payrolls by 49,000 jobs. Combined with January figures, healthcare careers grew by 92,000 during the first two months of this year, reaching a new record.

The previous record for a two-month period was 81,000 from August and September 2002.