trends concerning women in the accounting workforce<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\nnationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.4 percentage point to 6.3 percent in january, as nonfarm payroll employment picked up 49,000 jobs and the labor market remains impacted by the coronavirus (covid-19) pandemic and efforts to contain it.<\/p>\n
substantial job losses related to the pandemic first occurred in march (-1.7 million) and april (-20.7 million) of 2020. employment increased by 12.6 million as economic activity resumed from may through november but declined again in december (-227,000) after a surge in the number of cases. january employment was below its february 2020 level by 9.9 million, or 6.5 percent. a small bright note appeared in professional and business services, up 97,000 over the month, led by a gain of 81,000 in temporary help services. professional and business services employment has risen by 1.6 million since the april 2020 low but remains 825,000 below its february 2020 level.<\/p>\n