Employment situation changes little in May

The unemployment rate held steady at 8.2% -- up from 8.1% in April, according to figures released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

All told, May saw an increase of 69,000 nonfarm jobs. Employment increased in health care, transportation and warehousing, and wholesale trade but declined in construction. Employment was little changed in most other major industries.

Construction employment declined by 28,000 in May, with job losses occurring in specialty trade contractors (-18,000) and in heavy and civil engineering construction (-11,000). Since reaching a low in January 2011, employment in construction has shown little change.

A year ago, the unemployment rate stood at 9.2%.