THE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION—APRIL 2020

Total nonfarm payroll employment fell by 20.5 million in April, and the unemployment rate rose to

14.7 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The changes in these measures reflect the effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and efforts to contain it. Employment fell sharply in all major industry sectors, with particularly heavy job losses in leisure and hospitality.