US hiring slowed in June, still added 209,000 jobs

(7 Jul 2023)
FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4443411
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ASSOCIATED PRESS
North Riverside, IL- 6 July 2023
1. Wide of computer station at an American Job Center in Cook County, IL
HEADLINE: Jobs report shows slowed hiring in June
2. CU of flyer for American Job Center in Cook County, IL
ANNOTATION: U.S. employers added 290,000 new jobs in June, despite slowed hiring.
3. Wide of Arturo Alarcon, Business Service Representative at American Job Center, in the office.
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Arturo Alarcon, Business Service Representative at American Job Center:
“Yes, I have noticed that some businesses are stepping up their hiring. It is quite evident with our workforce network, the other American job centers that have put together hiring events and job fairs."
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5. Wide of Arturo Alarcon working at his desk.
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Arturo Alarcon, Business Service Representative at American Job Center:
“Everything from manufacturing. Manufacturing has always been good. They've got those career pathways in manufacturing. But then again, hospitality and retail, you know, is not far behind with them looking for individuals and job seekers wanting to get into those types of positions.”
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7. CU of career flyer at an American Job Center in Cook County, IL
ANNOTATION: The length of the average work week edged up, a sign that customer demand is strong enough to keep employees busy.
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Arturo Alarcon, Business Service Representative at American Job Center:
“I've seen a difference in job descriptions themselves. You know, they immediately employers immediately start talking about the benefits, you know, life insurance, health insurance, 401Ks and things like that that they're willing to offer.”
9. CU of Arturo Alarcon working at his desk
10. Mid of Arturo Alarcon making a call at his desk
11.Mid of Arturo Alarcon making a call at his desk
12.Mid of job board at an American Job Center in Cook County, IL

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Washington - 6 July 2023
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Luke Pardue, Economist at Gusto:
"The way that I would characterize the job market right now is surprisingly resilient. If we think about where we were at the beginning of the year, the economy really could have taken two tracks where we saw a much stronger slowdown and jobs growth was not nearly where it is right now. Or we could have seen a soft landing where we see robust job growth and strong wage gains. And looking at right now where we are about halfway through the year. This economy has remained strong and has avoided any real sign of an impending downturn.”
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ASSOCIATED PRESS
North Riverside, Illinois - 6 July 2023
14. CU of job board at an American Job Center in Cook County, IL
ANNOTATION: The June hiring figure is the smallest in 2 1/2 years. But it still points to a durable labor market.


ASSOCIATED PRESS
Washington - 6 July 2023
15. SOUNDBITE (English) Luke Pardue, Economist at Gusto:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
North Riverside, Illinois - 6 July 2023
16. CU of job board at an American Job Center in Cook County, IL
STORYLINE:
America’s employers pulled back on hiring but still delivered another month of solid gains in June, adding 209,000 jobs, a sign that the economy’s resilience is confounding the Federal Reserve’s drive to slow growth and inflation.

The latest evidence of economic strength makes it all but certain that the Fed will resume its interest rate hikes later this month after having ended a streak of 10 rate increases that have been intended to curb high inflation.