The BLS Jobs Report reflects steady job gains—a sign of resilience. While headwinds exist, the labor market enters this next phase from a position of strength.
Welcome, friends!
Let’s dive into the just-released March 2025 Jobs Report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This month is particularly interesting. New tariffs making headlines and the federal government’s DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) initiatives add complexity to forecasts.
Despite the noise, the data shows a labor market that is strong and steady. Let’s walk through the highlights, and then we’ll come back to some of the uncertainties ahead.
The Employment Picture
💼 Solid Job Growth Continues
- March 2025 saw 228,000 new jobs added, showing the labor market continues to expand—even amidst economic shifts. Growth is growth, and that’s good news!
💼 Stability After Rapid Growth
- The January–March monthly average of 152,000 new jobs suggests a return to sustainable, stable hiring following two years of accelerated growth. That’s typically a sign of a maturing, steady economy.
💼 Unemployment Rate Remains Low
- The unemployment rate increased slightly from 4.1% to 4.2%, but this still keeps us in the healthy 4–5% range, a level most economists view as “ideal.”
💼 More People Rejoining the Workforce
- The increase in unemployment was driven by more people entering the labor force—not widespread job losses. This signals growing confidence in job availability and economic conditions.
💼 Strong Sectors Show Resilience
- The Financial Activities, Mining, and Government sectors display strength with the lowest unemployment rates, offering stability across critical industries.
Job Losses and Gains
🏥 Healthcare & Leisure and Hospitality Lead
- Healthcare added 77,000 jobs
- Leisure and Hospitality added 43,000 jobs
⚡ Utilities Sector Grew the Fastest
- Utilities added 3,000 jobs, marking a 0.5% increase—small, but fast-growing relative to its size.
🏛️ Government Hiring Grew Overall
- Despite federal job losses, state and local hiring more than offset them.
- Net gain: 19,000 jobs in March
❗ DOGE Layoffs Not Yet Reflected
- Layoffs tied to DOGE initiatives won’t show up in employment stats for a few months. Workers on leave or receiving severance aren’t counted as unemployed.
🔮 What’s Next?
We’re entering the next phase with a labor market that’s steady and expanding.
But let’s be honest—predicting what’s ahead isn’t simple. New tariffs on foreign goods, possible retaliatory trade actions, and the roll-out of DOGE policies add layers of uncertainty. Still, March’s strong job numbers give us reason for cautious optimism.
The consistent pace of hiring is an encouraging sign in an evolving economy. So—buckle up and hold on to your hat. Time will tell how it all unfolds.
Meri Geisberg is a labor market blogger for Risch Results. She brings experience in strategic planning and contracting for a hospital system, along with a background in economics research at a university. Meri holds a BA in Economics from Brandeis University and an MS in Health Policy and Management with a concentration in health financing and insurance from Harvard School of Public Health.
What makes having Meri contribute to our blog especially meaningful is that we first met as undergrads at Brandeis—she studied economics while I studied sociology and later organizational psychology—and we’ve been close friends for over 35 years. It’s a meaningful opportunity to combine our shared interests in people and data, built on a foundation of decades of friendship.
