27K More Unemployed in March--As Labor Force Participation Ticks Up

(CNSNews.com) - The nation's unemployment rate was unchanged at 6.7 percent in March, as the labor force participation rate ticked up from 63.0 percent in February to 63.2 percent in March, and the number of unemployed increased by 27,000.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data is based on the civilian noninstitutional population, which includes all people in the United States 16 or older who are not on active duty in the military or in an institution such as a prison, mental hospital or nursing home.

From February to March, the civilian noninstitutional population increased by 173,000, rising from 247,085,000 to 247,258,000.

Among that civilian noninstitutional population, 156,227,000 participated in the labor force during March--meaning the either had a job or had actively sought one. That was up 503,000 from the 155,724,000 who participated in the labor force in February.

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