Unemployment In March Holds At 9.7 Percent

Unemployment in March stayed at 9.7 percent, according to data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics Friday.

While the overall unemployment rate has held steady from the previous month, the bureau reports that nonfarm payroll employment has risen by 162,000.

Gains have been made in health care, manufacturing and temporary services. An influx of employees hired to perform the U.S. census also accounted for 48,000 temporary jobs.