US companies added 201,000 jobs to their payrolls in March, according to data released today, less than expected but nonetheless a solid bump for employment growth.
Payrolls firm ADP said private companies added 3.4% fewer jobs this month compared with February's revised level. Most experts had predicted payrolls would grow by 210,000.
But after two previous months of over-200,000 figures, ADP said, the data 'removes any remaining doubt that private nonfarm payroll employment accelerated heading into 2011.'
Today's figure indicates still solid growth for the private sector, which might help offset lost public sector jobs in Friday's official unemployment report.
As state and local governments have tightened spending, teachers and other public sector workers have been laid off in large numbers in recent months.
For March, strong growth was seen in the service sector and in small and medium businesses, while manufacturing and large firms posted more modest increases. In yet another sign that the housing market remains moribund, construction hiring fell.
February's payroll increase was revised down from 217,000 to 207,000.
