U.S. November Nonfarm Payrolls +227K; Unemployment Rate 4.2%

By Justin Lahart

The labor market bounced back last month, as workers sidelined by storms got back on the jobs, and as thousands of striking Boeing employees returned to work.

The U.S. added 227,000 jobs in November, the Labor Department reported Friday. That was up from a gain of 36,000 jobs in October, the government said. The first estimate last month calculated that the U.S. added just 12,000 jobs that month.

The unemployment rate, which is based on a separate survey from the job figures, and which tends to be less affected by weather and strike activity, rose to 4.2% from 4.1%.

The October job count was depressed by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which forced many businesses across the Southeast to temporarily close during the pay period the Labor Department based its job numbers on. The Boeing strike ended on Nov. 5 - early enough for 33,000 returning workers to get counted in Friday's report.

Economists polled by The Wall Street Journal had expected Friday's report to show a gain of 214,000 jobs last month.

Write to Justin Lahart at justin.lahart@wsj.com