03.04.202606:49:51UTC+00US Jobs Report Expected to Show Payroll Rebound

The US economy is expected to have added 60,000 jobs in March 2026, partially offsetting February’s loss of 92,000 positions, which was largely driven by strike-related disruptions. In particular, roughly 31,000 nurses at Kaiser Permanente in California and Hawaii returned to work in late February, a development that should help lift healthcare payrolls in March.

Employment gains are also anticipated to strengthen in construction and in leisure and hospitality, following weather-related softness over the winter months. The jobs report is projected to show the unemployment rate unchanged at 4.4%.

Average hourly earnings are likely to have risen 0.3% month-on-month, a slight moderation from February’s 0.4% increase. On a year-on-year basis, wage growth is expected to edge down to 3.7%, from 3.8% in the previous month.