Staffing additions hit eight-month high, holding unemployment flat. Employers across the country created 336,000 new jobs in September, above the year-to-date monthly average of 260,000, and the strongest month for hiring since January. Employment growth occurred across a broad range of industries, led by the onboarding of 96,000 personnel in the leisure and hospitality sector, as well as 73,000 in government roles, including public education. Hiring was also prevalent in professional and business services, as well as in health care. Strong job creation held the national unemployment rate flat at 3.8 percent, sustaining a tight sub-4 percent for the 20th consecutive month.