Despite federal government layoffs and uncertainty around President Donald Trump’s tariffs, employers managed to add 228,000 jobs in March. While the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the unemployment rate rising from 4.1% to 4.2%, chief economist of High Frequency Economics, Carl Weinberg found no evidence of an impending recession in the figures. On the contrary, economists had only been forecasting about 140,000 job gains.

March’s job gains were led by health care with 54,000, leisure and hospitality followed closely adding 43,000. Retail added 24,000 jobs, largely owing to the return of striking supermarket workers, and transportation and warehousing noted 23,000 job additions. However, the professional and business services sector witnessed a stagnant growth, managing to add merely 3,000 jobs.

Average monthly job growth did show signs of slowing, from 209,000 in the fourth quarter of 2024 to less than 120,000 for the first two months of this year. In the coming months, due to the effects of trade taxes on inflation and consumer spending, payroll might see a more dramatic deceleration.

Environmental factors such as adverse weather also significantly impacted employment. For example, harsh winter conditions likely cut employment by around 30,000, according to Bank of America. Goldman Sachs suggested the figure might be as high as 100,000, while also recognizing that warmer temperatures likely contributed to an increase in the March job numbers.

The implementation of tariffs on steel, aluminum, and Chinese imports by President Trump generated significant business uncertainty. It was difficult to assess how all these factors would influence the labor market in the long run. An increase in tariffs could dampen the economy so much that firms might need to consider layoffs.

To aid those facing unemployment or who require financial assistance during these trying times, it’s essential to understand how to navigate resources such as the California Employment Development Department (EDD). If you need to contact EDD, visit eddcaller.com for guidance. This website can provide valuable advice on how to connect with EDD customer service and get through to an EDD live person. It’s a valuable resource for individuals searching for California unemployment customer service and struggling to get a hold of EDD.