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Snapshot of US job market: Solid hiring but still-tepid pay

FILE - In this Wednesday, June 10, 2015 file photo, Mario Polo, of Boston Market, left, talks to job seekers Herby Joseph, right, and Kingsly Jose, center, at a job fair in Sunrise, Fla. On Labor Day weekend 2015, the U.S. job market has found an old sweet spot: 5.1 percent unemployment. It’s the lowest rate in more than seven years, suggestive of healthy hiring levels that have traditionally fostered rising incomes, consumer spending and economic growth. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz, File)
FILE - In this Wednesday, June 10, 2015 file photo, Mario Polo, of Boston Market, left, talks to job seekers Herby Joseph, right, and Kingsly Jose, center, at a job fair in Sunrise, Fla. On Labor Day weekend 2015, the U.S. job market has found an old sweet spot: 5.1 percent unemployment. It’s the lowest rate in more than seven years, suggestive of healthy hiring levels that have traditionally fostered rising incomes, consumer spending and economic growth. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz, File) FILE - In this Wednesday, June 10, 2015 file photo, Mario Polo, of Boston Market, left, talks to job seekers Herby Joseph, right, and Kingsly Jose, center, at a job fair in Sunrise, Fla. On Labor Day weekend 2015, the U.S. job market has found an old sweet spot: 5.1 percent unemployment. It’s the lowest rate in more than seven years, suggestive of healthy hiring levels that have traditionally fostered rising incomes, consumer spending and economic growth. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz, File)

By Associated Press 5 min read

WASHINGTON (AP) – On Labor Day weekend 2015, the U.S. job market has found an old sweet spot: 5.1 percent unemployment – many miles from the 10 percent joblessness America endured back in 2009.

It’s the lowest rate in more than seven years, suggestive of healthy hiring levels that have traditionally fostered rising incomes, consumer spending and economic growth.

In August, the unemployment rate fell on the strength of a decent if less-than-stellar 173,000 added jobs. And most economists expect the government to eventually revise up that job gain because of seasonal trends that are notoriously difficult to calculate.

Friday’s employment data reflected the durability of the U.S. economy, which has so far withstood distress worldwide: Tumultuous stock markets, a sharp slowdown in China, a perpetually struggling European economy and the start of a recession in Canada, America’s largest trading partner.

Yet the report also spotlighted aspects of an economic expansion that has been steady without being fully satisfying: Wage growth remains slight. And millions remain relegated to the sidelines of the job market.