The South added the most jobs with 54,000, followed by the Northeast with 40,000
Private employers added 41,000 jobs in December, signaling a slight recovery after job losses in November. However, hiring was weaker than expected.
Economists had predicted 48,000 new jobs after 29,000 jobs were lost the previous month.
Workers still saw healthy pay growth. Wages increased 4.4% from a year ago, according to the ADP employment report.
Job growth differed by region. The South added the most jobs with 54,000, followed by the Northeast with 40,000. The West lost 61,000 jobs, mainly because of cuts in information, business services, and manufacturing.
By industry, education and health services added 39,000 jobs, while leisure and hospitality gained 24,000. Economists expect unemployment to fall to 4.5% and forecast 73,000 new jobs in January.