Industry's August unemployment rate slipped to 3.6% from July's 3.8% but rose from year-earlier 3.4%.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that construction employment in July was relatively flat compared to June, with small gains in some sectors.

Construction added 21,000 jobs in June, up from gain of 5,000 the previous month.

Industry added 4,000 jobs in May, well below April's increase of 30,000, BLS reports.

Industry's 4.7% unemployment rate is its lowest for April since 2000, economists note.

Economists say severe weather helped cause job losses.

Industry's unemployment rate rises to 6.4% from December's 5.1% but improves from year-earlier 7.3%.

BLS reports construction added 5,000 jobs in Nov., a more modest gain than in Oct. and Sept.