The unemployment rate is now 9%, meaning that some 247,000 people are still out of work, but the total number of employed individuals rose by 1.4% in the second quarter, meaning 34,000 people found jobs during the period.
The number of full-time jobholders (those who work more than 35 hours a week) rose by 3%, while the number of part-time jobholders declined by 1%.
Unemployment in the first quarter of 2005 decreased from 9.9% to 9.1%, with the number of full-time jobholders rising by 2.3%.
The CBS identifies unemployed individuals as people who do not work and who are actively seeking employment by sending out resumes and seeking work from employment agencies. The figures include jobless individuals who are no longer eligible for unemployment benefits and are still seeking employment.