Washington — The U.S. economy added 103,000 private sector jobs in August, making 30 straight months of employment gains that have resulted in 4.6 million new jobs, according to the Labor Department.

“While there is more work that remains to be done, today’s employment report provides further evidence that the U.S. economy is continuing to recover from the worst downturn since the Great Depression,” Chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers Alan Krueger said in a September 7 statement following the release of the Bureau of Labor Statistics report.

The job growth lowered the unemployment rate from 8.3 percent to 8.1 percent in August. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis said the U.S. economic recovery “remains on a stable trajectory of positive job growth.”

She said in the last year, the U.S. economy has added nearly 2 million jobs and is on track to continue to grow.

Job gains in August were most notable in leisure and hospitality, professional and business services, health care and social assistance, and wholesale trade. Manufacturing lost 15,000 jobs, in part due to a few seasonal auto plant shutdowns in July. During the past 30 months, manufacturers have added more than 500,000 jobs.

Government lost 7,000 jobs as state government payrolls fell by 6,000 and local governments shed 4,000 jobs, offsetting federal employment growth. Since February 2010, state and local governments have lost 504,000 jobs.

Job gains have been slow, Solis said, but the United States is still on track toward a sustainable and enduring recovery.

“Smart and steady wins the race,” she said.

Krueger said that as the country continues to recover, President Obama supports investments in infrastructure development and assistance for state and local governments as they work to prevent layoffs and re-hire teachers and first responders.

The August jobs report follows news from the Commerce Department that the U.S. economy grew more than initially expected from April to June as gross domestic product (GDP) increased by an annual rate of 1.7 percent.

The report, issued by the department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis August 29, confirmed the U.S. economy grew for the 12th straight quarter — growth that acting Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank said has largely coincided with continued private sector employment gains.

The Labor Department will release its September employment report October 5.