Payroll employment increased by 157,000 in December, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 5.4 percent, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today.

The bureau also revised November's employment figures upward, from 112,000 in an initial report to 137,000 in the latest report.

A total of 2.2 million jobs were added to payrolls in 2004.

Health care and social assistance continued to add jobs over the month, with an increase of 36,000. Over the year, employment in this industry rose by 342,000. In December, employment increased in ambulatory health care services (17,000), hospitals (5,000), and social assistance (13,000).

Professional and business services added 41,000 jobs over the month, bringing the over-the-year gain to 546,000. In December, employment rose in computer systems design and related services (10,000) and in architectural and engineering services (7,000). Employment in the temporary help industry continued to trend upward; job growth totaled 206,000 in 2004.

Employment in financial activities rose by 14,000 over the month and increased by 140,000 in 2004.

Retail trade employment edged down in December, after seasonal adjustment. Since reaching a low point in December 2003, however, retailers have added 169,000 jobs.

In December, construction employment was little changed for the second month in a row. However, the industry has added 371,000 jobs since its recent low point in March 2003.

Manufacturing employment was about unchanged in December. The industry added 76,000 jobs in 2004; nearly all of the gain occurred early in the year.

Over the year, the number of persons who held more than one job increased by 574,000 to 7.8 million. These multiple jobholders represented 5.6 percent of total employment in December.