Payrolls in U.S. Rose 192,000 in March, Unemployment 6.7%

Companies led the U.S. job market past a milestone in March as private employment exceeded its pre-recession peak for the first time, progress that will allow the Federal Reserve to stick to its policy course.

Payrolls excluding government agencies rose 192,000 after a 188,000 gain in February that was larger than first estimated, the Labor Department reported yesterday in Washington. That brought the job count to 116.1 million, beating the January 2008 high of 116 million. The jobless rate held at 6.7 percent even as half a million Americans entered the workforce.