U.S. Jobs Gains Concentrated In Low-Paying Sectors: Fed Official

WASHINGTON, March 22 (Xinhua) -- Recent U.S. job gains had been largely concentrated in lower-wage occupations, evidence of the challenges facing the labor market, Federal Reserve Governor Sarah Raskin said here Friday.

Those low-paying jobs included retail sales, food preparation, manual labor, home health care and customer service, Raskin said in addressing the National Community Reinvestment Coalition Annual Conference.

"The Great Recession stands out for the magnitude of job losses we experienced throughout the downturn. These factors have hit low-and moderate-income Americans the hardest," Raskin said.

About two-thirds of all job losses resulting from the recession were in moderate-wage occupations, including manufacturing and skilled construction. However, these occupations have accounted for less than one-quarter of subsequent job gains, she said.

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