Employment nationally fell in September by 95,000 jobs and the unemployment rate held steady at 9.6 percent, the government reported Friday.

While the overall employment number was negative, private-sector employment actually rose by 64,000 jobs during the month. The broader number was dragged down by federal and state government job losses totaling 156,000. The government losses were spread evenly between state and local positions and federal workers leaving the 2010 census count.

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