The workforce participation rate drops a 10th of a point. Profession and business services and construction are the to-gaining sectors.
The economy added 236,000 jobs in February as the unemployment rate dropped to 7.7 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The unemployment rate was 7.9 percent in January. It was 8.3 percent in February 2012.
The number of unemployed edged down to 12 million, according to the monthly report. Long-term unemployed -- jobless more than 27 weeks -- remained the same at 4.8 million.
Workforce participation ticked down a touch from 63.6 percent to 63.5 percent, and there were about 100,000 fewer people in the workforce in February.
Job increases were seen in professional and business services (73,000), construction (48,000; now having added 151,000 jobs since September) and health care (32,000), according to the report. The Information industry added 20,000 jobs and retail increased by 24,000.
The public sector shed 10,000 jobs in February.