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Despite a continued rise in inflation, an additional 428,000 jobs were added across America in April. Friday’s job report from the Labor Department shows that the unemployment rate sits at 3.6 percent, the lowest level in 50 years.

There have now been job gains of 400,000 jobs or more for 12 consecutive months. The Federal Reserve raised its key rate by half a point and signaled further rate hikes may come. Economists say this could make it difficult for that growth to continue at the rate it currently is.

The Labor Department added that only 1.38 million Americans were collecting traditional unemployment benefits. That is the smallest number being reported since 1970. Employers had a record-high 11.5 million job openings in March and layoffs are at a pre-pandemic low.