The U.S. economy added 210,000 jobs in November, marking a slowdown in hiring amid new Covid-19 uncertainties, but a tight labor market showed an early sign of loosening as almost 600,000 people joined the workforce.

The slower pace of hiring last month—the smallest monthly gain since last December— followed an upwardly revised increase of 546,000 jobs in October, the Labor Department said. The unemployment rate fell to 4.2% as more people joined the labor force, the department added.