The U.S. economy added 311,000 jobs in February and the unemployment rate rose to 3.6 percent, according to data released Friday by the Labor Department.

Economists had been expecting around 225,000 jobs to be added in February and for the unemployment rate to remain at 3.4 percent, indicating that the labor market may finally be getting some slack.

While the jobless rate rose, the gain of 311,000 jobs is more than economists expected and could boost pressure on the Federal Reserve to accelerate rate hikes.

This developing report will be updated.