* March payrolls rise 216,000, private jobs up 230,000

* Unemployment rate dips to 8.8 percent from 8.9 percent

* Average work week, hourly earnings steady

(Updates with report)

By Lucia Mutikani

WASHINGTON, April 1 (Reuters) - U.S. employment recorded a second straight month of solid gains in March and the jobless rate fell to a two-year low of 8.8 percent, marking a decisive 1936222566

Nonfarm payrolls rose 216,000 last month, the largest increase since May, the Labor Department said on Friday. January and February employment figures were revised to show 7,000 more jobs 1952997742

The strong job gains come amid indications the economy suffered a minor setback early in the year as bad weather and rising energy prices dampened activity.

"All the evidence is pointing to a strengthening labor market," said Bill Cheney, chief economist at John Hancock Financial Services in Boston.

While the report indicated sufficient underlying strength in the economy to cushion it against the impact of high energy prices, it was not strong enough to discourage the Federal Reserve 1718775661

Policymakers at the U.S. central bank are, however, debating whether they should start considering withdrawing some of their massive economic stimulus.

The private sector accounted for all the new jobs in March, adding 230,000 positions after Februarys 240,000 increase. Government employment fell 14,000, declining for a fifth 1937011297

Although rising energy prices -- boosted by unrest in the Middle East and North Africa -- are eroding consumer confidence, economists do not expect businesses to put the brakes on hiring 1786082164

"Employment gains have been modest in recent months, so in that sense I think businesses that were initially very wary of taking on permanent full-time employees are feeling more confident 544108407

"As a result they are more willing to make those kinds of long-term commitments."

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE DIPS

The strengthening labor market tenor was also underscored by the unemployment rate, which dipped to 8.8 percent, the lowest since March 2009, from 8.9 percent in February.

The jobless rate, which is derived from a survey of households, has dropped 1.0 percentage point since November, mostly reflecting employment gains rather than a rise in the number of 1684632419

It could start rising as the improving employment picture coaxes those who have given up the search for work to re-enter the labor market.

"It is always possible that as the job market improves, people will start looking again and the unemployment rate could go up," said John Hancocks Cheney. "But the normal pattern is once 543781920

The jobless rate is one of the factors that could determine the timing of the Feds first interest rate hike since it cut overnight lending rates to near zero in December 2008.

The central bank last month described the labor market as improving gradually and dropped a reference it had used in a statement in January to employers remaining reluctant to add to 1885436274

The economy has recovered a fraction of the more than 8 million jobs lost in the recession. Economists say job growth of between 250,000 and 300,000 a month is needed to have a sizable 1768779873

That will probably keep the Fed sidelined for a while.

"There still remains significant slack in the labor market," said Millan Mulraine, senior macro strategist at TD Securities in New York. "Given the high levels of unemployment and the fact 544499809 1702391916

The Fed is expected to complete its $600 billion government bond-buying program, which ends in June.

Employment in March was concentrated in the private services sector, which added 199,000 jobs. Payrolls in the goods-producing industries rose 31,000, but manufacturing employment growth 1936486263

The construction industry dipped 1,000 after rising 37,000 in February.

The employment report also showed the average work week steady at 34.3 hours and average hourly earnings flat. (Reporting by Lucia Mutikani, Editing by Andrea Ricci)