Bureau of Labor Statistics
Current Employment Statistics
Highlights
December 2010
Bureau of Labor Statistics
January 7, 2011
Employment in total nonfarm
2000-10
Seasonally adjusted, in thousands
140,000
140,000
137,500
137,500
135,000
135,000
132,500
132,500
130,000
130,000
127,500
127,500
December 2010
125,000
125,000
Level: 130,712
Change: +103
122,500
122,500
120,000
120,000
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 7, 2011.
Note: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research.
Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.
Employment in total nonfarm
Over-the-year percent change, 2008-10
3
2
1
0.6 0.5
0.3 0.2
0.0
0
-0.1
-0.3-0.4
-0.6
-1.0
-1
0.9
-1.7
-2.4
-2.6
-3.0
-3.2
-4
0.7 0.7
-0.2
-0.4
-2.1
-3
0.4
-1.0
-1.5
-2
0.2
-3.5
-3.9
-3.7
-4.2
-4.5-4.6
-4.5
-4.8-4.9-4.9-4.7
-5
-6
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 7, 2011.
Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.
•
Nonfarm payroll employment increased by 103,000 in December.
•
Since a recent low in December 2009, nonfarm employment has expanded by 1.1 million,
or 0.9 percent.
2 Employment in total nonfarm
Over-the-month change, 2008-10
Seasonally adjusted, in thousands
600
432
450
313
300
0
210
208
150
64
-10
-150
-50 -33
-193
-231 -210
-387
-458
-600
-528
-554
103
-1 -24
-175
-212-225-224
-334
-450
-66
-109
-149
-300
71
14 39
-346
-515
-673
-726
-728
-753
-779
-750
-900
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 7, 2011.
Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.
Employment in total nonfarm
Over-the-month change, December 2010
Seasonally adjusted, in thousands
Mining and logging
4
Construction
-16
Manufacturing
Total nonfarm:
+103
10
Wholesale trade
9
Retail trade
12
Transportation and warehousing
9
Utilities
1
Information
-4
Financial activities
4
Professional and business services
7
Education and health services
44
Leisure and hospitality
47
Other services
-14
Government
-10
-50
-25
0
25
50
75
100
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 7, 2011.
Note: Data are preliminary.
•
December marked the third consecutive month of nonfarm employment growth.
•
Education and health services and leisure and hospitality added jobs in December, while
all other industries showed little employment change.
3 Average weekly hours, total private
2000-10
Seasonally adjusted
35.0
35.0
All employees
Level: 34.3
Change: 0.0
34.5
34.5
34.0
34.0
33.5
33.5
Production employees
Level: 33.6
33.0
33.0
Change: +0.1
32.5
32.5
32.0
32.0
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 7, 2011.
Note: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2
months of data are preliminary.
Index of total private aggregate weekly hours
of all employees
2006-10
105
Seasonally adjusted, 2007=100
100
95
December 2010
90
Level: 93.2
Percent change: +0.1
85
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 7, 2011.
Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.
•
Average weekly hours for all employees remained unchanged at 34.3 in December, while
production worker hours increased by 0.1 hour to 33.6.
•
The index of aggregate weekly hours for all employees increased by 0.1 percent over the
month; since a recent low in October 2009, the index has increased by 3.0 percent.
4 Over-the-year percent change in average hourly earnings
of all employees and CPI-U (1982-84), 2007-10
Seasonally adjusted
8.0
Over-the-year percent changes
6.0
December 2010 AHE: 1.8
November 2010 CPI-U: 1.1
4.0
2.0
AHE
0.0
-2.0
CPI-U
-4.0
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Indexes program and Current Employment Statistics survey, January 7, 2011.
Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.
Index of total private aggregate weekly
payrolls of all employees
2006-10
105
Seasonally adjusted, 2007=100
100
95
December 2010
90
Level: 101.3
Percent change: +0.3
85
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 7, 2011.
Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.
•
Average hourly earnings for all employees increased by 3 cents in December to $22.78.
•
Over the past 12 months, average hourly earnings have increased by 40 cents, or 1.8
percent. The Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers rose by 1.1 percent between
November 2009 and November 2010.
•
In December, the index of private aggregate weekly payrolls for all employees increased
by 0.3 percent to 101.3, its highest level since October 2008. Since a recent low in
October 2009, the index has increased by 5.1 percent but is still 1.3 percent below the
March 2008 peak.
5 Employment in construction
2000-10
Seasonally adjusted, in thousands
8,000
8,000
7,500
7,500
7,000
7,000
6,500
6,500
6,000
6,000
December 2010
Level: 5,603
5,500
5,500
Change: -16
5,000
5,000
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 7, 2011.
Note: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2
months of data are preliminary.
Employment in construction
Over-the-month change, December 2010
Seasonally adjusted, in thousands
5
4.1
1.7
0
-0.4
-0.4
-0.8
-2.8
-3.9
-5
-4.0
-5.9
December 2010
-10
Prior 12-mo. avg.
-12.7
-15
Residential building
Nonresidential
building
Heavy and civil
engineering
Residential specialty
trades
Nonresidential
specialty trades
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 7, 2011.
Note: Data are preliminary.
•
Construction employment showed little change in December and, on net, has been
essentially flat since March.
•
Heavy and civil engineering construction lost 13,000 jobs, while employment in building
construction and specialty trades was unchanged. Extremely cold weather in the eastern
half of the country and heavy precipitation in the West and Northeast may have
suppressed employment.
6 Employment in manufacturing
Over-the-month change, 2008-10
Seasonally adjusted, in thousands
100
50
22 16 19
0
-5
-50
-30 -37
-27
-43
-49
-50
-72
-100
-25 -18
-57
-48
38 39
32
10
4
-26
-6 -4 -8
-57
-93 -93
-130
-141
-150
-177
-200
-129
-149-152
-166-165
-250
-279
-300
-350
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 7, 2011.
Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.
•
Manufacturing employment changed little in December.
•
The industry added 136,000 jobs in 2010. Most of the job gains occurred early in the
year, and employment has shown little net change since May.
7 Average weekly hours, manufacturing
2000-10
Seasonally adjusted
42.5
42.5
42.0
Production employees
41.5
Change: 0.0
42.0
Level: 41.2
41.5
41.0
41.0
40.5
40.5
40.0
40.0
39.5
All employees
Level: 40.2
39.0
Change: -0.1
38.5
38.0
39.5
39.0
38.5
38.0
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 7, 2011.
Note: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2
months of data are preliminary.
Average weekly overtime hours,
manufacturing, 2000-10
Seasonally adjusted
6.0
6.0
5.5
Production employees
5.0
Change: 0.0
Level: 4.0
5.5
5.0
4.5
4.5
4.0
4.0
3.5
3.5
3.0
2.5
All employees
Level: 3.1
Change: 0.0
3.0
2.5
2.0
2.0
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 7, 2011.
Note: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2
months of data are preliminary.
•
Average weekly hours for all employees in manufacturing edged down by 0.1 hour to
40.2 in December, while the production employee workweek was unchanged at 41.2
hours.
•
Average weekly overtime hours for both all employees and production employees were
unchanged over the month.
•
Since recent lows in March 2009, the workweek for production employees has increased
by 1.8 hours, and production employee overtime has increased by 1.4 hours.
8 Employment in retail trade
2000-10
Seasonally adjusted, in thousands
16,000
16,000
15,500
15,500
15,000
15,000
December 2010
14,500
14,500
Level: 14,475.7
Change: +12.0
14,000
14,000
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 7, 2011.
Note: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2
months of data are preliminary.
Employment in retail trade industries
Over-the-month change, December 2010
Seasonally adjusted, in thousands
Motor vehicle and parts dealers
7.5
Furniture and home furnishings stores
3.8
Retail trade: 12
Electronics and appliance stores
-1.2
Building material and garden supply stores
0.7
Food and beverage stores
0.5
Health and personal care stores
-7.6
Gasoline stations
0.2
Clothing and clothing accessories stores
6.1
Sporting goods, hobby, book, and music stores
0.6
General merchandise stores
1.4
Miscellaneous store retailers
-2.1
Nonstore retailers
2.1
-18
-15
-12
-9
-6
-3
0
3
6
9
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 7, 2011.
Note: Data are preliminary.
•
Retail trade employment was essentially flat in December, although over the year,
employment in retail trade has expanded by 116,000.
•
During December, job gains in motor vehicles and parts dealers (+8,000) offset losses in
health and personal care stores (-8,000). Employment in other component industries
changed little.
9 Employment in professional and business services
2000-10
Seasonally adjusted, in thousands
19,000
19,000
18,500
18,500
18,000
18,000
17,500
17,500
17,000
17,000
16,500
16,500
December 2010
16,000
Level: 16,854
Change: +7
15,500
16,000
15,500
15,000
15,000
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 7, 2011.
Note: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2
months of data are preliminary.
Employment in temporary help services
2000-10
Seasonally adjusted, in thousands
3,000
3,000
2,800
2,800
2,600
2,600
2,400
2,400
2,200
2,200
2,000
December 2010
1,800
Change: +15.9
2,000
Level: 2,219.4
1,800
1,600
1,600
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 7, 2011.
Note: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2
months of data are preliminary.
•
Employment in professional and business services continued to trend up in December as
job growth continued in temporary help services.
•
Temporary help services has added 495,000 jobs since a recent low in September 2009.
10 Employment in selected health care industries
Over-the-month change, December 2010
Seasonally adjusted, in thousands
20.6
Ambulatory health care services*
13.0
3.3
Offices
Officesofofphysicians
physicians
2.8
December 2010: +35.7
6.5
Outpatient
care
centers
Outpatient care
centers
Prior 12-mo. avg.: +20.7
1.3
4.3
Homehealth
health care
care services
Home
services
3.5
8.0
Hospitals
3.8
7.1
Nursing and residential care facilities
3.8
-10
0
10
20
30
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 7, 2011.
Note: Data are preliminary.
* Includes additional component industries not shown separately.
•
Education and health services added 44,000 jobs over the month; employment in the
industry expanded by 422,000 in 2010.
•
Health care accounted for the majority of December’s employment growth in education
and health services as ambulatory health care services (+21,000) and hospitals (+8,000)
added jobs.
11 Employment in leisure and hospitality
2000-10
Seasonally adjusted, in thousands
14,000
14,000
13,500
13,500
13,000
13,000
12,500
12,500
12,000
12,000
11,500
11,500
December 2010
11,000
11,000
Level: 13,231
Change: +47
10,500
10,500
10,000
10,000
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 7, 2011.
Note: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2
months of data are preliminary.
Employment in food services and drinking places
Over-the-month change, 2008-10
Seasonally adjusted, in thousands
45
38.4
30
26.3
20.2
18.6
22.5
13.3
15
2.2
12.3
5.6
0.2
-1.0
-2.0
-30
24.5
16.5
0
-15 -13.2
24.5
-11.3
-7.1
-8.8
-23.4
-1.5
-5.8
-9.7
-13.1 -13.0
-14.9
-13.7
-16.7
-19.4
-14.1
-8.8
-21.8
-23.9
-26.6
-29.6
-30.7
-45
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 7, 2011.
Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.
•
Leisure and hospitality added 47,000 jobs in December. Since a recent low in December
2009, employment in the industry has increased by 240,000.
•
Food services and drinking places continued to add jobs in December 2010. Employment
in this industry has increased by 188,000 since the most recent trough one year ago.
12