Bureau of Labor Statistics

Current Employment Statistics 

Highlights

October 2010

Bureau of Labor Statistics

November 5, 2010

   
2

120,000

122,500

125,000

127,500

130,000

132,500

135,000

137,500

140,000

120,000

122,500

125,000

127,500

130,000

132,500

135,000

137,500

140,000

2000-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 5, 2010.

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

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

October 2010

Level: 130,462

Change: +151

7

5

-7

7

28

0

2

-1

-1

46

53

-5

25

-8

-50 -25 0 25 50 75 100

Mining and logging

Construction

Manufacturing

Wholesale trade

Retail trade

Transportation and warehousing

Utilities

Information

Financial activities

Professional and business services

Education and health services

Leisure and hospitality

Other services

Government

Over-the-month change, October 2010

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 5, 2010.

Employment in total nonfarm

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Total nonfarm:

+151

Note: Data are preliminary.

• Nonfarm payroll employment increased by 151,000 in October. 

• Since December 2009, nonfarm payroll employment has risen by 874,000. 

• October employment growth reflects job gains in mining and a number of serviceproviding industries. 

   
3

0.6 0.5 0.3 0.2

-0.1-0.3-0.4-0.6

-1.0

-1.5

-2.1

-2.6

-3.2

-3.7

-4.2-4.5-4.6-4.8-4.9-4.9-4.7-4.5

-3.9

-3.5

-3.0

-2.4

-1.7

-1.0

-0.4-0.2

0.0 0.2 0.3 0.6

-6

-5

-4

-3

-2

-1

0

1

2

3

Over-the-year percent change, 2008-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 5, 2010.

Employment in total nonfarm

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

-12

-85 -58

-161

-253-230-257

-347

-456

-547

-734

-667

-806

-707-744

-649

-334

-452

-297

-215-186

-262

75

-83

16

62

158

241

51 61

117 143 107

159

-900

-750

-600

-450

-300

-150

0

150

300

450

Over-the-month change, 2008-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 5, 2010.

Employment in total private

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

• Total nonfarm employment has increased by 0.6 percent over the year, the highest 12-

month rate since January 2008. 

• The private sector added 159,000 jobs in October; this gain is the 10th consecutive month 

of job growth. 

• Private-sector employment has increased by 1.1 million since December 2009. 

   
4

32.0

32.5

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

35.0

32.0

32.5

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

35.0

2000-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 5, 2010.

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, total private

Seasonally adjusted

Production employees

Level: 33.6

Change: +0.1

All employees

Level: 34.3

Change: +0.1

-4.0

-2.0

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

of all employees and CPI-U (1982-84), 2007-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Indexes program and Current Employment Statistics survey, November 5, 2010.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-year percent change in average hourly earnings

Seasonally adjusted

Over-the-year percent changes

October 2010 AHE: 1.7

September 2010 CPI-U: 1.1

AHE

CPI-U

• In October, average weekly hours for all employees and for production and 

nonsupervisory employees increased by 0.1 hour. The workweek for both employee 

groups has increased 0.6 hour since reaching lows in October 2009. 

• In October, average hourly earnings of all employees on private nonfarm payrolls 

increased by 5 cents to $22.73. Over the past 12 months, average hourly earnings have 

risen by 1.7 percent. 

• The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) rose by 1.1 percent from 

September 2009 to September 2010. 

   
5

85

90

95

100

105

2006-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 5, 2010.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Index of total private aggregate weekly hours

Seasonally adjusted, 2007=100

October 2010

Level: 93.0

Percent change: +0.4

of all employees

85

90

95

100

105

2006-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 5, 2010.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Index of total private aggregate weekly

Seasonally adjusted, 2007=100

October 2010

Level: 100.8

Percent change: +0.6

payrolls of all employees

• In October, the index of private aggregate weekly hours rose 0.4 percent. Since reaching 

a low in October 2009, the index has increased by 2.8 percent. 

• The index of private aggregate payrolls increased by 0.6 percent in October. Since 

reaching a low in October 2009, the index has increased by 4.6 percent. 

   
6

5 3.8

8.1

-0.3

8.1

6.9

4.7

7.2

2.8

-4

-2.7

-5.9

-7.3

-13.3

-15.5

-13.9-13.3

-8

-5.3

-8.8

-3.1

-4.7

7.6

1

7.8 6.9

9.3

6.4

11.3

6.6 6.9

9.5

6.7 7.6

-20

-15

-10

-5

0

5

10

15

Over-the-month change, 2008-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 5, 2010.

Employment in mining

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

9,000

10,000

11,000

12,000

13,000

14,000

15,000

16,000

17,000

18,000

9,000

10,000

11,000

12,000

13,000

14,000

15,000

16,000

17,000

18,000

2000-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 5, 2010.

Note: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2 

months of data are preliminary.

Employment in manufacturing

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

October 2010

Level: 11,669

Change: -7

• Mining employment continued to trend up (+8,000) over the month. Since a recent low 

in October 2009, mining has added 88,000 jobs. 

• Employment in manufacturing changed little in October (-7,000) and, on net, has been 

essentially flat since May. The industry had added 134,000 jobs during the first 5 months 

of this year. 

   
7

38.0

38.5

39.0

39.5

40.0

40.5

41.0

41.5

42.0

42.5

38.0

38.5

39.0

39.5

40.0

40.5

41.0

41.5

42.0

42.5

2000-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 5, 2010.

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, manufacturing

Seasonally adjusted

Production employees

Level: 41.3

Change: +0.1

All employees

Level: 40.3

Change: +0.1

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

5.5

6.0

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

5.5

6.0

manufacturing, 2000-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 5, 2010.

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,

Seasonally adjusted

Production employees

Level: 3.9

Change: 0.0

All employees

Level: 3.0

Change: 0.0

• The manufacturing workweeks for all employees and for production employees increased 

by 0.1 hour each in October. The workweek has risen by 1.6 hours for all employees 

since a low in June 2009. 

• Factory overtime was unchanged for both employee types. 

• Overtime hours for all employees have expanded by 0.9 hour since April 2009. Overtime 

hours for production employees have expanded by 1.3 hours since March 2009. Despite 

the increase, overtime hours for all employees and production employees remain below 

pre-recession levels. 

   
8

14,000

14,500

15,000

15,500

16,000

14,000

14,500

15,000

15,500

16,000

2000-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 5, 2010.

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

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

October 2010

Level: 14,488.3

Change: +27.9

7.8

1.0

4.7

-3.5

-0.4

1.2

-2.2

7.7

-0.3

4.4

5.0

2.5

-9 -6 -3 0 3 6 9 12 15

Motor vehicle and parts dealers

Furniture and home furnishings stores

Electronics and appliance stores

Building material and garden supply stores

Food and beverage stores

Health and personal care stores

Gasoline stations

Clothing and clothing accessories stores

Sporting goods, hobby, book, and music stores

General merchandise stores

Miscellaneous store retailers

Nonstore retailers

Over-the-month change, October 2010

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 5, 2010.

Employment in retail trade industries

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Retail trade: 27.9

Note: Data are preliminary.

• Retail trade employment rose by 28,000 in October, increases were distributed 

throughout most of the industries. 

• Since reaching a trough in December 2009, employment in retail trade has expanded by 

128,000. 

   
9

6.7

-4.7

0

7.5

2.6

-1.2

40.4

29.4

0.8

-20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Professional and technical*

Accounting and bookkeeping

Architectural and engineering

Computer systems design

Management and technical consulting

Management of companies

Administrative and waste services*

Employment services

Services to buildings

Over-the-month change, October 2010

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 5, 2010.

Employment in selected professional and

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Professional and business

services: +46

business services

Professional and technical*

Management of companies

Administrative and waste services*

Note: Data are preliminary.

* Includes additional component industries not shown separately.

1,600

1,800

2,000

2,200

2,400

2,600

2,800

3,000

1,600

1,800

2,000

2,200

2,400

2,600

2,800

3,000

2000-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 5, 2010.

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

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

October 2010

Level: 2,175.2

Change: +34.9

• Professional and business services added 46,000 jobs in October. 

• Employment in temporary help services continued to increase in October, with a gain of 

35,000. Employment in temporary help services has risen by 451,000 since a recent low 

in September 2009. 

• Computer systems design also added jobs in October; this industry has added 53,000 jobs 

since an employment trough in June 2009. 

   
10

27.9

33.5

29.6

37.3

23.6

21.0

33.1

19.7

17.1

20.4

29.7

25.5

12.2

17.8

13.1

8.3

23.2

19.921.0

17.8

23.223.8

17.317.7

13.414.0

31.4

17.2

15.016.5

24.224.623.924.1

0

10

20

30

40

50

Over-the-month change, 2008-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 5, 2010.

Employment in health care

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

13

2.7

2.5

3.6

5.1

6

13.1

3.2

1.1

3.7

3.3

3.5

-10 0 10 20

Ambulatory health care services*

Offices of physicians

Outpatient care centers

Home health care services

Hospitals

Nursing and residential care facilities

October 2010: +24.1

Prior 12-mo. avg.: +19.9

Over-the-month change, October 2010

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 5, 2010.

Employment in selected health care industries

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Offices of physicians

Note: Data are preliminary.

* Includes additional component industries not shown separately.

Outpatient care centers

Home health care services

• Health care continued to add jobs in October (+24,000); in line with the average increase 

over the prior 12 months (+20,000). 

• Health care employment has risen by 204,000 thus far in 2010. 

   
11

2

35 25 12 22 37 47

13

-2 -7

6

-6

27

-19 -9

121

-53 -63 -49

3

-39

38

-11 -26

-2 -23

50 72

381

-236

-183

-144-148

-8

-300

-250

-200

-150

-100

-50

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

Over-the-month change, 2008-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 5, 2010.

Employment in government

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

1,900

2,000

2,100

2,200

2,300

2,400

2,500

2,600

2,700

2,800

1,900

2,000

2,100

2,200

2,300

2,400

2,500

2,600

2,700

2,800

Federal excluding U.S. Postal Service

Federal excluding U.S. Postal Service 

and Census temporary and 

intermittent workers

and excluding Census temporary and intermittent workers, 2008-10

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 5, 2010.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Employment in Federal excluding U.S. Postal Service, including

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• Government employment was little changed overall in October. 

• The number of temporary decennial census workers fell by 5,000 in October; about 1,000 

temporary decennial census workers remain on Federal payrolls. 

   
12

96

97

98

99

100

101

102

103

104

105

106

-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34

Index where first month of the recession = 100

Month

Index of local government employment from beginning of recession, 

seasonally adjusted

1990

2001

2007

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 5, 2010 

Note: Business cycle peak as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. 

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

• Unlike the prior two recessions when jobs were added, local government began to shed 

jobs at the conclusion of the recent 2007–09 recession. 

• Since reaching a peak in September 2008, local government employment has fallen by 

368,000; two thirds of the losses have occurred so far in 2010. 

   
13

96

97

98

99

100

101

102

103

104

105

106

-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34

Index where first month of the recession = 100

Month

Index of local government education employment from beginning of 

recession, seasonally adjusted

1990

2001

2007

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 5, 2010 

Note: Business cycle peak as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. 

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

96

97

98

99

100

101

102

103

104

105

106

-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34

Index where first month of the recession = 100

Month

Index of local government, excluding education employment from 

beginning of recession, seasonally adjusted

1990

2001

2007

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 5, 2010 

Note: Business cycle peak as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. 

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

• During and following the 1991 and 2001 recessions, employment rose in local 

government education. 

• Since reaching a peak in July 2008, local government education employment has fallen 

by 213,000; 67 percent of the losses have occurred so far in 2010. 

• Employment in local government, excluding education, decreased by 14,000 in October 

and has fallen by 174,000 since reaching a peak in November 2008.