Bureau of Labor Statistics

Current Employment Statistics 

Highlights

December 2008

Bureau of Labor Statistics

January 9, 2009
2 

126

25

177

46

162

107

57 74 81

140

60 41

-76 -83 -88 -67 -47

-100 -67

-127

-403-423

-584

-524

-700

-600

-500

-400

-300

-200

-100

0

100

200

300

Jan-07

Feb-07

Mar-07

Apr-07

May-07

Jun-07

Jul-07

Aug-07

Sep-07

Oct-07

Nov-07

Dec-07

Jan-08

Feb-08

Mar-08

Apr-08

May-08

Jun-08

Jul-08

Aug-08

Sep-08

Oct-08

Nov-08

Dec-08

Employment in total nonfarm

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 9, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2007-08

• Nonfarm payroll employment declined by 524,000 in December. Over the 

most recent 4 months, payroll employment fell by 1.9 million, or an average 

of 484,000 per month, sharply higher than the average loss of 82,000 per 

month during the first 8 months of 2008. 

• In 2008, payroll employment fell by 2.6 million, the largest annual 

employment decrease, in absolute terms, since 1945.
3 

Percent change in total nonfarm employment, from 

beginning of recession* 

-2.5

-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

-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

Month

-2.5

-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

July 1990

March 2001

December 2007

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

Seasonally adjusted

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 9, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

• Total nonfarm employment peaked in December 2007, coinciding with the 

start of the recession as declared by the National Bureau of Economic 

Research (NBER). With the recent acceleration of job losses, nonfarm 

employment has fallen by 1.9 percent during 2008, the largest employment 

percentage decline since 1982.
4 

-1

-101

-149

-30

-67

-24

0

-20

-14

-113

45

-22

-35

7

-180 -135 -90 -45 0 45 90

Natural resources and mining

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, December 2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 9, 2009.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in total nonfarm

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

-524

Total nonfarm:

• Job losses in December were widespread. Goods-producing industries shed 

251,000 jobs in December while service-providing industries lost 273,000.

• The 1-month diffusion index fell to 25.4 in December, its lowest point in the 

history of the series (which dates back to 1991). A diffusion index below 50 

indicates that more industries are losing jobs than adding jobs.

• In contrast to most industries, education and health services added 45,000 jobs 

in December. During 2008, education and health services added 536,000 

positions.
5 

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

35.0

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

35.0

1997-2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 9, 2009.

Notes: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). NBER has not 

yet determined an endpoint for the recession that began in Dec. 2007. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Average weekly hours, total private

Seasonally adjusted

December 2008

Level: 33.3

Change: -0.2

85

90

95

100

105

110

115

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

85

90

95

100

105

110

115

aggregate weekly hours

1997-2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 9, 2009.

Notes: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). NBER has not yet 

determined an endpoint for the recession that began in Dec. 2007. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Index of total private

Seasonally adjusted, 2002=100

Aggregate weekly hours are the product of average weekly hours and production and nonsupervisory workers.

December 2008

Level: 103.5

Percent change: -1.1

• In December, the average workweek for production and nonsupervisory 

workers on private nonfarm payrolls fell by 0.2 hour to 33.3 hours, seasonally 

adjusted. This is the shortest workweek in the history of the series, which 

began in 1964. 

• The index of aggregate weekly hours of production and nonsupervisory 

workers on nonfarm payrolls fell by 1.1 percent in December. This index 

peaked in December 2007 and has declined by 4.0 percent since that time.
6 

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

140

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

140

1997-2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 9, 2009.

Notes: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). NBER has not yet 

determined an endpoint for the recession that began in Dec. 2007. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Index of total private

Seasonally adjusted, 2002=100

Aggregate weekly payrolls are the product of average hourly earnings, average weekly hours, and production and nonsupervisory 

workers.

aggregate weekly payrolls

December 2008

Level: 127.0

Percent change: -0.9

• The index of aggregate weekly payrolls for production and nonsupervisory 

workers on private nonfarm payrolls fell by 0.9 percent in December. Since 

reaching a high point in August 2008, the index has fallen by 1.9 percent.
7 

5,000

5,500

6,000

6,500

7,000

7,500

8,000

8,500

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

5,000

5,500

6,000

6,500

7,000

7,500

8,000

8,500

1997-2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 9, 2009.

Notes: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). NBER has not 

yet determined an endpoint for the recession that began in Dec. 2007. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Employment in construction

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

December 2008

Level: 6,833

Change: -101

-19.2

-6.8

-12.6

-34.4

-27.5

-9.4

-4.1

-6.6

-19.8

-9.0

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

10

Residential building Nonresidential

building

Heavy and civil

engineering

Residential specialty

trades

Nonresidential

specialty trades

December 2008

Prior 12-mo. avg. 

Over-the-month change

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 9, 2009.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in construction

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

• Construction employment continued to decline in December, as the industry 

lost 101,000 positions. Construction has lost 899,000 jobs since employment 

peaked in September 2006, with 70 percent of the losses occurring in 2008. 

• Job losses were widespread throughout construction, with all of the major 

components shedding jobs. In particular, specialty trade contractors lost 

62,000 jobs in December, the largest 1-month decline for this industry since 

February 2007 (-78,000). The job losses in this industry were divided 

between the residential and nonresidential contractors. 
8 

-18

-27 -35 -31

-12

-20

-6

-40

-22 -25

-3

-22

-35

-47 -46 -52

-21

-44 -40

-61

-69

-123

-104

-149

-180

-150

-120

-90

-60

-30

0

Jan-07

Feb-07

Mar-07

Apr-07

May-07

Jun-07

Jul-07

Aug-07

Sep-07

Oct-07

Nov-07

Dec-07

Jan-08

Feb-08

Mar-08

Apr-08

May-08

Jun-08

Jul-08

Aug-08

Sep-08

Oct-08

Nov-08

Dec-08

Employment in manufacturing

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 9, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2007-08

39.0

39.5

40.0

40.5

41.0

41.5

42.0

42.5

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06Jan-07

Jan-08

39.0

39.5

40.0

40.5

41.0

41.5

42.0

42.5

1997-2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 9, 2009.

Notes: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). NBER has not 

yet determined an endpoint for the recession that began in Dec. 2007. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Average weekly hours, manufacturing

Seasonally adjusted

December 2008

Level: 39.9

Change: -0.4

• Employment in manufacturing fell by 149,000 in December, the largest 1-

month decline since August 2001. Job losses were widespread as evidenced 

by the 1-month diffusion index falling to 11.3. The majority of job loss in 

December occurred in durable goods. Factory losses totaled 791,000 in 2008 

with nearly half of the decline coming in the last 3 months. 

• In December, the average workweek for production workers in 

manufacturing, a leading economic indicator, fell by 0.4 hour to 39.9 hours, 

its lowest value since reaching 39.7 in January 1996, a month in which 

weather affected average weekly hours. Factory overtime declined by 0.3 

hour in December.
9 

-12

-8

-7

-28

-7

-8

-5

-24

-9

-5

-40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20

Wood products

Nonmettalic mineral products

Primary metals

Fabricated metal products

Machinery

Computer and electronic products

Electrical equipment and appliances

Transportation equipment

Furniture and related products

Miscellaneous manufacturing

Over-the-month change, December 2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 9, 2009.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in durable goods manufacturing

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

-114

Durable goods:

-20

1

-2

-7

-11

-4 -6

-1 -2

-16

-1

-10

-6 -6

-23

-19

0

-6

-1

-36

-16

-12

-16

-21

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

10

Jan-07

Feb-07

Mar-07

Apr-07

May-07

Jun-07

Jul-07

Aug-07

Sep-07

Oct-07

Nov-07

Dec-07

Jan-08

Feb-08

Mar-08

Apr-08

May-08

Jun-08

Jul-08

Aug-08

Sep-08

Oct-08

Nov-08

Dec-08

Employment in motor vehicles

and parts

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 9, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2007-08

• Durable goods shed 114,000 jobs in December and 594,000 during 2008. The 

losses were widespread in December led by fabricated metal products 

(-28,000) and transportation equipment (-24,000). 

• Motor vehicles and parts manufacturers shed 21,000 jobs over the month. 

Employment in this industry has fallen by 162,000 during 2008, the largest 

job loss by any component industry within manufacturing. 
10 

-1.5

12.9

3.4

15.8

11.9

18.3

10.7

6.4 8.5

14.2

5.2

-2.1

-5.6

-9.7

-3.3

-10.4

-5.5 -3.8

-17.0

-10.5-7.6

-27.3

-32.8-30.0

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

30

Jan-07

Feb-07

Mar-07

Apr-07

May-07

Jun-07

Jul-07

Aug-07

Sep-07

Oct-07

Nov-07

Dec-07

Jan-08

Feb-08

Mar-08

Apr-08

May-08

Jun-08

Jul-08

Aug-08

Sep-08

Oct-08

Nov-08

Dec-08

Employment in wholesale trade

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 9, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2007-08

• Employment in wholesale trade fell by 30,000 over the month and by 164,000 

in 2008, with most of the decreases in the durable goods wholesalers. 
11 

34.6

12.6

59.9

-32.9

13.3

-16.4

5.2 13.2

-15.0-18.2

44.0

-25.3

-15.6

-43.4

-27.4

-45.7

-23.9

-7.6

-21.8-27.7

-75.6-67.0

-100.0

-66.6

-120

-100

-80

-60

-40

-20

0

20

40

60

80

Jan-07

Feb-07

Mar-07

Apr-07

May-07

Jun-07

Jul-07

Aug-07

Sep-07

Oct-07

Nov-07

Dec-07

Jan-08

Feb-08

Mar-08

Apr-08

May-08

Jun-08

Jul-08

Aug-08

Sep-08

Oct-08

Nov-08

Dec-08

Employment in retail trade

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 9, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2007-08

• In December, retail trade employment dropped by 67,000. For all of 2008, the 

industry lost 522,000 jobs, the largest 1-year decline in the history of the 

series. The industry has now lost more jobs in the December 2007 recession 

than in the 12 months following the start of the 1990 and 2001 recessions.

• In December, job losses were widespread, led by motor vehicle and parts 

dealers (-25,000) and miscellaneous store retailers (-11,000). During 2008, 

motor vehicle and parts dealers have shed 155,000 jobs. 
12 

3,500

3,750

4,000

4,250

4,500

4,750

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

3,500

3,750

4,000

4,250

4,500

4,750

and warehousing

1997-2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 9, 2009.

Notes: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). NBER has not yet 

determined an endpoint for the recession that began in Dec. 2007. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Employment in transportation

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

December 2008

Level: 4,393.8

Change: -23.9

1,150

1,200

1,250

1,300

1,350

1,400

1,450

1,500

1,550

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

1,150

1,200

1,250

1,300

1,350

1,400

1,450

1,500

1,550

1997-2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 9, 2009.

Notes: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). NBER has not 

yet determined an endpoint for the recession that began in Dec. 2007. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Employment in truck transportation

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

December 2008

Level: 1,350.8

Change: -15.6

• Employment in transportation and warehousing fell by 24,000 in December. 

In the last 4 months, the industry has averaged losses of 28,000 jobs, 

compared to an average monthly loss of 4,000 during the first 8 months of 

2008.

• This recent acceleration is largely due to increased job losses in truck 

transportation. Employment in trucking fell by 16,000 in December, and 

49,000 over the last 4 months. Truck transportation had lost only 23,000 jobs 

during the first 8 months of 2008.
13 

-7

-2

-14

-18

7

-5

14

-19 -18

-11

-23

-8 -8

-13

0

-2 -3

-13

-7

-10

-23

-27 -28

-14

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

Jan-07

Feb-07

Mar-07

Apr-07

May-07

Jun-07

Jul-07

Aug-07

Sep-07

Oct-07

Nov-07

Dec-07

Jan-08

Feb-08

Mar-08

Apr-08

May-08

Jun-08

Jul-08

Aug-08

Sep-08

Oct-08

Nov-08

Dec-08

Employment in financial activities

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 9, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2007-08

• Financial activities employment continued to decline in December, falling by 

14,000, about half its prior 3-month average. During 2008, job losses in this 

industry totaled 148,000.

• Job losses in December were spread throughout the industry. During 2008, 

losses in credit intermediation accounted for 53 percent of the losses in 

financial activities. 
14 

24 25

2

28 35

-3

23 21 21

70

9

52

-30 -28

-59

17

-49 -55

-23

-50

-65

-81

-145

-113

-180

-150

-120

-90

-60

-30

0

30

60

90

120

Jan-07

Feb-07

Mar-07

Apr-07

May-07

Jun-07

Jul-07

Aug-07

Sep-07

Oct-07

Nov-07

Dec-07

Jan-08

Feb-08

Mar-08

Apr-08

May-08

Jun-08

Jul-08

Aug-08

Sep-08

Oct-08

Nov-08

Dec-08

Employment in professional and

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 9, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2007-08

business services

-2

-11 -7 -10 -12 -11 -7 -7

-24

27

-8 -5 -4

-38

-31

-19

-36 -36

-24

-38

-45

-54

-86 -81

-100

-80

-60

-40

-20

0

20

40

Jan-07

Feb-07

Mar-07

Apr-07

May-07

Jun-07

Jul-07

Aug-07

Sep-07

Oct-07

Nov-07

Dec-07

Jan-08

Feb-08

Mar-08

Apr-08

May-08

Jun-08

Jul-08

Aug-08

Sep-08

Oct-08

Nov-08

Dec-08

Employment in temporary help

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 9, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2007-08

services

• Professional and business services continued to contract in December, cutting 

113,000 jobs and 681,000 during 2008, the largest absolute decline since 

2001. Temporary help services accounted for most of the December decline, 

shedding 81,000 jobs, bringing its job losses in 2008 to 490,000.