April 2020

Release Date: May 8, 2020

Prepared by Analysts of the National Estimates Branch

Current Employment Statistics Survey

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

202-691-6555

Email CES

Contents

Summary

Mining & Logging

Construction

Manufacturing

Wholesale Trade

Retail Trade

Transportation, Warehousing, & Utilities

Information

Financial Activities

Professional & Business Services

Private Education & Health Services

Leisure & Hospitality

Other Services

Government

Current Employment Statistics Highlights

Detailed Industry Employment Analysis

Current Employment Statistics

Highlights
Current Employment Statistics Summary, April 2020

CES Highlights Release Date: May 8, 2020

-7,653,000 Leisure and Hospitality 

 Employment in leisure and hospitality 

declined sharply by 7.7 million, or 47 percent, 

in April, bringing employment to its lowest 

level since August 1988. Within the industry, 

employment fell by 5.5 million in food services 

and drinking places, followed by losses of 1.1 

million in amusements, gambling and 

recreation and 839,000 in accommodation. 

 Nonfarm payroll employment fell by an 

historic 20.5 million in April, after declining by 

881,000 in March, bringing employment to its 

lowest level since January 2011—over 9 years 

ago. Job losses in April 2020 were widespread. 

For private-sector industries, the diffusion 

index over a 1-month period fell to 4.8 in April, 

the lowest level in the series history, indicating 

that far more industries lost jobs than added 

them over the month. In April, employment 

fell sharply in all major industry sectors, with a 

particularly large job decline in leisure and 

hospitality. 

 The employment change for February 

revised down from 275,000 to 251,000, and 

the change for March also revised down from 

-701,000 to -881,000. 

 Average hourly earnings for all employees 

on private, nonfarm payrolls rose by $1.34, or 

4.7 percent, in April and were up 7.9 percent 

over the year. The average workweek, at 34.2 

hours, increased by 0.1 hour over the month. 

NOTE: Details on the impacts of COVID-19 on 

the March and April estimates from the CES 

survey can be found on 

https://www.bls.gov/ces/notices/2020/covid19-march-2020.htm.

120,000

125,000

130,000

135,000

140,000

145,000

150,000

155,000

160,000

Jan-02 Jan-04 Jan-06 Jan-08 Jan-10 Jan-12 Jan-14 Jan-16 Jan-18 Jan-20

Employment in total nonfarm

April 2020 Level: 131,045

OTM Change: -20,537*

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 08, 2020.

Shaded area represents recession as denoted by the National Bureau of Economic Research. 

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary. 

* denotes significance.

January 2002–April 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Summary Mining & 

Logging Construction Manufacturing

Trade: 

Wholesale

Retail

Transp., 

Warehousing

& Utilities

Information Financial

Activities

Professional

& Business

Services

Private

Education

& Health

Services

Leisure & 

Hospitality

Other

Services Government
CES Highlights Release Date: May 8, 2020

-2,544,000 Education and Health Services

 Employment in education and health 

services fell by 2.5 million in April, a level not 

seen since April 2015. Within the industry, 

most of the jobs losses in health care occurred

in ambulatory health care services

(-1.2 million), including losses of 503,000 in 

offices of dentists, 243,000 in offices of 

physicians, and 205,000 in offices of other 

health practitioners. 

 Employment in private education declined 

by 457,000. Within social assistance, 

employment in individual and family services 

declined by 241,000, and child daycare 

services lost 336,000 jobs.

-2,165,000 Professional and Business Services 

 Employment in professional and business 

services fell to its lowest level since October 

2014. Employment declines came in 

temporary help services (-842,000), 

professional and technical services (-546,000),

and services to buildings and dwellings 

(-259,000). 

-2,107,000 Retail Trade

 Employment in retail trade fell by 2.1 

million in April to its lowest level since July 

1994. Within the industry, job losses were 

widespread, including losses of 740,000 in 

clothing and clothing accessories stores and 

345,000 in motor vehicles and parts dealers. 

-1,330,000 Manufacturing 

 Manufacturing employment declined by 1.3 

million in April, including declines of 421,000 

in transportation equipment and 109,000 in 

-980

-1,267

-7,653

-2,544

-2,165

-262

-254

-3

-584

-2,107

-363

-1,330

-975

-50

-10,000 -8,000 -6,000 -4,000 -2,000 0 2,000

Government*

Other services*

Leisure and hospitality*

Education and health services*

Professional and business services*

Financial activities*

Information*

Utilities*

Transportation and warehousing*

Retail trade*

Wholesale trade*

Manufacturing*

Construction*

Mining and logging*

Employment in total nonfarm

April 2020 Prior 12-month average

Over-the-month change, April 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Total nonfarm:

-20,537*

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 08, 2020.

Data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

Current Employment Statistics Survey Summary, April 2020

Summary Mining & 

Logging Construction Manufacturing

Trade: 

Wholesale

Retail

Transp., 

Warehousing

& Utilities

Information Financial

Activities

Professional

& Business

Services

Private

Education

& Health

Services

Leisure & 

Hospitality

Other

Services Government

fabricated metal products. Manufacturing 

employment fell to its lowest level since 

March 2010. 

-1,267,000 Other Services

 Employment in other services fell by 1.3 

million in April. Within the industry, 

employment declined in personal and laundry 
CES Highlights Release Date: May 8, 2020

services (-797,000), in membership 

associations (-250,000), and in repair and 

maintenance (-220,000). Employment in other 

services is at its lowest level since July 1994. 

-975,000 Construction 

 Employment in construction fell by 975,000 

in April to its lowest level since January 2016. 

Seventy-one percent of the job loss came in 

specialty trade contractors, which lost 691,000 

jobs, split between residential (-297,000) and 

nonresidential (-393,000) components. 

Construction of buildings (-206,000) and heavy 

and civil engineering construction also lost 

jobs (-79,000). 

-980,000 Government 

 Government employment fell by 980,000 in 

April. Local government accounted for 801,000 

of the decline, with losses split between local 

education (-469,000) and local, excluding 

education (-332,000). State government also 

lost jobs over the month, mostly in state 

government education (-176,000). Federal 

government employment changed little over 

the month. Government employment is now 

at its lowest level since January 2005. 

-584,000 Transportation and Warehousing 

 Employment in transportation and 

warehousing fell by 584,000 in April to the 

lowest level since January 2017. Within the

industry, job declines were widespread, 

including in transit and ground transportation 

(-185,000), air transportation (-141,000), truck 

transportation (-88,000), and warehousing and 

storage (-74,000).

-363,000 Wholesale Trade 

 In April, wholesale trade employment fell to 

its lowest level since February 2012. 

Employment declined in durable goods 

(-185,000), in nondurable goods (-148,000), and 

in electronic markets and agents and brokers 

(-30,000) over the month. 

-262,000 Financial Activities 

 Employment in financial activities fell by 

262,000 in April to the lowest level since May 

2018. Most of the jobs lost in April came from 

real estate (-101,000) and rental and leasing 

services (-120,000).

-254,000 Information 

 Within information, motion picture and 

sound recording industries lost 217,000 jobs. 

Information employment is at its lowest level 

since August 2011, when a large strike 

impacted the industry. 

Current Employment Statistics Survey Summary, April 2020

Summary Mining & 

Logging Construction Manufacturing

Trade: 

Wholesale

Retail

Transp., 

Warehousing

& Utilities

Information Financial

Activities

Professional

& Business

Services

Private

Education

& Health

Services

Leisure & 

Hospitality

Other

Services Government
 Mining employment declined by 46,000 in 

April. All major mining components 

experienced significant declines over the 

month, with the majority of the job loss 

occurring in support activities for mining 

(-33,000).

 Mining employment losses are consistent 

with April indicator data, which showed

large declines in the North American rotary 

rig count and in the price of West Texas 

Intermediate oil. 

 Logging employment fell by 5,000 in April.

500

550

600

650

700

750

800

850

900

950

Jan-10 Jan-12 Jan-14 Jan-16 Jan-18 Jan-20

Employment in mining

April 2020 Level: 607

OTM Change: -46*

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 08, 2020.

Shaded area represents recession as denoted by the National Bureau of Economic Research. 

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary. 

* denotes significance.

January 2010–April 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Mining and Logging 

Summary Mining & 

Logging Construction Manufacturing

Trade: 

Wholesale

Retail

Transp., 

Warehousing

& Utilities

Information Financial

Activities

Professional

& Business

Services

Private

Education

& Health

Services

Leisure & 

Hospitality

Other

Services Government

CES Highlights Release Date: May 8, 2020
 Construction employment decreased by 

975,000 in April. Weakness in specialty trade 

contractors (-691,000) and in construction of 

buildings (-206,000) combined for most of 

the job loss, followed by heavy and civil 

engineering construction (-79,000).

 While the job loss in construction follows 

weakness in residential building permits and 

new home sales in March, the losses were 

most likely a response to the coronavirus 

pandemic as worksites shuttered or 

significantly reduced employment across all 

regions of the United States.

4,500

5,000

5,500

6,000

6,500

7,000

7,500

8,000

8,500

Jan-10 Jan-12 Jan-14 Jan-16 Jan-18 Jan-20

Employment in construction

April 2020 Level: 6,631

OTM Change: -975*

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 08, 2020.

Shaded area represents recession as denoted by the National Bureau of Economic Research. 

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary. 

* denotes significance.

January 2010–April 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Construction

Summary Mining & 

Logging Construction Manufacturing

Trade: 

Wholesale

Retail

Transp., 

Warehousing

& Utilities

Information Financial

Activities

Professional

& Business

Services

Private

Education

& Health

Services

Leisure & 

Hospitality

Other

Services Government

CES Highlights Release Date: May 8, 2020
 Employment in manufacturing declined by 1,330,000 in April and has 

not been this low since March 2010. The decrease was led by durable 

goods, which shed 914,000 jobs and included a loss of 421,000 in 

transportation equipment.

 The manufacturing 1-month diffusion index plummeted by 23.7 points 

to 2.6 in April, indicating that far more manufacturing industries lost jobs 

than added them over the month. This is the second consecutive month 

the index has fallen by 20 or more points and is the lowest level in the 

history of the index, which began in 1991.

 In April, average weekly hours for all employees in manufacturing 

tumbled 2.1 hours to 38.3 hours, the lowest level and the largest drop 

since the series began in 2006. The average workweek of production 

workers decreased 2.6 hours to 38.7 hours, the lowest level since January 

1982.

 Average weekly overtime hours for all employees in manufacturing fell 

by 0.9 hour to 2.1 hours, matching its lowest level in May 2009. Average 

weekly overtime hours for production workers fell 1.2 hours to 2.7 hours, 

matching its lowest level since April 2009.

 Average hourly earnings for all employees stood at $29.11, an increase 

of 78 cents. Production and nonsupervisory workers hourly earnings 

increased by 19 cents to $22.76.

11,000

11,200

11,400

11,600

11,800

12,000

12,200

12,400

12,600

12,800

13,000

13,200

Jan-10 Jan-12 Jan-14 Jan-16 Jan-18 Jan-20

Employment in manufacturing

April 2020 Level: 11,488

OTM Change: -1,330*

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 08, 2020.

Shaded area represents recession as denoted by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary. 

* denotes significance.

January 2010–April 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

38.0

38.5

39.0

39.5

40.0

40.5

41.0

41.5

42.0

42.5

Jan-07 Jan-09 Jan-11 Jan-13 Jan-15 Jan-17 Jan-19

Average weekly hours, manufacturing

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 08, 2020.

Shaded area represents recession as denoted by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

January 2007–April 2020

Seasonally adjusted

Production employees

Level: 38.7

Change: -2.6

All employees

Level: 38.3

Change: -2.1

Manufacturing

CES Highlights Release Date: May 8, 2020

Summary Mining & 

Logging Construction Manufacturing

Trade: 

Wholesale

Retail

Transp., 

Warehousing

& Utilities

Information Financial

Activities

Professional

& Business

Services

Private

Education

& Health

Services

Leisure & 

Hospitality

Other

Services Government
 Employment in wholesale trade fell by 363,000 in April, a decline of 

6.1 percent. Durable goods shed 185,000 jobs, nondurable goods lost 

148,000, and employment in electronic markets and agents and 

brokers declined by 30,000. The employment declines in April 

represent the largest ever monthly job changes in wholesale trade and 

its 3 components. 

 

5,200

5,400

5,600

5,800

6,000

6,200

Jan-10 Jan-12 Jan-14 Jan-16 Jan-18 Jan-20

Employment in wholesale trade

April 2020 Level: 5,569

OTM Change: -363*

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 08, 2020.

Shaded area represents recession as denoted by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

January 2010–April 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

-200 -150 -100 -50 0

Electonic markets and agents and brokers *

Nondurable goods *

Durable goods *

Employment in wholesale trade

Over-the-month change, April 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands 

April OTMC Prior 12-month average

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 08, 2020.

Data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

Wholesale Trade

Summary Mining & 

Logging Construction Manufacturing

Trade:

Wholesale

Retail

Transp., 

Warehousing

& Utilities

Information Financial

Activities

Professional

& Business

Services

Private

Education

& Health

Services

Leisure & 

Hospitality

Other

Services Government

CES Highlights Release Date: May 8, 2020
 In April, employment in retail trade 

declined by 2.1 million, the largest 

monthly drop in the history of the series, 

which began in 1939. Since reaching a 

peak in January 2017, industry 

employment declined by 2.4 million.

 Within retail trade, employment 

declines were pervasive. Clothing and 

clothing accessories stores lost 740,000 

jobs, and employment in motor vehicle 

and parts dealers fell by 345,000. 

 In line with employment, recent retailrelated economic indicators are mostly 

negative. Retail Sales were down in 

March. Both Auto Sales and the

Consumer Confidence Index declined 

sharply in April. 

12,500

13,000

13,500

14,000

14,500

15,000

15,500

16,000

16,500

Jan-90 Jan-95 Jan-00 Jan-05 Jan-10 Jan-15 Jan-20

Employment in retail trade April 2020 Level: 13,520

OTM Change: -2,107*

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 08, 2020.

Shaded area represents recession as denoted by the National Bureau of Economic Research. 

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary. 

* denotes significance.

January 1990–April 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Retail trade

Summary Mining & 

Logging Construction Manufacturing

Trade:

Wholesale

Retail

Transp., 

Warehousing

& Utilities

Information Financial

Activities

Professional

& Business

Services

Private

Education

& Health

Services

Leisure & 

Hospitality

Other

Services Government

CES Highlights Release Date: May 8, 2020
 Employment in transportation and warehousing decreased by 584,000 

in April, erasing essentially all of the gains made in the industry since 

January 2017.

 

 

 

 

 Within transportation and warehousing, transit and ground passenger 

transportation (-185,000), and air transportation (-141,000) accounted for 

56 percent of the losses in April. The losses in these component industries 

follow declines in transit ridership and air travel amidst the COVID-19 

pandemic.

 

Transportation and Warehousing

CES Highlights Release Date: May 8, 2020

Summary Mining & 

Logging Construction Manufacturing

Trade: 

Wholesale

Retail

Transp., 

Warehousing

& Utilities

Information Financial

Activities

Professional

& Business

Services

Private

Education

& Health

Services

Leisure & 

Hospitality

Other

Services Government
 Employment in utilities declined by 

3,000 in April, reaching its lowest level 

since August 1971.

538

540

542

544

546

548

550

552

554

556

558

560

562

Jan-10 Jan-12 Jan-14 Jan-16 Jan-18 Jan-20

Employment in utilities

April 2020 Level: 543

OTM Change: -3*

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 08, 2020.

Shaded area represents recession as denoted by the National Bureau of Economic Research. 

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary. 

* denotes significance.

January 2010–April 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Utilities

Summary Mining & 

Logging Construction Manufacturing

Trade: 

Wholesale

Retail

Transp., 

Warehousing

& Utilities

Information Financial

Activities

Professional

& Business

Services

Private

Education

& Health

Services

Leisure & 

Hospitality

Other

Services Government

CES Highlights Release Date: May 8, 2020
 Information employment contracted by 254,000 to its lowest level 

since August 2011. The only larger one-month decline in the series’ 

history—which dates to 1939—occurred in August 1983 and coincided 

with a large telecommunications strike.

 The impact of COVID-19 on the motion picture and sound recording 

industries has been particularly acute. Most of the information jobs lost 

in April are likely associated with film production and exhibition.

 Employment in publishing industries, except internet (-17,000); 

broadcasting, except internet (-12,000); and data processing, hosting and 

related services (-7,000) shrank in April. Bucking recent trends, 

employment in both telecommunications and other information services 

was flat over the month.

2,550

2,600

2,650

2,700

2,750

2,800

2,850

2,900

2,950

Jan-10 Jan-12 Jan-14 Jan-16 Jan-18 Jan-20

Employment in information

April 2020 Level: 2,636

OTM Change: -254*

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 08, 2020.

Shaded area represents recession as denoted by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary. 

* denotes significance.

January 2010–April 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Information

CES Highlights Release Date: May 8, 2020

Summary Mining & 

Logging Construction Manufacturing

Trade: 

Wholesale

Retail

Transp., 

Warehousing

& Utilities

Information Financial

Activities

Professional

& Business

Services

Private

Education

& Health

Services

Leisure & 

Hospitality

Other

Services Government
 Employment in financial activities 

declined by 262,000 in April. This is the 

industry’s largest monthly decline in the 

history of the series since 1939. 

 The April employment decline in real 

estate and rental and leasing (-222,000) 

coincided with a sharp decline in the 

Consumer Confidence Index. 

Employment in credit intermediation 

and related activities also contracted in 

April (-31,000). 

Financial Activities

Summary Mining & 

Logging Construction Manufacturing

Trade: 

Wholesale

Retail

Transp., 

Warehousing

& Utilities

Information Financial

Activities

Professional

& Business

Services

Private

Education

& Health

Services

Leisure & 

Hospitality

Other

Services Government

CES Highlights Release Date: May 8,2020

7,200

7,400

7,600

7,800

8,000

8,200

8,400

8,600

8,800

9,000

9,200

Jan-10 Jan-12 Jan-14 Jan-16 Jan-18 Jan-20

Employment in financial activities

April 2020 Level: 8,580

OTM Change: -262*

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 08, 2020.

Shaded area represents recession as denoted by the National Bureau of Economic Research. 

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary. 

* denotes significance.

January 2010–April 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands
 Employment in professional and business services decreased by 

2.2 million in April, the largest decline in the history of the series, 

beginning in 1939. Employment in professional and business 

services is at its lowest level since October 2014. 

 Employment in administrative and support services decreased by 

1.5 million in April. Within this component, temporary help services 

lost 842,000 jobs, bringing its employment to the lowest level since 

April 2010. Services to buildings and dwellings lost 259,000 jobs 

also. 

 Both professional and technical services (-546,000) and 

management of companies and enterprises (-82,000) incurred job 

losses in April. Within professional and technical services, all of the 

components experienced job losses, including -93,000 in computer 

systems design and related services, and -85,000 in architectural 

and engineering services. 

14,000

16,000

18,000

20,000

22,000

24,000

Jan-02 Jan-04 Jan-06 Jan-08 Jan-10 Jan-12 Jan-14 Jan-16 Jan-18 Jan-20

Employment in professional and business services

April 2020 Level: 19,305

OTM Change: -2,165*

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 08, 2020.

Shaded area represents recession as denoted by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary. 

* denotes significance.

January 2002–April 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Professional and Business Services

CES Highlights Release Date: May 8, 2020

Summary Mining & 

Logging Construction Manufacturing

Trade: 

Wholesale

Retail

Transp., 

Warehousing

& Utilities

Information Financial

Activities

Professional

& Business

Services

Private

Education

& Health

Services

Leisure & 

Hospitality

Other

Services Government
 In April, employment in health care and social assistance declined by 2.1 

million, while educational services shed 457,000 jobs. Within social 

assistance, child day care services (-336,000), and individual and family 

services (-241,000) lost jobs.

 

 Ambulatory health care services lost 1.2 million jobs in April, with offices 

of dentists (-503,000) and offices of physicians (-243,000) accounting for 

almost two-thirds of the losses. Hospitals lost 135,000 jobs. In response to 

the coronavirus, several states ordered cancellation of elective procedures.

 The loss in health-care employment in April follows a decline in health 

care spending in the first quarter of 2020. 

 

974 3950382860 3731275295454 321538412747 2551 235456 186365 30557358 614073 296952

-101

-2,544

-3,500

-3,000

-2,500

-2,000

-1,500

-1,000

-500

0

500

1,000

Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18 Jan-19 Jul-19 Jan-20

Employment in education and health services

Over-the-month change, January 2017–April 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 08, 2020. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Private Education and Health Services

CES Highlights Release Date: May 8, 2020

Summary Mining & 

Logging Construction Manufacturing

Trade: 

Wholesale

Retail

Transp., 

Warehousing

& Utilities

Information Financial

Activities

Professional

& Business

Services

Private

Education

& Health

Services

Leisure & 

Hospitality

Other

Services Government
 Employment in leisure and hospitality fell sharply by nearly 7.7 million 

jobs in April, after an historically large job loss of 499,000 in March. 

Before the March losses, the largest one-month employment decrease in 

this industry occurred in August 1989 (-83,000). The April loss constitutes

a 47-percent drop in employment.

 Employment in arts, entertainment, and recreation dropped by 1.3 

million or 54 percent in April.

 As COVID-19 continues to depress demand for hotel accommodations, 

historically low occupancy rates pushed revenue per available room

down significantly during the April reference period.

 Food services and drinking places lost 5.5 million jobs—a 46 percent 

decline. A marked decrease in restaurant sales during March preceded 

the April employment loss.

 Average hourly earnings for all leisure and hospitality workers rose 

$1.14 in April to $18.00 as lower-earning workers were removed from 

payrolls. Average weekly hours for nonsupervisory employees fell an 

additional 0.4 hour to 22.4 hours in April after a 1.9-hour reduction in 

March.

-5,491

-839

-1,323

-8,000 -6,000 -4,000 -2,000 0 2,000

Food services and drinking places*

Accommodation*

Arts, entertainment, and recreation*

Employment in leisure and hospitality

April 2020 Prior 12-month average

Over-the-month change, April 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Leisure and 

hospitality:

-7,653*

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 08, 2020.

Data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

Employment in food services and drinking places

April 2020 Level: 6,384 OTM Change: -5,491*

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 08, 2020.

Shaded area represents recession as denoted by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary. 

* denotes significance.

January 1990–April 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Leisure and Hospitality

CES Highlights Release Date: May 8, 2020

Summary Mining & 

Logging Construction Manufacturing

Trade: 

Wholesale

Retail

Transp., 

Warehousing

& Utilities

Information Financial

Activities

Professional

& Business

Services

Private

Education

& Health

Services

Leisure & 

Hospitality

Other

Services Government
 Employment in other services fell by 1.3 million 

in April, by far the industry’s largest 1-month 

decline since the series began in 1939. 

 All component industries experienced sharp 

declines. The largest drop came in personal and 

laundry services, which lost 797,000 jobs. This 

industry includes personal care establishments, 

such as barbershops and hair and nail salons. 

According to a media report, 46 states had shut 

down nonessential businesses by early April. 

Although the definition of essential businesses 

varied by state, the report states that “personal 

care retailers like spas, nail and hair salons, tend to 

fall in the nonessential businesses category.”

4,200

4,400

4,600

4,800

5,000

5,200

5,400

5,600

5,800

6,000

6,200

6,400

Jan-10 Jan-12 Jan-14 Jan-16 Jan-18 Jan-20

Employment in other services

April 2020 Level: 4,636

OTM Change: -1,267*

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 08, 2020.

Shaded area represents recession as denoted by the National Bureau of Economic Research. 

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary. 

* denotes significance.

January 2010–April 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Other Services

Summary Mining & 

Logging Construction Manufacturing

Trade: 

Wholesale

Retail

Transp., 

Warehousing

& Utilities

Information Financial

Activities

Professional

& Business

Services

Private

Education

& Health

Services

Leisure & 

Hospitality

Other

Services Government

CES Highlights Release Date: May 8, 2020
 Government employment decreased by 

980,000 in April, with local government 

accounting for 82 percent of the loss. Hiring 

for Census 2020 was negligible (+4,000). 

-332

-469

-4

-176

1

1

-600 -500 -400 -300 -200 -100 0 100 200

Local government, excluding education*

Local government education*

State government, excluding education

State government education*

U.S. Postal Service*

Federal, except U.S. Postal Service*

Employment in selected government

April 2020 Prior 12-month average

Over-the-month change, April 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Government:

-980*

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 08, 2020.

Data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

Government

Summary Mining & 

Logging Construction Manufacturing

Trade: 

Wholesale

Retail

Transp., 

Warehousing

& Utilities

Information Financial

Activities

Professional

& Business

Services

Private

Education

& Health

Services

Leisure & 

Hospitality

Other

Services Government

CES Highlights Release Date: May 8, 2020
Prepared by Staff of the National Estimates Branch

Current Employment Statistics Survey

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

202-691-6555

Email CES

CES Analysts

Osman Alhassan

Ryan Ansell

Hyun Choi

Steve Crestol

Tyler Downing

Katelynn Harris

Mike McCall

John Mullins

Michael Osifalujo

Rhiannon Sneeringer

Carson Wilson

Current Employment Statistics Highlights

Detailed Industry Employment Analysis