Bureau of Labor Statistics

Current Employment Statistics 

Highlights

August 2008

Bureau of Labor Statistics

September 5, 2008
2

126

25

177

46

162

107

57 74 81

140

60

41

-76 -83 -88

-67

-47

-100

-60

-84

-160

-120

-80

-40

0

40

80

120

160

200

240

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

Employment in total nonfarm

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 5, 2008.

Note: Most recent two months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2007-08

Aug-08, -0.2

Mar-06, 2.1

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

Jan-06

Apr-06

Jul-06

Oct-06Jan-07

Apr-07

Jul-07

Oct-07

Jan-08

Apr-08

Jul-08

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

Employment in total nonfarm

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 5, 2008.

Note: Most recent two months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-year percent changes, 2006-08

• Nonfarm payroll employment continued to trend down in August; 84,000 jobs 

were lost. Since peaking in December, nonfarm payroll employment has declined 

by 605,000, for an average monthly job loss of 76,000.

• In August, the 12-month percent change in payroll employment fell to

 -0.2 percent. This is in contrast to the over-the-year increase of 1.0 percent a year 

earlier.
3

12

-8

-61

-11

-20

-4

-1

-3

-3

-53

55

-4

-1

17

-80 -60 -40 -20 0 20 40 60 80

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, August 2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 5, 2008.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in total nonfarm

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

-84

Total nonfarm:

• In August, large job losses occurred in manufacturing and in professional and 

business services. Education and health care services and natural resources 

and mining continued to add jobs.
4

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

hourly earnings and CPI-W (1982-84=100)

1997-2008

Over-the-year percent changes in average

Seasonally adjusted, percent

Over-the-year percent changes

August 2008 AHE: +3.6

July 2008 CPI-W: +6.1

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 5, 2008.

Notes: Shaded area denotes recession. Most recent two months of CES data are preliminary.

Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Indexes program and

CPI-W

AHE

• Average hourly earnings for production and nonsupervisory workers in the 

private sector rose by 7 cents to $18.14 in August; this amounts to a 0.4 

percent increase.

• Over the past 12 months, average hourly earnings rose by 3.6 percent. From 

July 2007 to July 2008 (the latest month available for prices), the Consumer 

Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) rose 6.1 

percent. The over-the-year percent change in the CPI-W has outpaced the 

over-the-year change in average hourly earnings since November 2007.
5

500

550

600

650

700

750

800

850

Jan-97Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

500

550

600

650

700

750

800

850

and mining

1997-2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 5, 2008.

Notes: Shaded area denotes recession. Most recent two months of data are preliminary.

Employment in natural resources

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

August 2008

Level: 790

Change: +12

• Employment in natural resources and mining continued to expand in August, 

rising by 12,000 with increases in all component industries. 

• Over the past 12 months, job growth has been especially strong in support 

activities for mining (39,000) and oil and gas extraction (17,000).
6

5,000

5,500

6,000

6,500

7,000

7,500

8,000

8,500

Jan-97

Jan-98Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05Jan-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, September 5, 2008.

Notes: Shaded area denotes recession. Most recent two months of data are preliminary.

Employment in construction

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

August 2008

Level: 7,168

Change: -8

-4.4

2.9

-2.0

-14.2

9.3

-9.6

-2.6 -3.7

-20.7

-1.4

-25

-20

-15

-10

-5

0

5

10

15

Residential building Nonresidential

building

Heavy and civil

engineering

Residential specialty

trades

Nonresidential

specialty trades

August 2008

Prior 12-mo. avg. 

Over-the-month change

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 5, 2008.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in construction

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

• Construction employment was essentially unchanged in August. Job losses in July 

and August averaged 14,000, compared with an average monthly loss of 45,000 

during the first half of 2008. 

• Construction has shed 564,000 jobs since employment peaked in September 2006, 

with over half the decline occurring in 2008. 
7

2300

2500

2700

2900

3100

3300

3500

3700

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

Residential Employment

3300

3500

3700

3900

4100

4300

4500

4700

Nonresidential Employment

Residential Nonresidential

2001-08

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 5, 2008.

Notes: Shaded area denotes recession. Most recent two months of data are preliminary.

Residential and nonresidential construction 

employment

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

NOTE: Residential construction is the sum of residential building (NAICS 2361) and 

residential specialty trade contractors (NAICS 238001). Nonresidential construction is the 

sum of heavy and civil (NAICS 237), nonresidential building (NAICS 2362), and 

nonresidential specialty trade contractors (NAICS 238002). These are not official CES series.

• In August, residential specialty contractors lost 14,000 jobs; since a peak in 

February 2006, employment in the industry has declined by 388,000. 
8

-18

-27

-35

-31

-12

-20

-6

-40

-22 -25

-3

-22

-35

-47 -46

-52

-21

-44

-38

-61

-70

-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

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

Employment in manufacturing

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 5, 2008.

Note: Most recent two months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2007-08

-7

-1

-4

1

-1

5

-2

-45

-7

5

-50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10

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, August 2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 5, 2008.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in durable goods manufacturing

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

-55

Durable goods:

• Manufacturing employment fell by 61,000 in August. Job losses in the industry 

have accelerated in 2008, averaging 43,000 per month, compared to 22,000 jobs 

lost per month in 2007.

• Over-the-month job losses occurred in durable goods industries, with notable 

declines in transportation equipment (-45,000), as well as 2 industries related to 

home building--wood products (-7,000), and furniture and related products (-

7,000). Computer and electronics products manufacturing added 5,000 jobs over 

the month. 

• Both the manufacturing workweek and factory overtime declined by 0.1 hour. 
9

-20

1

-2

-7

-11

-4 -6

-1 -2

-16

-1

-10

-6 -6

-23

-19

0

-6

0

-39

-50

-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

Employment in motor vehicles

and parts

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 5, 2008.

Note: Most recent two months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2007-08

• In August, motor vehicle and parts makers cut 39,000 jobs. This is the largest 

over-the-month employment decline in this industry since a strike-related job loss 

in 1998. Employment in the industry has declined by 128,000 in the past 12 

months. 
10

6.0

2.7

-0.8

6.3

1.6

0.0

-59.7

-53.4

3.6

-80 -60 -40 -20 0 20

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, August 2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 5, 2008.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in selected professional and

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

business services

services: -53

Professional and technical Professional and business

Management of companies

Administrative and waste services

2,250

2,500

2,750

3,000

3,250

3,500

3,750

4,000

4,250

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

2,250

2,500

2,750

3,000

3,250

3,500

3,750

4,000

4,250

1997-2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 5, 2008.

Notes: Shaded area denotes recession. Most recent two months of data are preliminary.

Employment in employment services

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

August 2008

Level: 3,283.2

Change: -53.4

• In August, professional and business services payrolls contracted by 53,000 jobs; 

mostly in the employment services industry. Within employment services, over 

two-thirds of job losses occurred in temporary help services. In the past 12 

months, employment in temporary help services has decreased by 235,000.

• Employment in professional and technical services notched up in August by 

6,000. Growth in the industry has decelerated substantially, with average monthly 

gains of 6,000 in 2008 compared to 27,000 per month in 2007. 
11

6.6

-0.1

1.7

2.1

14.8

5.5

17.3

6.4

1.2

3.6

11.1

2.8

-4 0 4 8 12 16 20

Ambulatory health care

services*

Offices of physicians

Outpatient care centers

Home health care services

Hospitals

Nursing and residential

care facilities

August 2008:+26.9

Prior 12-mo. avg.: +31.2

Over-the-month change, August 2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 5, 2008.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in health care

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Health care:

Ambulatory health care

services*

Hospitals

Nursing and residential care

facilities

* Includes additional component industries not shown separately.

• Employment in health care continued to grow, expanding by 27,000 in August. 

This industry has added 367,000 jobs over the past 12 months. More than half the 

gain in health care in August occurred in hospitals, which continued to show 

strength by adding 15,000 for the month.