Bureau of Labor Statistics

Current Employment Statistics 

Highlights

October 2008

Bureau of Labor Statistics

November 7, 2008
2

126

25

177

46

162

107

57 74 81

140

60 41

-76 -83 -88 -67 -47

-100

-67

-127

-284

-240

-350

-300

-250

-200

-150

-100

-50

0

50

100

150

200

250

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

Employment in total nonfarm

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 7, 2008.

Note: Most recent two months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2007-08

Oct-08, -0.8

Mar-06, 2.1

-1.5

-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-06

Jan-07

Apr-07

Jul-07

Oct-07

Jan-08

Apr-08

Jul-08

Oct-08

-1.5

-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, November 7, 2008.

Note: Most recent two months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-year percent changes, 2006-08

 Nonfarm payroll employment continued to fall in October losing 240,000 

jobs. Since peaking in December 2007, nonfarm payroll employment has 

declined by 1.2 million; over half of the decrease has occurred in the last 3 

months.

 In October, the 12-month percent change in payroll employment fell to -0.8 

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

earlier.
3

7

-49

-90

-21

-38

-9

2

0

-24

-45

21

-16

0

23

-100 -80 -60 -40 -20 0 20 40

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, October 2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 7, 2008.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in total nonfarm

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

-240

Total nonfarm:

 In October, job losses were widespread across most industry groups, with 

large declines in manufacturing, construction, and professional and business 

services. Despite the broad-based employment declines, health care and 

mining employment continued to add jobs.
4

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, November 7, 2008.

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

Average weekly hours, total private

Seasonally adjusted

October 2008

Level: 33.6

Change: 0.0

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, November 7, 2008.

Notes: Shaded area denotes recession. Most recent two 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.

October 2008

Level: 105.9

Percent change: -0.3

 In October, the average workweek for production and nonsupervisory workers 

on private nonfarm payrolls was unchanged at 33.6 hours, seasonally adjusted. 

The workweek remains at its lowest level since 2004.

 Since peaking in December 2007, the index of aggregate weekly hours of 

production and nonsupervisory workers on nonfarm payrolls has fallen by 1.8 

percent (2002=100). 
5

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, November 7, 2008.

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

Employment in construction

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

October 2008

Level: 7,069

Change: -49

-8.1

-4.1 -4.3

-18.8

-13.2

-9.9

-3.0 -4.0

-19.1

-3.3

-25

-20

-15

-10

-5

0

5

10

15

Residential building Nonresidential

building

Heavy and civil

engineering

Residential specialty

trades

Nonresidential

specialty trades

October 2008

Prior 12-mo. avg. 

Over-the-month change

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 7, 2008.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in construction

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

 Construction employment continued to decline in October, as the industry lost 

49,000 positions. The results were roughly in line with the industry’s prior 

12-month average (-39,000). Job losses occurred throughout construction; 

however, residential construction accounted for most of the October loss. 

 In 2008, construction has declined by 6.3 percent on an annualized basis. 

Since peaking in September 2006, employment in the industry has fallen by 

663,000. (Revised November 14, 2008.)

 
6

-18

-27

-35 -31

-12

-20

-6

-40

-22 -25

-3

-22

-35

-47 -46

-52

-21

-44 -40

-61

-56

-90

-100

-80

-60

-40

-20

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

Employment in manufacturing

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 7, 2008.

Note: Most recent two months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2007-08

 In October, manufacturing employment declined by 90,000 jobs, with losses 

occurring throughout the industry. Manufacturing has shed a cumulative 

492,000 jobs in the first 10 months of 2008. 

 Some 27,000 workers in the aerospace industry were off the payrolls in 

October due to a strike; however, factory job losses were about in line with 

the prior 2 months after taking the strike effect into account.

 Average weekly hours in manufacturing was unchanged at 40.6 hours in 

October. The factory workweek has fallen by 0.8 hour since last reaching a 

peak in September 2007. Factory overtime was also unchanged at 3.6 hours—

remaining at its lowest level since 1991. 
7

13,000

13,500

14,000

14,500

15,000

15,500

16,000

16,500

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

13,000

13,500

14,000

14,500

15,000

15,500

16,000

16,500

1997-2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 7, 2008.

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

Employment in retail trade

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

October 2008

Level: 15,191.8

Change: -38.1

1,400

1,450

1,500

1,550

1,600

1,650

1,700

1,750

1,800

1,850

1,900

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

1,400

1,450

1,500

1,550

1,600

1,650

1,700

1,750

1,800

1,850

1,900

1997-2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 7, 2008.

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

Employment in department stores

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

October 2008

Level: 1,475.8

Change: -18.0

 Retail trade employment dropped by 38,000 in October, following a job loss 

of 45,000 in September. Since the beginning of 2008, the industry has shed 

296,000 jobs or 30,000 per month. Retail job losses this month were 

concentrated in automobile dealers and department stores. 

 Employment in automobile dealers fell by 20,000 in October and has lost 

87,000 jobs since peaking in October 2007. 

 In October, employment in department stores fell by 18,000 and has shed at 

total of 41,000 jobs over the past 3 months. 
8

6,500

7,000

7,500

8,000

8,500

9,000

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

6,500

7,000

7,500

8,000

8,500

9,000

1997-2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 7, 2008.

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

Employment in financial activities

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

October 2008

Level: 8,156

Change: -24

2,200

2,300

2,400

2,500

2,600

2,700

2,800

2,900

3,000

3,100

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

2,200

2,300

2,400

2,500

2,600

2,700

2,800

2,900

3,000

3,100

and related activities

1997-2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 7, 2008.

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

Employment in credit intermediation

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

October 2008

Level: 2,776.4

Change: -11.6

 Employment in financial activities continued to contract in October, with 

24,000 positions eliminated from payrolls. Year to date, financial activities 

has cut 96,000 jobs.

 After notching upward in September, employment in credit intermediation and 

related activities fell by 12,000 in October. Since reaching a peak in October 

2006, employment in this industry has declined by 160,000.

 Employment in securities, commodity contracts, investments saw a second 

consecutive month of declines, shedding 6,000 jobs in October. Over the past 

two months, the industry has lost 15,000 jobs. 
9

12,000

13,000

14,000

15,000

16,000

17,000

18,000

19,000

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

12,000

13,000

14,000

15,000

16,000

17,000

18,000

19,000

business services

1997-2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 7, 2008.

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

Employment in professional and

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

October 2008

Level: 17,770

Change: -45

12.5

1.1

-0.4

5.5

0.3

-0.5

-56.8

-50.8

-5.2

-70 -60 -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30

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 2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 7, 2008.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in selected professional and

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

business services

services: -45

Professional and technical Professional and business

Management of companies

Administrative and waste services

 Professional and business services continued to cut jobs in October, with 

45,000 jobs lost. 

 The employment services industry, which includes temporary help agencies, 

continued to contract in October (-51,000) and has lost about half a million 

jobs since the most recent employment peak in August 2006.

 Employment in professional and technical services added 13,000 jobs in 

October. Growth in the industry has decelerated substantially with growth in 

2008 occurring at one-quarter the pace of the previous three years.
10

11.8

6

2.9

2.4

10.1

4.1

16.2

5.8

0.8

3.5

11.2

2.1

0 5 10 15 20

Ambulatory health care

services*

Offices of physicians

Outpatient care centers

Home health care services

Hospitals

Nursing and residential

care facilities

October 2008:+26.0

Prior 12-mo. avg.: +29.5

Over-the-month change, October 2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 7, 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 by 26,000 in October and 

348,000 over the past 12 months. Growth in October was led by ambulatory 

health care (12,000) and hospitals (10,000).

 Hospitals continues to exhibit countercyclical employment patterns; the 

annualized growth rate for hospital employment is 3.0 percent, compared to -

1.0 percent for total nonfarm employment.