Bureau of Labor Statistics

September 3, 2004

Bureau of Labor Statistics

Current Employment Statistics 

Highlights

August 2004
2

-165

-90

43

-68

2

25

-111

11

-47

83

-37

-209

94

-159

-110

-20-28 -14

-45

-25

67

88 83

8

159

83

353

324

208

96

73

144

-300

-200

-100

0

100

200

300

400

Jan-02Feb-02

Mar-02

Apr-02

May-02

Jun-02

Jul-02

Aug-02

Sep-02Oct-02Nov-02Dec-02Jan-03Feb-03

Mar-03

Apr-03

May-03

Jun-03

Jul-03

Aug-03

Sep-03Oct-03Nov-03Dec-03Jan-04Feb-04

Mar-04

Apr-04

May-04

Jun-04

Jul-04

Aug-04

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, September 3, 2004.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Employment in total nonfarm

Over-the-month change, 2002-04

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 144,000 in August. Since its most recent 

low in August 2003, 1.7 million jobs have been added to payrolls, with slightly 

more than half of the gain, 885,000, occurring from March to May of this year. 

During that period, job gains averaged nearly 300,000 per month; average growth 

slowed in the latest 3 months to 104,000.

• Average hourly earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers on private 

nonfarm payrolls increased by 5 cents in August to $15.77, seasonally adjusted,

following a similar gain in the prior month. Hourly earnings are up 2.3 percent 

over the year. The average workweek for production or nonsupervisory workers 

on private nonfarm payrolls was unchanged in August at 33.8 hours, seasonally 

adjusted. The average workweek has been near the same level for almost 2 years. 
3

Employment in total nonfarm and supersectors

Over-the-month change, August 2004

-1

15

22

3

-11

-1

-2

-10

18

32

45

6

5

24

-20 0 20 40 60

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

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, September 3, 2004.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Total nonfarm: 

+144

• In August, education and health services, and professional and business services 

continued to add jobs, 45,000 and 32,000 respectively. The next largest gains 

were in government, manufacturing, and financial activities. Financial activities 

added 18,000 jobs to more than offset an employment decline in July.

• Employment in retail trade and information services fell by about 10,000 each. 

Within the information industry, employment continued to trend down in 

telecommunications.
4

Employment in construction

1990-2004

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

Jan-90Jan-91Jan-92Jan-93Jan-94Jan-95Jan-96Jan-97Jan-98Jan-99Jan-00Jan-01Jan-02Jan-03Jan-04

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, September 3, 2004.

Notes: Shaded areas denote recessions. Most recent 2 months ofdata are preliminary.

August 2004

Level: 6,930

Change: +15

• Construction employment edged up 15,000 jobs in August after 2 months of 

relatively flat employment. 

• Since reaching an employment low in March 2003, the industry has added almost 

270,000 jobs to payrolls. Growth in residential construction and a modest 

rebound in nonresidential construction have been responsible for these job gains.
5

-180

-140

-100

-60

-20

20

60

100

Jan-00Feb-00Mar-00Apr-00

May-00

Jun-00

Jul-00

Aug-00

Sep-00Oct-00Nov-00Dec-00Jan-01Feb-01Mar-01Apr-01

May-01

Jun-01

Jul-01

Aug-01

Sep-01Oct-01Nov-01Dec-01Jan-02Feb-02Mar-02Apr-02

May-02

Jun-02

Jul-02

Aug-02

Sep-02Oct-02Nov-02Dec-02Jan-03Feb-03Mar-03Apr-03

May-03

Jun-03

Jul-03

Aug-03

Sep-03Oct-03Nov-03Dec-03Jan-04Feb-04Mar-04Apr-04

May-04

Jun-04

Jul-04

Aug-04

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, September 3, 2004. 

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Employment in manufacturing

Over-the-month change, 2000-04

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• Manufacturing employment increased by 22,000 in August after showing little 

change in employment over the prior 2 months. Since its employment trough in 

January 2004, manufacturing has added 107,000 jobs. 

• Employment in transportation equipment rebounded in August as parts and 

assembly workers returned to factories after larger-than-normal shutdowns for 

annual retooling in July. Manufacturers of transportation equipment added 

10,400 jobs over the past 2 months, after seasonal adjustment.
6

Average weekly hours, manufacturing

1990-2004

39.0

39.5

40.0

40.5

41.0

41.5

42.0

42.5

Jan-90Jan-91Jan-92Jan-93Jan-94Jan-95Jan-96Jan-97Jan-98Jan-99Jan-00Jan-01Jan-02Jan-03Jan-04

39.0

39.5

40.0

40.5

41.0

41.5

42.0

42.5

Seasonally adjusted

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, September 3, 2004. 

Notes: Shaded areas denote recessions. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

August 2004

Level: 40.9

Change: 0.0

• Manufacturing average weekly hours and average weekly overtime hours 

remained unchanged at 40.9 and 4.6 hours, respectively. 
7

Employment in manufacturing durable and nondurable goods

Over-the-month change, August 2004

Durable goods +36

-0.8

-3.3

27.9

0.4

3.3

3.5

4.7

-1.1

-0.3

0.9

Misc.

Furniture

Transportation

Electrical

Computers

Machinery

Fabricated metals

Primary metals

Nonmetallic minerals

Wood

Nondurable goods -14

-2.4

-1.0

0.6

-1.7

1.5

-0.9

-1.9

-0.6

-0.3

-1.2

-6.2

Plastics & rubber

Chemicals

Petroleum

Printing

Paper

Leather

Apparel

Textile product mills

Textile mills

Beverages & tobacco

Food

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, September 3, 2004. 

Note: Data are preliminary.

• Although durable goods manufacturing growth was concentrated within 

transportation equipment, several other component industries also added jobs. 

Demand resulting from the housing market was evident in fabricated metals, 

which produces materials for construction projects. Employment in machinery, 

which sells most of its goods to other manufacturing industries, increased by 

3,500 and is now 28,400 above its October 2003 low. Computer and electronic 

factories also added 3,300 jobs in August. 

• Employment losses in nondurable goods industries were widespread with the 

largest decline of 6,200 jobs in food manufacturing. Over the past 2 months, 

employment in food is close to its 12-month trend of 2,000 jobs lost per month.
8

Employment in select professional and business services 

August 2004 over-the-month change

3.3

3.5

9.4

3.8

9.0

2.3

0 4 8 12

Accounting and

bookkeeping services

Architectural and

engineering services

Computer systems design

and related services

Management and technical

consulting services

Employment services

Services to building and

dwellings

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, September 3, 2004.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Professional and business services

August 2004 change: +32

• Professional and business services added 32,000 jobs to payrolls in August and 

665,000 jobs since reaching an employment low in March 2003. 

• Computer and systems design accounted for about 9,000 of the employment 

increase in August and has added about 36,000 jobs over the year.
9

Employment in temporary help services

1990-2004

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

Jan-90Jan-91Jan-92Jan-93Jan-94Jan-95Jan-96Jan-97Jan-98Jan-99Jan-00Jan-01Jan-02Jan-03Jan-04

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, September 3, 2004.

Notes: Shaded areas denote recessions. Most recent 2 months ofdata are preliminary.

August 2004

Level: 2,463.7

Change: +9.8

• Temporary help payrolls remained relatively flat in August for the third straight 

month.

• From April 2003 to May 2004, this industry added 293,000 jobs.

• The temporary help industry has recovered almost 58 percent of the jobs lost 

during its most recent employment downturn. 
10

Employment in health-related services 

Over-the-month change, August 2004 and average monthly change 

for the prior 12 months

11.4

2.7

1.0

2.1

8.0

3.4

11.6

4.3

1.3

6.3

2.4

2.2

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

 Offices of physicians

 Outpatient care centers

Home health care

August 2004

Prior 12-month

average

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, September 3, 2004. 

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Ambulatory health care

Hospitals

Nursing & residential care

• Employment continued to expand in health-related industries. Ambulatory care 

added about 11,000 jobs in August after expanding by almost 140,000 jobs over 

the prior 12 months. This industry includes medical offices, outpatient care 

centers, and home health care services. Hospital employment increased by 8,000 

in August and has grown by 76,000 over the past year. 
11

-20

-10

0

10

20

30

Jan-00Feb-00Mar-00Apr-00

May-00

Jun-00

Jul-00

Aug-00

Sep-00Oct-00Nov-00Dec-00Jan-01Feb-01Mar-01Apr-01

May-01

Jun-01

Jul-01

Aug-01

Sep-01Oct-01Nov-01Dec-01Jan-02Feb-02Mar-02Apr-02

May-02

Jun-02

Jul-02

Aug-02

Sep-02Oct-02Nov-02Dec-02Jan-03Feb-03Mar-03Apr-03

May-03

Jun-03

Jul-03

Aug-03

Sep-03Oct-03Nov-03Dec-03Jan-04Feb-04Mar-04Apr-04

May-04

Jun-04

Jul-04

Aug-04

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, September 3, 2004. 

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Employment in social assistance

Over-the-month change, 2000-04

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• Social assistance added about 20,000 jobs to payrolls in August. Since April, this 

industry has exhibited a bit more variability than normal, but over the 4-month 

period, social assistance has experienced about average growth of 5,000 per 

month.