Current Employment 

Statistics Highlights

November 2006

Bureau of Labor Statistics

December 8, 2006

Bureau of Labor Statistics
2

All employees on nonfarm payrolls

1990-2006

100,000

110,000

120,000

130,000

140,000

Jan-90

Jan-91

Jan-92

Jan-93

Jan-94

Jan-95

Jan-96

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

100,000

110,000

120,000

130,000

140,000

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, December 8, 2006.

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

November 2006

Level: 136,018

Change: +132

• Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 132,000 in November following 79,000 

jobs gained in October. 

• So far this year, employment has expanded at an average rate of 149,000 jobs per 

month. For the same period in 2005, growth averaged 167,000 per month.
3

Employment in total nonfarm and supersectors

Over-the-month change, November 2006 

4

-29

-15

11

20

2

1

-3

11

43

41

31

-3

18

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

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, December 8, 2006.

Note: Data are preliminary. 

Total nonfarm: 

+132

• Professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, retail trade, and 

education and health services experienced the largest employment increases in 

November. 

• In the goods-producing sector, manufacturing and construction reduced 

employment.
4

Average weekly hours, total private

1992-2006

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

35.0

Jan-92

Jan-93Jan-94

Jan-95

Jan-96

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

35.0 Seasonally adjusted

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, December 8, 2006.

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

November 2006

Level: 33.9

Change: 0.0

Index of total private aggregate weekly hours

1992-2006

80

85

90

95

100

105

110

Jan-92

Jan-93

Jan-94

Jan-95

Jan-96

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

80

85

90

95

100

105

110

Seasonally adjusted, 2002 = 100

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, December 8, 2006.

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

November 2006

Level: 105.6

Percent Change: +0.1

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

• The average workweek for production and nonsupervisory workers on private 

nonfarm payrolls held steady at 33.9 hours, seasonally adjusted. 

• The index of aggregate weekly hours of production and nonsupervisory workers 

on private nonfarm payrolls rose 0.1 percent in November to 105.6, seasonally 

adjusted. Since the most recent trough in August 2003, the index has increased 

7.5 percent.
5

Over-the-year percent change in average hourly earnings, 

1990-2006

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

Jan-90

Jan-91

Jan-92

Jan-93

Jan-94

Jan-95

Jan-96

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0 Seasonally adjusted, percent

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, December 8, 2006.

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

November 2006

Percent Change: +4.1

Index of total private aggregate weekly payrolls

1992-2006

55

65

75

85

95

105

115

125

Jan-92

Jan-93

Jan-94

Jan-95

Jan-96

Jan-97

Jan-98Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

55

65

75

85

95

105

115

125

Seasonally adjusted, 2002 = 100

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, December 8, 2006.

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

November 2006

Level: 119.7

Percent Change: +0.3

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

• Average hourly earnings of production and nonsupervisory workers on private 

nonfarm payrolls rose by 3 cents in November. The average increase during the 

most recent 12-month period was 6 cents. 

• The index of aggregate weekly payrolls of production and nonsupervisory 

workers on private nonfarm payrolls rose 0.3 percent in November to 119.7, 

seasonally adjusted. Over the year, the index has increased 6.1 percent.
6

Employment in construction

1992-2006

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

Jan-92Jan-93Jan-94

Jan-95

Jan-96

Jan-97

Jan-98Jan-99Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03Jan-04Jan-05

Jan-06

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, December 8, 2006.

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

November 2006

Level: 7,458

Change: -29

-35

-25

-15

-5

5

15

25

35

Jan-05

Feb-05

Mar-05

Apr-05

May-05

Jun-05

Jul-05

Aug-05

Sep-05

Oct-05

Nov-05

Dec-05

Jan-06

Feb-06

Mar-06

Apr-06

May-06

Jun-06

Jul-06

Aug-06

Sep-06

Oct-06

Nov-06

Residential Nonresidential

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, December 8, 2006.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Employment in residential and nonresidential specialty 

trade contractors, over-the-month change, 2005-06

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

November 2006

Residential: -10 

Nonresidential: -6

• Construction employment fell by 29,000 in November, following a loss of similar 

magnitude in October. The decline in November was widespread among 

component industries.

• Specialty trade contractors shed 16,000 jobs in November, with both the 

residential and nonresidential components losing jobs. Since reaching a high 

point in February 2006, residential specialty trade contractors have shed 109,000 

jobs.
7

-26

8

-8

-12

-5

-18

-9 -11

-26

9

18

8 5

-1 -1

19

-10

25

-23

-4

-9

-44

-15

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

30

Jan-05

Feb-05

Mar-05

Apr-05

May-05

Jun-05

Jul-05

Aug-05

Sep-05

Oct-05

Nov-05

Dec-05

Jan-06

Feb-06

Mar-06

Apr-06

May-06

Jun-06

Jul-06

Aug-06

Sep-06

Oct-06

Nov-06

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, December 8, 2006.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Employment in manufacturing

Over-the-month change, 2005-06

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• Manufacturing saw continued job losses in November, with an employment 

decline of 15,000. 

• Job losses were largely concentrated in durable goods, specifically motor vehicles 

and parts, as well as wood products and furniture and related products. 

• The factory workweek ticked down by 0.1 hour to 41.1 hours, seasonally 

adjusted. Manufacturing overtime also edged down by 0.1 hour to 4.2 hours in 

November. 

• Between June 2005 and July 2006, the manufacturing workweek had increased by 

1 hour. Since then, average hours have declined 0.3 hour. Average weekly hours 

in manufacturing are a leading economic indicator.
8

Employment in selected professional and business services

Over-the-month change, November 2006

21.8

5.1

5.8

2.1

4.8

-0.1

20.9

13.5

0.0

-5 0 5 10 15 20 25

Accounting and

bookkeeping services

Architectural and

engineering services

Computer systems design

and related services

Management and technical

consulting services

Employment services

Services to buildings and

dwellings

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, December 8, 2006.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Professional and Business 

services: +43

Professional and 

technical services

Management of 

companies

Administrative and 

waste services

Employment in temporary help services

1992-2006

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

Jan-92

Jan-93

Jan-94

Jan-95

Jan-96

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, December 8, 2006.

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

November 2006

Level: 2,595.9

Change: +4.8

• In November, employment growth in professional and business services grew by 

43,000, following an increase of 29,000 in October. Employment gains were 

widespread throughout component industries. 

• Over the year, professional and business services has grown by 426,000 jobs, 

making up over one-fifth of total nonfarm job growth. 

• Employment in temporary help services was flat in November and has changed 

little since January.
9

Employment in health care 

Over-the-month change, November 2006

16.3

6.2

0.6

3.6

6.3

5.1

0 5 10 15 20

Offices of physicians

Outpatient care centers

Home health care

services

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, December 8, 2006.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Health care:

+27.7

Ambulatory health 

care services

Hospitals

Nursing and residential 

care facilities

• November was another strong month for health care employment, which rose by 

28,000. Ambulatory health care experienced the largest gain. Over the past 12 

months, health care growth has averaged 26,000 jobs per month for a total overthe-year gain of 309,000 jobs.