Bureau of Labor Statistics

Current Employment Statistics 

Highlights

January 2010

Bureau of Labor Statistics

February 5, 2010
1

120,000

122,500

125,000

127,500

130,000

132,500

135,000

137,500

140,000

120,000

122,500

125,000

127,500

130,000

132,500

135,000

137,500

140,000

2000-2010

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 5, 2010.

Notes: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). NBER has 

not yet determined an endpoint for the recession that began in Dec. 2007. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Employment in total nonfarm

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

January 2010

Level: 129,527

Change: -20

2

-10 -50 -33

-149

-231-193-210

-334

-458

-554

-728

-673

-779

-726-753

-582

-347

-504

-344

-211-225-224

64

-150

-20

-900

-750

-600

-450

-300

-150

0

150

Employment in total nonfarm

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 5, 2010.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-10

• Nonfarm payroll employment was essentially unchanged in January (-20,000). 

• Following steep job losses toward the end of 2008 and in the first quarter of 2009, job 

losses began to moderate. Over the past 3 months, nonfarm payroll employment has 

shown little net change. 

• Since the start of the recession in December 2007, job losses total 8.4 million. 

2
3

4

-75

11

-9

42

-19

1

0

-16

44

16

-14

3

-8

-210 -180 -150 -120 -90 -60 -30 0 30 60 90 120

Mining and logging

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, January 2010

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 5, 2010.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in total nonfarm

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

-20

Total nonfarm:

• Job losses continued in construction and in transportation and warehousing, while 

employment increased in professional and business services and in retail trade. 

3
4

32.5

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

35.0

32.5

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

35.0

2000-2010

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 5, 2010.

Notes: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). NBER has 

not yet determined an endpoint for the recession that began in Dec. 2007. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Average weekly hours, total private

Seasonally adjusted

Production Employees

Level: 33.3

Change: 0.1

All Employees

Level: 33.9

Change: 0.1

6

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

2000-2010

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 5, 2010.

Notes: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). NBER has 

not yet determined an endpoint for the recession that began in Dec. 2007. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-year percent change

Seasonally adjusted

Production Employees

Percent change: 2.5

All Employees

Percent Change: 2

in average hourly earnings

• January marks the first official release of CES hours and earnings data for all employees 

in the private sector. Weekly hours increased for both all employees and production and 

nonsupervisory employees. 

• Average hourly earnings of all employees on private, nonfarm payrolls increased by 4 

cents in January to $22.45. Hourly earnings of production and nonsupervisory employees 

were $18.89 in January. 

• Production and nonsupervisory employees include production employees in mining and 

logging and manufacturing, construction employees in construction, and nonsupervisory 

employees in the private service-providing industries. 

4
5

85

90

95

100

105

85

90

95

100

105

of all employees

2006-2010

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 5, 2010.

Notes: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). NBER has not yet 

determined an endpoint for the recession that began in Dec. 2007. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Index of total private aggregate weekly hours

Seasonally adjusted, 2007=100

Aggregate weekly hours are the product of average weekly hours and employment.

January 2010

Level: 90.9

Percent change: +0.2

7

90

95

100

105

90

95

100

105

2006-2010

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 5, 2010.

Notes: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). NBER has not yet 

determined an endpoint for the recession that began in Dec. 2007. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Index of total private aggregate weekly payrolls

Seasonally adjusted, 2007=100

Aggregate weekly payrolls are the product of average hourly earnings, average weekly hours, and employment.

of all employees

January 2010

Level: 97.4

Percent change: +0.5

• The index of total private aggregate weekly hours rose by 0.2 percent in January and has 

been essentially flat over the past 5 months. 

• The index of total private aggregate weekly payrolls increased by 0.5 percent in January. 

Over the last 3 months, the index has trended up by 1.0 percent. 

5
8

-24 -28 -33

-59 -61

-70

-52 -52

-72

-92

-149

-95

-153

-116

-142

-114

-59

-91

-80

-64 -71 -67

-15

-32

-75

-180

-150

-120

-90

-60

-30

0

Employment in construction

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 5, 2010.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-10

9

-8.8

-12.1

0.0

-6.3

-48.1

-11.2 -9.6 -9.8

-20.8

-32.3

-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

10

Residential building Nonresidential 

building

Heavy and civil 

engineering

Residential specialty 

trades

Nonresidential 

specialty trades

January 2010

Prior 12-mo. avg. 

Over-the-month change, January 2010

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 5, 2010.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in construction

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

• Construction shed 75,000 in January and has lost 1.9 million jobs since the current 

recession started in December 2007. 

• In 2008, the majority of the losses were in residential construction, while in 2009 

nonresidential construction was weaker. That trend continued in January, as 

nonresidential specialty trades accounted for the bulk of the employment decline. 

6
10

-5

-30 -37 -50

-27

-49

-72

-93 -93

-141-130

-177

-279

-166-165-149-152

-129

-43 -57 -48 -57

-25 -23

11

-350

-300

-250

-200

-150

-100

-50

0

50

Employment in manufacturing

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 5, 2010.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-10

• Manufacturing employment showed little change in January. 

• In the second half of 2009, manufacturing lost an average 42,000 jobs per month – 

marked improvement compared to average monthly loss of 173,000 jobs in the first half 

of 2009. 

7
11

38.0

38.5

39.0

39.5

40.0

40.5

41.0

41.5

42.0

42.5

43.0

38.0

38.5

39.0

39.5

40.0

40.5

41.0

41.5

42.0

42.5

43.0

2000-2010

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 5, 2010.

Notes: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). NBER has 

not yet determined an endpoint for the recession that began in Dec. 2007. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Average weekly hours, manufacturing

Seasonally adjusted

Production Employees

Level: 40.8

Change: 0.2

All Employees

Level: 39.9

Change: 0.3

• The factory workweek increased for all employees and for production and 

nonsupervisory employees in January. 

• The manufacturing workweek for all employees is shorter than the workweek for 

production and nonsupervisory employees. This contrasts with the total private sector, 

where all employees tend to have longer hours. 

• Since reaching a low point in March 2009, the manufacturing average workweek of all 

employees has increased by 1.2 hours, while the workweek for production and 

nonsupervisory employees has increased by 1.4 hours over the same period. 

8
12

-1

-1

1

0

0

-4

1

19

-4

1

-10 -5 0 5 10 15 20 25

Wood products

Nonmetallic 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, January 2010

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 5, 2010.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in durable goods manufacturing

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

+13

Durable goods:

13

-2 -4

-26

-17

0

-3 -8

-37

-20 -14 -18

-26

-80

17

-11

-24

-31

-22

37

-8

-1

4

-5 -2

23

-90

-80

-70

-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

30

40

50

Employment in motor vehicles

and parts

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 5, 2010.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-10

• Durable goods employment edged up by 13,000 in January. 

• Transportation equipment gained jobs in January as employment in motor vehicles and 

parts increased by 23,000. 

• Since July 2009, motor vehicles and parts employment had shown little change until 

January. 

9
14

-6

-1

-2

0

3

0

0

-3

1

0

6

-12 -8 -4 0 4 8 12

Food manufacturing

Beverage and tobacco

Textile mills

Textile product mills

Apparel

Leather products

Paper products

Printing 

Petroleum and coal products

Chemicals

Plastics and rubber

Over-the-month change, January 2010

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 5, 2010.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in nondurable goods manufacturing

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

-2

Nondurable goods:

• Employment in nondurable goods manufacturing was little changed in January. Since the 

start of the recession in December 2007, nondurable goods has lost 539,000 jobs. 

10
15

-2.4

-34.6

-11.8

-66.4-67.5

-36.4-42.0

-66.6

-78.9-80.2

-117.0

-99.2

-71.0-69.8

-87.4

-42.8

-22.2-24.4

-53.5

-15.3

-48.3

-63.0

8.8

-18.0

42.1

-130

-110

-90

-70

-50

-30

-10

10

30

50

70

Employment in retail trade

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 5, 2010.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-10

16

-1.8

-0.8

4.7

-1.6

14.3

5.2

0.7

13.3

2.9

9.8

1.6

-6.2

-30 -26 -22 -18 -14 -10 -6 -2 2 6 10 14 18 22 26 30

Motor vehicle and parts dealers

Furniture and home furnishings stores

Electronics and appliance stores

Building material and garden supply stores

Food and beverage stores

Health and personal care stores

Gasoline stations

Clothing and clothing accessories stores

Sporting goods, hobby, book, and music stores

General merchandise stores

Miscellaneous store retailers

Nonstore retailers

Over-the-month change, January 2010

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 5, 2010.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in retail trade industries

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Retail trade: 42.1

• Following 2 months of little net change, retail trade gained 42,000 jobs in January. Over 

the month, gains were spread throughout the component industries. 

• Since the start of the recession in December 2007, retail trade has shed nearly 1.2 million 

jobs. 

11
17

1.5

2.5

1.8

-0.7

-23.2

-0.4

-28 -24 -20 -16 -12 -8 -4 0 4 8

Air transportation

Truck transportation

Transit and ground passenger transportation

Support activities for transportation

Couriers and messengers

Warehousing and storage

warehousing: -19

Transportation and

Over-the-month change, January 2010

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 5, 2010.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in selected transportation

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

and warehousing industries

• Employment in transportation and warehousing fell by 19,000 in January, and the 

industry has lost 412,000 jobs since the start of the recession in December 2007. 

• Couriers and messengers lost 23,000 jobs in January, a significant drop for an industry 

that lost a total of 21,000 jobs in 2009. 

12
18

-9 -10

0

-6 -9

-17 -15 -18

-33

-37

-44

-29

-55

-51

-42

-47

-32 -31

-23 -24

-12

-19

2

-7

-16

-70

-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

Employment in financial activities

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 5, 2010.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-10

• Financial activities employment edged down by 16,000 in January. 

• Job losses decelerated in financial activities throughout 2009, and the industry has shown 

little change in employment over the past 3 months. 

13
19

13,000

14,000

15,000

16,000

17,000

18,000

19,000

13,000

14,000

15,000

16,000

17,000

18,000

19,000

business services

2000-2010

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 5, 2010.

Notes: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). NBER has not yet 

determined an endpoint for the recession that began in Dec. 2007. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Employment in professional and

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

January 2010

Level: 16,530

Change: +44

20

-11

-30 -26 -19

-32 -35 -37

-51 -45

-62

-91

-63 -72

-50

-61 -66

-13

-34

-9 -16 -9

42

95

59 52

-120

-100

-80

-60

-40

-20

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Employment in temporary help

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 5, 2010.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-10

services

• Professional and businesses services has added 181,000 jobs since September 2009. 

• The majority of the gains have occurred in temporary help services, which has added 

nearly 250,000 jobs over the past 4 months. 

14
21

15.3

5.6

-0.2

3.6

5.0

-5.8

-9 -6 -3 0 3 6 9 12 15 18 21

Ambulatory health care services*

Offices of physicians

Outpatient care centers

Home health care services

Hospitals

Nursing and residential care facilities

Over-the-month change, January 2010

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 5, 2010.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in selected health care industries

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

+14.5

Health care:

Ambulatory health care 

services*

Hospitals

Nursing and residential care 

* Includes additional component industries not shown separately.

• Health care employment continued to expand in January. The industry’s payroll 

employment has increased by 549,000 since the start of the recession. 

• Ambulatory health care services added 15,000 jobs, accounting for January’s job gain. 

15