Bureau of Labor Statistics

Current Employment Statistics 

Highlights

August 2009

Bureau of Labor Statistics

September 4, 2009
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

1999-2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 4, 2009.

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

August 2009

Level: 131,223

Change: -216

-72

-144 -122 -160 -137 -161 -128

-175

-321

-380

-597

-681

-741

-681 -652

-519

-303

-463

-276

-216

-900

-750

-600

-450

-300

-150

0

Employment in total nonfarm

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 4, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-09

• Nonfarm payroll employment declined by 216,000 in August.

• In recent months, job losses continued, although they have moderated in many industry 

sectors.
2 

-6.0

-5.0

-4.0

-3.0

-2.0

-1.0

0.0

1.0

-6.0

-5.0

-4.0

-3.0

-2.0

-1.0

0.0

1.0

-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

Months

July 1990

March 2001

December 2007

from beginning of recession*, seasonally adjusted

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 4, 2009.

*Note: Business cycle peak as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent two months are 

preliminary.

Percentage change in total nonfarm employment,

March 2006

Percent change: 2.2

August 2009

Percent change: -4.3

-4.5

-3.0

-1.5

0.0

1.5

3.0

-4.5

-3.0

-1.5

0.0

1.5

3.0

Employment in total nonfarm

Seasonally adjusted, percent

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 4, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-year percent changes, 2006-09

• Nonfarm payroll employment has decreased in each of the 20 months, including August, 

and job losses have totaled 6.9 million since the recession started in December 2007, an 

unprecedented period of decline in terms of length and depth.

• Total nonfarm payroll employment was down 4.3 percent from August 2008; this is the 

largest 12-month percent decline since November 1949.
3 

32.5

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

35.0

32.5

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

35.0

1999-2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 4, 2009.

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

August 2009

Level: 33.1

Change: 0.0

-4.0

-2.0

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

-4.0

-2.0

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

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

1999-2009

Over-the-year percent changes in average

Seasonally adjusted, percent

Over-the-year percent changes

August 2009 AHE: 2.6

July 2009 CPI-W: -2.4

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 CES data are preliminary.

Sources: BLS, Consumer Price Indexes program and Current Employment Statistics survey, September 4, 2009.

CPI-W

AHE

• The average workweek for production and nonsupervisory workers on private nonfarm 

payrolls was unchanged in August at 33.1 hours. 

• In August, average hourly earnings of production and nonsupervisory workers on private 

nonfarm payrolls rose by 6 cents to $18.56, following a 5-cent gain in July. Hourly 

earnings are up 2.6 percent over the year. 
4 

90

95

100

105

110

115

90

95

100

105

110

115

aggregate weekly hours

1999-2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 4, 2009.

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

Seasonally adjusted, 2002=100

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

August 2009

Level: 98.9

Percent change: -0.3

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

140

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

140

1999-2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 4, 2009.

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

Seasonally adjusted, 2002=100

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

workers.

aggregate weekly payrolls

August 2009

Level: 123.3

Percent change: +0.1

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

private nonfarm payrolls fell by 0.3 percent in August. Since peaking in December 2007, 

the index has decreased by 8.3 percent. 

• The index of aggregate weekly payrolls of production and nonsupervisory workers on 

private nonfarm payrolls rose by 0.1 percent in August, following a rise of 0.3 percent in 

July. These increases follow 10 consecutive months of decline.
5 

-8

-65

-63

-17

-10

-1

0

-10

-28

-22

52

-21

-5

-18

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

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, August 2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 4, 2009.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in total nonfarm

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

-216

Total nonfarm:

• Job losses were widespread across major industry sectors in August. There were 

significant declines in construction, manufacturing, financial activities, and wholesale 

trade. Education and health services continued to add jobs. 
6 

5.9

2.6

6.0

0.1

7.7 8.3 7.5

9.3

7.1

0.0

-0.9

-3.5

-8.0 -8.9

-14.5

-12.9

-9.4 -10.3

-5.5

-9.0

-18

-15

-12

-9

-6

-3

0

3

6

9

12

Employment in mining

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 4, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-09

• Mining employment fell by 9,000 in August. 

• Support activities for mining lost 8,000 jobs in August. Employment in this industry 

peaked in September 2008 and, since then, has decreased by 67,000, or 19.5 percent.
7 

-34

-44 -44

-64

-44

-61

-31

-24

-46

-65

-127

-98

-135

-113

-123

-103

-57

-79 -73

-65

-150

-120

-90

-60

-30

0

Employment in construction

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 4, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-09

• Construction employment fell by 65,000 in August. Most of the job losses occurred in 

specialty trades, with employment down by 20,000 in residential specialty trades and by 

34,000 in nonresidential specialty trades.

• Job losses in August were about the same as the prior 3-month average (-70,000). 

Employment declines had averaged 117,000 during the 6 months ending in April.
8 

-33

-52 -49 -57

-30

-51 -51

-67 -65

-119 -121

-180

-262

-172 -172

-150 -146

-123

-43

-63

-300

-250

-200

-150

-100

-50

0

Employment in manufacturing

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 4, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-09

• Manufacturers cut 63,000 jobs in August, although the pace of decline has slowed in 

recent months. Monthly employment losses averaged 176,000 for the 6 months ending in 

April, compared to an average of 94,000 during the last 4 months. The industry has lost 

2.0 million jobs since the start of the current recession (December 2007), and has 

accounted for over a quarter of total nonfarm payroll jobs lost.

• More industries within manufacturing have started posting job gains. The 1-month 

diffusion index for manufacturing in August stood at 29.5, meaning that more industries 

are cutting jobs than gaining jobs; however, this index has steadily improved from a 

recent low point of 6.0 in January. This index measures the dispersion of employment 

change, with a value below 50 indicating that more manufacturing component industries 

are shedding jobs than adding them over the month.
9 

-3

-3

-1

-8

-5

-8

-2

-16

-3

-2

-25 -20 -15 -10 -5 0

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, August 2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 4, 2009.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in durable goods manufacturing

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

-51

Durable goods:

3

1

-1

0

-2

-1

-2

-5

0

-3

-1

-8 -6 -4 -2 0 2 4

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, August 2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 4, 2009.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in nondurable goods manufacturing

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

-12

Nondurable goods:

• Durable goods manufacturing was responsible for the majority of manufacturing job 

losses, with 51,000 jobs cut from payrolls in August. 

• Factory job losses remain widespread, although they have moderated in most industries 

over recent months.

• The largest employment declines within manufacturing were seen in transportation 

equipment (-16,000), as job losses resumed in its component industry, motor vehicles and 

parts (-15,000), following an employment increase in July (after seasonal adjustment).
10 

-11.0-12.7

-8.7

-16.6

-6.6 -6.2

-16.2

-12.6

-7.1

-27.1

-29.8

-39.6

-31.4

-45.6

-32.4-30.5

-15.1-15.4-17.2-17.1

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

Employment in wholesale trade

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 4, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-09

• In August, wholesale trade employment fell by 17,000. Over the past 4 months, the 

industry averaged employment losses of 16,000 per month, roughly half the average 

monthly rate of decline experienced in the prior 6-month period. 
11 

-3

3

-2

-6

-4

-7

-11

-5 -4 -4

-17

-25

-16

-6

-13

-21

-26

-13 -14

-10

-30

-20

-10

0

10

Employment in information

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 4, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-09

• Information employment fell by 10,000 in August, continuing its declining trend. 

• Publishing (-8,000) accounted for the majority of the employment decline in information 

as newspaper publishers continued to show consistent jobs losses. 
12 

-14

-18

-7

-14 -11

-17

-8

-13

-26 -27

-45

-33

-56 -56

-41

-46

-27

-33

-17

-28

-70

-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

Employment in financial activities

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 4, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-09

• Employment in financial activities continued to fall in August, declining by 28,000. Job 

losses have averaged 26,000 over the past 4 months, reflecting a slower rate of decline 

compared to average declines of 46,000 during the prior 6-month period. Since the start 

of the current recession in December 2007, financial activities has shed 537,000 jobs. 
13 

-40

-51

-64

-4

-63 -63

-36

-61

-52

-63

-124 -132

-151

-176

-119 -127

-27

-101

-33

-22

-200

-160

-120

-80

-40

0

Employment in professional and

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 4, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-09

business services

• Professional and business services employment was little changed in August. Monthly 

job losses have averaged 46,000 over the past 4 months, compared to the average job loss 

of 138,000 experienced from November 2008 to April 2009. Since reaching an 

employment peak in December 2007, professional and business services has shed 1.5 

million jobs. 

• Most of the leveling off in recent months in professional and business services 

employment has been centered in temporary help services, which was also little changed 

in August. Jobs losses in this industry have slowed markedly in recent months, although 

temporary help services has lost nearly a third of its employment since the start of the 

recession. 
14 

18.3

7

2.9

3.5

-0.7

10.3

14

4.8

0.6

4.8

6.2

4.7

-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

August 2009:+27.9

Prior 12-mo. avg.: +24.9

Over-the-month change, August 2009

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 4, 2009.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in selected health care industries

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Health care:

Ambulatory health care 

services*

Hospitals

Nursing and residential care 

* Includes additional component industries not shown separately.

• Employment in health care continued to rise in August, with the addition of 28,000 jobs. 

Employment in this industry has risen by 544,000 since the start of the recession. 

• With the exception of hospitals, the August employment increase in all of the industries 

within health care exceeded the average monthly job gain experienced during the prior 6 

months. 

• Employment in hospitals was little changed in August; job growth in the industry slowed 

in early 2009 and has been flat since May.
15 

-17

-5 -1

-16 -17

-5

-17 -19

-26

-33

-51

-40 -36 -32 -34 -34

27

-19

1

-21

-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

30

40

Employment in leisure 

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 4, 2009.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2008-09

and hospitality

• Employment in leisure and hospitality edged lower in August. Job losses in leisure were 

spread among the component industries. Since reaching a high point in December 2007, 

the industry has shed 395,000 jobs or 2.9 percent of its workforce. 

• The current downturn has taken a significant toll on leisure employment, with losses 

roughly doubling those seen during the previous downturn in 2001.