Current Employment Statistics 

Highlights

September 2005

Bureau of Labor Statistics

October 7, 2005

Bureau of Labor Statistics
2

86

-122

-218

-54

-26

27

3 2

94

123

96 83

117

94

320337

250

106

83

188

130

282

132

155

124

300

122

292

126

175

277

211

-35

-300

-200

-100

0

100

200

300

400

Jan-03Feb-03

Mar-03

Apr-03

May-03

Jun-03

Jul-03

Aug-03

Sep-03

Oct-03

Nov-03

Dec-03Jan-04Feb-04

Mar-04

Apr-04

May-04

Jun-04

Jul-04

Aug-04

Sep-04

Oct-04

Nov-04

Dec-04Jan-05Feb-05

Mar-05

Apr-05

May-05

Jun-05

Jul-05

Aug-05

Sep-05

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 7, 2005.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Employment in total nonfarm

Over-the-month change, 2003-05

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• Total nonfarm payroll employment was little changed (-35,000) in September, 

reflecting the impact of Hurricane Katrina and developments in the rest of the 

nation. Significant declines occurred in retail trade, leisure and hospitality, and 

manufacturing, while significant growth was experienced by professional and 

business services and education and health services. 

• Average weekly hours of production or nonsupervisory workers on private 

nonfarm payrolls were unchanged in September, and remain at 33.7 hours, 

seasonally adjusted. Since late 2002, the average workweek has been flat, 

fluctuating between 33.6 and 33.8 hours.

• Average hourly earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers on private 

nonfarm payrolls rose by 3 cents in September to $16.18, seasonally adjusted. 

Average weekly earnings grew by 0.2 percent over the month to $545.27. Over 

the year, average hourly earnings increased by 2.6 percent and average weekly 

earnings grew by 2.3 percent. 
3

Employment in total nonfarm and supersectors

September 2005 over-the-month change’s departure from prior 

12-month average

2

0

-18

-3

-107

-17

-2

1

-5

8

14

-108

-10

14

-120 -100 -80 -60 -40 -20 0 20

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, October 7, 2005.

Note: Data are preliminary. The departure was calculated by subtracting the prior 12-month average employment change 

from September’s over-the-month change.

Total nonfarm: 

-229

• Over the year ending in August, payroll employment had grown by an average of 

194,000 a month, thus September’s job loss fell about 230,000 below the 1-year 

trend. A large share of the departure from trend occurred in retail trade and 

leisure and hospitality. Education and health services, government, and 

professional and business services experienced small above average gains. 
4

Index of total private aggregate weekly hours

1990-2005

80

85

90

95

100

105

110

Jan-90Jan-91Jan-92Jan-93Jan-94Jan-95Jan-96Jan-97Jan-98Jan-99Jan-00Jan-01Jan-02Jan-03Jan-04Jan-05

80

85

90

95

100

105

110

Seasonally adjusted, 2002 = 100

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 7, 2005.

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

September 2005

Level: 102.8

Change: -0.2

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

Index of total private aggregate weekly payrolls

1990-2005

55

70

85

100

115

Jan-90Jan-91Jan-92Jan-93Jan-94Jan-95Jan-96Jan-97Jan-98Jan-99Jan-00Jan-01Jan-02Jan-03Jan-04Jan-05

55

70

85

100

115

Seasonally adjusted, 2002 = 100

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 7, 2005.

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

September 2005

Level: 111.3

Change: +0.1

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

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

private nonfarm payrolls decreased by 0.2 percent to 102.8 in September, 

negating last month’s increase. Since its most recent trough in May 2003, the 

index has increased by 4.7 percent, although it still has not fully recovered to its 

prior peak level of 103.9 in October 2000.

• The index of aggregate weekly payrolls of production or nonsupervisory workers 

on private nonfarm payrolls increased by 0.1 percent to 111.3 in September.
5

-57

-74

-54

-111

-60 -61

-84

-37

-25 -20 -13 -18-14

-2

10

32

24

-3 -3

25

-14 -8 -7 -3

-27

14

-6

-15

1

-25

-6 -9

-27

-180

-140

-100

-60

-20

20

60

100

Jan-03Feb-03

Mar-03

Apr-03

May-03

Jun-03

Jul-03

Aug-03

Sep-03

Oct-03

Nov-03

Dec-03Jan-04Feb-04

Mar-04

Apr-04

May-04

Jun-04

Jul-04

Aug-04

Sep-04

Oct-04

Nov-04

Dec-04Jan-05Feb-05

Mar-05

Apr-05

May-05

Jun-05

Jul-05

Aug-05

Sep-05

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 7, 2005.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Employment in manufacturing

Over-the-month change, 2003-05

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• Employment in manufacturing was down by 27,000 in September and has 

declined by 118,000 over the year. 

• The September job decline was concentrated in transportation equipment

manufacturers, which shed 22,000 jobs in September. This industry was affected 

by a strike of 18,000 in the aerospace industry. 

• Other manufacturing employment changes included declines in electrical 

equipment and appliances (-4,000) and paper and paper products (-3,000) and a 

gain in machinery manufacturing (7,000). 

• The factory workweek was unchanged at 40.5 hours, while manufacturing 

overtime was down by 0.1 hour to 4.4 hours.
6

Employment in selected retail trade industries

Over-the-month change for September 2005 and average monthly change 

for the prior 12 months

0.1

-9.3

-30.0

-5.5

-27.5

-16.8

-7.3

2.2

4.0

1.4

1.6

4.3

-0.1

2.0

-42 -35 -28 -21 -14 -7 0 7

Motor vehicle and parts

dealers

Building material and

garden supply stores

Food and beverage stores

Health and personal care

stores

Clothing and clothing

accessories stores

Sporting goods, hobby,

book, and music stores

General merchandise stores

September 2005

Prior 12-month average change

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 7, 2005.

Note: Data are preliminary.

• Retail trade employment declined by 88,000 in September, its largest 1-month 

decline since April 2001. Employment in most components fell short of their 12-

month trend. Rising gas prices, plummeting consumer confidence, and Hurricane 

Katrina contributed to September’s decline.

• Employment in food and beverage stores fell by 30,000 in September. Store 

closings and restructuring by a supermarket chain, Hurricane Katrina, plus 

continued weak conditions in the industry contributed to the decline.

• Clothing and clothing accessories stores employment dropped by about 28,000 in 

September, the largest one-month employment decline in recent history. Much of 

this is attributed to weak market conditions. 

• Sporting goods, hobby, book and music stores, and building material and garden 

supply stores also reduced payroll employment.
7

Employment in temporary help services

1990-2005

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-04Jan-05

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 7, 2005.

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

September 2005

Level: 2,598.3

Change: +31.7

• Temporary help accounted for much of the gain in professional and business 

services employment in September. 

• Temporary help services (32,000) grew by more than twice its average monthly 

gain for the previous 12-months. It is possible that some of the September growth 

is due to the hiring of workers to assist in the post-hurricane recovery efforts.
8

Employment in health care 

Over-the-month change, September 2005

16.2

5.2

4.2

4.6

10.4

9.9

0 3 6 9 12 15 18

Offices of physicians

Outpatient care centers

Home health care

services

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 7, 2005.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Health care:

+36.5

Ambulatory health 

care services

Hospitals

Nursing and residential 

care facilities

• Health care employment continued to grow in September (37,000). This 

industry has experienced consistent growth over the years, with annual growth 

registering between 2.0 and 3.5 percent since 2000. 

• All three components in health care--ambulatory health care, hospitals, and 

nursing and residential care facilities--experienced strong employment growth in 

September.
9

68

-47

-24-21

-2

37 39

25 22

47

39

31 29

16

45

31 31

12 11 11 14

24 25

18 22

39

12

61

13

29

36 37

-80

-100

-80

-60

-40

-20

0

20

40

60

80

Jan-03Feb-03

Mar-03Apr-03

May-03

Jun-03

Jul-03

Aug-03

Sep-03

Oct-03

Nov-03Dec-03

Jan-04Feb-04

Mar-04Apr-04

May-04

Jun-04

Jul-04

Aug-04

Sep-04

Oct-04

Nov-04Dec-04

Jan-05Feb-05

Mar-05Apr-05

May-05

Jun-05

Jul-05

Aug-05

Sep-05

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statisti cs survey, October 7, 2005.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Employment in leisure and hospitality

Over-the-month change, 2003-05

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Employment in selected leisure and hospitality industries

Over-the-month change for September 2005 and average monthly change 

for the prior 12 months

-19.3

-6.4

-53.7

0.8

2.9

23.5

-70 -50 -30 -10 10 30

Amusements,

gambling, and

recreation

Accommodations

Food services and

drinking places

September 2005

Prior 12-month average change

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statisti cs survey, October 7, 2005.

Note: Data are preliminary.

• Leisure and hospitality employment experienced job losses totaling 80,000, after 

increasing for 27 consecutive months with an average of 28,000 jobs gained per 

month. It is the largest 1-month job decline since August 1989. 

• Over the month, food services and drinking places accounted for most of the 

decline in leisure and hospitality, shedding 54,000 jobs in September. 

September’s job loss is largely due to Hurricane Katrina, although weak market 

conditions also contributed to the loss. Amusement, gambling, and recreation had 

an employment decline of 19,000.