Bureau of Labor Statistics

Current Employment Statistics 

Highlights

September 2007

Bureau of Labor Statistics

October 5, 2007
Page 2 

110,000

115,000

120,000

125,000

130,000

135,000

140,000

145,000

150,000

Jan-96

Jan-97Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05Jan-06

Jan-07

110,000

115,000

120,000

125,000

130,000

135,000

140,000

145,000

150,000

1996-2007

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 5, 2007.

Notes: Shaded area denotes recession. Most recent two months of data are preliminary.

Employment in total nonfarm

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

September 2007

Level: 138,265

Change: +110

206

300

249

144

103

124

222

186 198

109

196

226

162

90

175

122

188

69

93 89

110

-40

0

40

80

120

160

200

240

280

320

360

Jan-06

Feb-06

Mar-06

Apr-06

May-06

Jun-06

Jul-06

Aug-06

Sep-06

Oct-06

Nov-06

Dec-06

Jan-07

Feb-07

Mar-07

Apr-07

May-07

Jun-07

Jul-07

Aug-07

Sep-07

Employment in total nonfarm

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 5, 2007.

Note: Most recent two months of data are preliminary

Over-the-month change, 2006-07

• Total nonfarm employment rose by 110,000 in September. 

• From June to September, employment growth averaged 90,000 per month; during 

the first 5 months of 2007, average growth was 147,000 per month. 
Page 3 

-1

-14

-18

7

-5

11

0

11

-14

21

44

35

-4

37

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

Over-the-month change, September 2007

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 5, 2007.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in total nonfarm and supersectors

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

+110

Total nonfarm:

• Employment in goods-producing industries fell by 33,000 in September. 

• In September, several service-providing industries gained jobs. Education and 

health services and leisure and hospitality made strong positive contributions, 

adding 79,000 jobs. 
Page 4 

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

35.0

Jan-96

Jan-97Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05Jan-06

Jan-07

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

35.0

1996-2007

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 5, 2007.

Notes: Shaded area denotes recession. Most recent two months of data are preliminary.

Average weekly hours, total private

Seasonally adjusted

September 2007

Level: 33.8

Change: 0.0

85

90

95

100

105

110

115

Jan-96

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

85

90

95

100

105

110

115

aggregate weekly hours

1996-2007

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 5, 2007.

Notes: Shaded area denotes recession. Most recent two 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.

September 2007

Level: 107.8

Percent change: +0.1

• Average weekly hours of production and nonsupervisory workers on private 

nonfarm payrolls was unchanged in September at 33.8 hours. The workweek has 

remained within a 0.2-hour range since reaching a low point in July 2004. 

• The index of total private aggregate weekly hours edged up slightly in August. 

Since reaching a low point in August 2003, the index has increased by 9.8 

percent. However, the rate of growth has slowed since the beginning of this year. 
Page 5 

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

Jan-96

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

in average hourly earnings

1996-2007

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 5, 2007.

Notes: Shaded area denotes recession. Most recent two months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-year percent change

Seasonally adjusted, percent

September 2007

Percent Change: +4.1

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

Jan-96

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

1996-2007

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 5, 2007.

Notes: Shaded area denotes recession. Most recent two 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

September 2007

Level: 126.6

Percent change: +0.6

• Average hourly earnings for production and nonsupervisory workers on private 

nonfarm payrolls rose by 7 cents in September. Over the year, average hourly 

earnings have increased by 4.1 percent. 

• The index of total private aggregate weekly payrolls rose 0.6 percent in 

September. Over the year, the index has grown by 5.9 percent. 
Page 6 

5,000

5,500

6,000

6,500

7,000

7,500

8,000

8,500

Jan-96

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

5,000

5,500

6,000

6,500

7,000

7,500

8,000

8,500

1996-2007

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 5, 2007.

Notes: Shaded area denotes recession. Most recent two months of data are preliminary.

Employment in construction

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

September 2007

Level: 7,613

Change: -14

-47.5

2.9

3.1

-107.0

36.2

-140 -120 -100 -80 -60 -40 -20 0 20 40 60

Residential building

Nonresidential building

Heavy and civil

engineering

Residential specialty trades

Nonresidential specialty

trades

Over-the-year change, September 2007

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 5, 2007.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in construction

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

+110

Total nonfarm:

• Employment in construction declined by 14,000 in August. Since its most recent 

peak in September 2006, construction employment has declined by 112,000. 

• Residential construction has experienced losses over the year with building and 

specialty trade contractors shedding 155,000 jobs. In contrast, employment in 

nonresidential and heavy construction industries has been relatively flat. 
Page 7 

13,000

14,000

15,000

16,000

17,000

18,000

19,000

Jan-96

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

13,000

14,000

15,000

16,000

17,000

18,000

19,000

1996-2007

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 5, 2007.

Notes: Shaded area denotes recession. Most recent two months of data are preliminary.

Employment in manufacturing

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

September 2007

Level: 13,983

Change: -18

• Manufacturing employment declined by 18,000 in September, and 223,000 over 

the year.

• The 1-month manufacturing diffusion index of employment changes measures the 

breadth of job gain or loss across component industries. A value above 50 

indicates a predominance of job gains, and a value below 50 indicates a 

predominance of job losses. In September the index stood at 38.7, and it has not 

risen above 50 since January.
Page 8 

11

10

4

1

3

-2

3

-4

2 2

-8 -7

4

5

-10

0 1 0

-11

3

-17

-20

-15

-10

-5

0

5

10

15

Jan-06

Feb-06

Mar-06

Apr-06

May-06

Jun-06

Jul-06

Aug-06

Sep-06

Oct-06

Nov-06

Dec-06

Jan-07

Feb-07

Mar-07

Apr-07

May-07

Jun-07

Jul-07

Aug-07

Sep-07

B-11. Employment in building material

and garden supply stores

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 5, 2007.

Note: Most recent two months of data are preliminary

Over-the-month change, 2006-07

• Employment in building material and garden supply stores dropped by 17,000 in 

September, the industry’s largest decrease since April 2001. Employment in this 

industry continues to be affected by the decline in the housing market. Home 

centers accounted for the September loss.
Page 9 

6,500

7,000

7,500

8,000

8,500

9,000

Jan-96

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

6,500

7,000

7,500

8,000

8,500

9,000

1996-2007

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 5, 2007.

Notes: Shaded area denotes recession. Most recent two months of data are preliminary.

Employment in financial activities

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

September 2007

Level: 8,448

Change: -14

-36.0

18.4

19.5

42.2

18.1

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

Credit intermediation*

Commercial banking 

Securities and

commodity

Insurance and related

activities

Real estate 

Over-the-year change, September 2007

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 5, 2007.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in selected financial activities

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

+33.4

Health care:

* Includes additional component industries not shown separately.

Commercial banking

• Employment in financial activities fell by 14,000 in September. After averaging a 

gain of 16,000 jobs a month in 2006, employment is essentially unchanged thus 

far in 2007.

 

• Despite an over-the-year gain of 18,000 jobs in commercial banks, the credit 

intermediation industry, which includes mortgage lending and related activities as 

well as commercial banks, has shed 36,000 jobs. 
Page 10 

37.1

10.0

3.7

5.8

9.7

4.4

-19.9

-34.9

7.0

-50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Professional and technical

Accounting and bookkeeping

Architectural and engineering

Computer systems design

Management and technical consulting

Management of companies

Administrative and waste services

Employment services

Services to buildings

Over-the-month change, September 2007

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 5, 2007.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in selected professional and

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

business services

services: +21

Professional and business

Professional and technical

Management of companies

Administrative and waste services

2,250

2,500

2,750

3,000

3,250

3,500

3,750

4,000

4,250

Jan-96

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

2,250

2,500

2,750

3,000

3,250

3,500

3,750

4,000

4,250

1996-2007

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 5, 2007.

Notes: Shaded area denotes recession. Most recent two months of data are preliminary.

Employment in employment services

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

September 2007

Level: 3,471.3

Change: -34.9

• Edging up in September, employment in professional and business services was 

on trend with its average monthly gain of 26,000 for the prior 12 months. 

• The employment gain of 37,000 in professional and technical services was 

partially offset by the loss of 35,000 jobs in employment services. 

• Employment services has been steadily losing jobs since reaching a high point in 

December 2006; the industry has lost 203,000 jobs in that period. 
Page 11 

15.9

6.4

2.6

2.4

14.8

2.7

-5 0 5 10 15 20 25

Ambulatory health care

services*

Offices of physicians

Outpatient care centers

Home health care services

Hospitals

Nursing and residential

care facilities

Over-the-month change, September 2007

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 5, 2007.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in health care

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

+33.4

Health care:

Ambulatory health care

services*

Hospitals

Nursing and residential care 

facilities

* Includes additional component industries not shown separately.

7,000

7,500

8,000

8,500

9,000

9,500

10,000

10,500

Jan-96

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

7,000

7,500

8,000

8,500

9,000

9,500

10,000

10,500

drinking places

1996-2007

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 5, 2007.

Notes: Shaded area denotes recession. Most recent two months of data are preliminary.

Employment in food services and

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

September 2007

Level: 9,792.9

Change: +25.4

• Health care employment continued to grow, rising by 33,000 in September. 

Ambulatory health care services and hospitals both posted significant gains 

totaling 31,000 jobs. 

• Food services and drinking places also continued to add jobs, with a gain of 

25,000 over the month and 355,000 over the year.

• Together, these two industries have accounted for about one-half of all nonfarm 

employment growth in 2007.