Current Employment Statistics

Highlights

January 2006

Bureau of Labor Statistics

February 3, 2006

Bureau of Labor Statistics
2

All employees on nonfarm payrolls

1992-2006

100,000

110,000

120,000

130,000

140,000

Jan-92Jan-93Jan-94Jan-95Jan-96Jan-97Jan-98Jan-99Jan-00Jan-01Jan-02Jan-03Jan-04Jan-05Jan-06

100,000

110,000

120,000

130,000

140,000

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 3, 2006.

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

January 2006

Level: 134,564

Change: +193

• Nonfarm payrolls increased by 193,000 in January to 134.6 million, seasonally 

adjusted. This increase follows gains of 354,000 in November and 140,000 in 

December. Over the year, payroll employment increased by 2.1 million.
3

CES benchmark revisions

1995-2005

2004 203 0.2

2005 -158 -0.1

2003 -122 -0.1

2002 -313 -0.2

2001 -123 -0.1

2000 468 0.4

1999 258 0.2

(

1 1998 44 )

1997 431 0.4

(

1 1996 57 )

1995 542 0.5

Level (in thousands) Percent

Benchmark year March benchmark revision

1 Less than 0.05 percent.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 3, 2006.

122

55

346

252

267

78

38

131

177

338

133

160

76

265

140

228

106

166

241

175

48

37

354

140

193

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

Jan-04Feb-04Mar-04Apr-04

May-04

Jun-04

Jul-04

Aug-04

Sep-04Oct-04Nov-04Dec-04Jan-05Feb-05Mar-05Apr-05

May-05

Jun-05

Jul-05

Aug-05

Sep-05Oct-05Nov-05Dec-05Jan-06

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statisti cs survey, February 3, 2006.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Employment in total nonfarm

Over-the-month change, 2004-06

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• In accordance with annual practice, the establishment survey data have been 

revised to reflect comprehensive universe counts of payroll jobs, or benchmarks. 

These counts are derived principally from the unemployment insurance tax 

records for March 2005. All unadjusted data series from April 2004 forward, the 

time period since the last benchmark was established, are subject to revision as a 

result of the benchmark process. All seasonally adjusted data series beginning in 

2001 were subject to revision in accordance with usual practice of revising 5 

years of data. See https://www.bls.gov/web/cesbmart.htm for more information.

• On a not seasonally adjusted basis, the total nonfarm employment level for March 

2005 was revised downward by 158,000, or about 0.1 percent of the total nonfarm 

employment. Over the past decade, benchmark revisions have averaged 0.2 

percent
4

Average weekly hours, total private

1992-2006

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

35.0

Jan-92Jan-93Jan-94Jan-95Jan-96Jan-97Jan-98Jan-99Jan-00Jan-01Jan-02Jan-03Jan-04Jan-05Jan-06

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

35.0

Seasonally adjusted

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 3, 2006.

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

January 2006

Level: 33.8

Change: 0.0

Index of total private aggregate weekly hours

1992-2006

80

85

90

95

100

105

110

Jan-92Jan-93Jan-94Jan-95Jan-96Jan-97Jan-98Jan-99Jan-00Jan-01Jan-02Jan-03Jan-04Jan-05Jan-06

80

85

90

95

100

105

110

Seasonally adjusted, 2002 = 100

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 3, 2006.

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

January 2006

Level: 103.9

Change: +0.2

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

• Average weekly hours of production or nonsupervisory workers on private 

nonfarm payrolls were unchanged at 33.8 hours in January. Since late 2002, the 

average workweek has been relatively flat, fluctuating between 33.6 and 33.8 

hours. 

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

private nonfarm payrolls reached 103.9 in January. At this level, aggregate 

weekly hours have finally recovered to the pre-recession peak reached in October 

2000
5

Index of total private aggregate weekly payrolls

1992-2006

55

68

81

94

107

120

Jan-92Jan-93Jan-94Jan-95Jan-96Jan-97Jan-98Jan-99Jan-00Jan-01Jan-02Jan-03Jan-04Jan-05Jan-06

55

68

81

94

107

120

Seasonally adjusted, 2002 = 100

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 3, 2006.

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

January 2006

Level: 114.1

Change: +0.8

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

• Average hourly earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers on private 

nonfarm payrolls rose by 7 cents in January to $16.41, seasonally adjusted. Over 

the year, average hourly earnings were up 3.3 percent.

• The index of aggregate weekly payrolls rose by 0.8 percent, the largest increase 

since July 2005. After slow gains in the 2 years immediately following the 2001 

recession, aggregate payroll growth picked up in 2004 and 2005, rising about 5.4 

percent each year on average.
6

Employment in total nonfarm and supersectors

Over-the-month change, January 2006 

5

46

7

15

-2

6

0

-2

21

24

39

26

9

-1

-5 5 15 25 35 45 55

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, February 3, 2006.

Note: Data are preliminary. 

Total nonfarm: 

+193

• Job growth was widespread over the month.

• Construction, education and health services, leisure and hospitality, professional 

and business services, and financial activities experienced the largest employment 

increases in January.

• Retail employment was flat and has experienced little change since July 2005.
7

1.4 1.4

5.3

3.0

4.4

1.5

4.5

0.1

1.0

-0.9

3.8

2.0

3.7

5.4

4.8

6.6

1.6

3.6

0.2

3.2

4.8

5.9

5.5

4.0

5.7

-2

-1

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Jan-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

Oct-05

Nov-05

Dec-05Jan-06

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 3, 2006.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Employment in mining

Over-the-month change, 2004-06

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• Mining continued its upward trend in January, adding 6,000 jobs.

• Support activities for mining, particularly those related to oil and gas, accounted 

for two-thirds of the over-the-month gain.
8

Employment in construction

1992-2006

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

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

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, February 3, 2006.

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

January 2006

Level: 7,460

Change: +46

• Employment in construction rose by 46,000 over the month and by 345,000 over 

the year.

• Above-average temperatures may have resulted in fewer January layoffs than 

normal in construction. Seasonally adjusted employment rebounded after 

changing little in the prior month when below-average temperatures registered 

across much of the country. The average workweek, which tends to be more 

sensitive to weather than employment, showed a similar pattern, declining and 

then recovering by half an hour. Building foundation and exterior contractors 

within the specialty trades accounted for 17,200 jobs gained in January, while 

highway, street, and bridge construction within heavy construction accounted for 

7,200 jobs. These industries are especially sensitive to weather conditions since 

most work is performed outdoors. Residential builders and building equipment 

contractors also realized employment gains in January.
9

-6

-10

8

29

23

-8

0

-16

-19

-9

-12

-14

-26

8

-8

-12

-5

-18

-9

-11

-26

9

18

-1

7

-35

-25

-15

-5

5

15

25

35

Jan-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

Oct-05

Nov-05

Dec-05Jan-06

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 3, 2006.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Employment in manufacturing

Over-the-month change, 2004-06

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• Employment in manufacturing was little changed in January (+7,000). However, 

a few industries have shown small job gains in recent months, notably wood 

products, primary metals, and transportation equipment.

• The factory workweek was unchanged at 40.8 hours and factory overtime was 

unchanged at 4.5 hours. Manufacturing overtime has fluctuated between 4.4 and 

4.6 hours since October 2003.
10

Employment in selected professional and business services 

Over-the-month change, January 2006

2.8

-17.6

3.2

6.6

5.4

15.5

4.8

-6.5

-20 -15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15 20

Legal services

Accounting and

bookkeeping services

Architectural and

engineering services

Computer systems design

and related services

Management and technical

consulting services

Employment services

Business support services

Services to buildings and

dwellings

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statisti cs Survey, February 3, 2006.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Professional and

Business services:+24

Employment in temporary help services

1992-2006

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

Jan-92Jan-93Jan-94Jan-95Jan-96Jan-97Jan-98Jan-99Jan-00Jan-01Jan-02Jan-03Jan-04Jan-05Jan-06

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statisti cs survey, February 3, 2006.

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

January 2006

Level: 2,649.5

Change: +14.3

• Professional and business services added 24,000 jobs in January, following 2 

months of unusually large gains that totaled 138,000. 

• Employment trended up in computer systems design and in management and 

consulting services. Accounting services lost jobs, which offsets an increase in 

December.

• Employment in temporary help services continued to expand (+14,300).
11

Employment in health care 

Over-the-month change, January 2006

14.6

5.2

-0.5

3.8

7.3

7.3

-4 0 4 8 12 16

Offices of physicians

Outpatient care centers

Home health care

services

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 3, 2006.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Health care:

+29.2

Ambulatory health 

care services

Hospitals

Nursing and residential 

care facilities

• Employment continued to grow in health care in January, increasing by 29,200.

• As is typical, ambulatory health care services had the largest increase in January 

(+14,600). This industry has not seen a month of job loss since January 1999. 

Hospitals and nursing and residential care also grew this month, by over 7,000 

each. 
12

31.1

7.7

36.6

15.1

30.4

6.1

9.8

4.5

35.7

45.3

14.8

23.1

27.427.4

16.6

27.2

5.6

17.3

26.1

14.0

-22.0

12.8

33.3

24.8

31.0

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Jan-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

Oct-05

Nov-05

Dec-05Jan-06

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 3, 2006.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Employment in food services and drinking places

Over-the-month change, 2004-06

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• Leisure and hospitality added 26,000 jobs in January, following a 15,000 gain in 

December. 

• Food services, which accounts for the majority of the leisure and hospitality 

employment, gained 31,000 jobs in January. Gains in the past few months have 

more than offset the previous decline that had been largely attributed to hurricanerelated job losses.