Bureau of Labor Statistics

Current Employment Statistics 

Highlights

October 2005

Bureau of Labor Statistics

November 4, 2005
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

148

-8

56

-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

Oct-05

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 4, 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 (+56,000) in October, following an 

essentially flat September (-8,000). 

• Average weekly hours of production or nonsupervisory workers on private nonfarm payrolls were 

unchanged in October, and remain at 33.8 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 8 cents in October to $16.27, seasonally adjusted. This change follows smaller increases 

in the prior 2 months. Average weekly earnings increased by 0.5 percent over the month to 

$549.93. Over the year, both average hourly and weekly earnings increased by 2.9 percent.
3

Employment in total nonfarm and supersectors

October 2005 over-the-month change’s departure from prior 12-

month average

1

10

22

-4

-17

-9

1

-17

7

-32

-25

-38

-14

-5

-50 -30 -10 10 30 50

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, November 4, 2005.

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

from October’s over-the-month change.

Total nonfarm: 

-121

• Over the year ending in September, payroll employment had grown by an average of 177,000 a 

month, thus October’s job gain fell 121,000 below the 1-year trend. 

• October’s below trend employment change was spread throughout most of the service-providing 

industries, with leisure and hospitality, professional and business services, and education and 

health services experiencing the largest departures from trend. Gains in the goods-producing 

sector were above trend.
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 Statisti cs survey, November 4, 2005.

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

October 2005

Level: 103.2

Change: 0.0

Aggregate weekly hours are the product of average weekly hours and 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 Statisti cs survey, November 4, 2005.

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

October 2005

Level: 112.4

Change: +0.6

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

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

payrolls was flat in October, remaining at 103.2. Since its most recent trough in May 2003, the 

index has increased by 5.1 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 0.5 percent to 112.4 in October. This growth was driven almost 

entirely by an 8 cent increase in the average hourly earnings of production or nonsupervisory 

workers.
5

Employment in construction

1990-2005

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

Jan-90Jan-91Jan-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, November 4, 2005.

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

October 2005

Level: 7,312

Change: +33

• Construction employment increased by 33,000 in October. This increase continues a trend of 

solid growth within the industry. Since reaching a trough in March 2003 construction has added 

over 650,000 jobs.

• Residential specialty trade contractors, which has been helped by a sustained period of historically 

low interest rates, accounted for much (+20,000) of October’s gain.

• It is likely that some of the October gain reflects post-hurricane rebuilding and clean-up efforts, as 

well as a return to work for construction workers in the Katrina-affected areas.
6

-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 -10

-28

12

-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

Oct-05

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 4, 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 increased by 12,000 in October following a decline of 28,000 in 

September. Since its recent employment peak in August 2004, the manufacturing industry has lost 

122,000 jobs, continuing its long-term trend of employment decline.

• The October job gain was concentrated in transportation manufacturers, which added about 22,000 

jobs. This employment gain offset a similar loss in September and was due primarily to the return

of 18,000 striking workers in the aerospace industry and to a return of workers following Katrinarelated declines in ship and boat building in September. 

• The factory workweek increased by 0.4 hour to 41.0 hours, while manufacturing overtime 

remained unchanged for the third consecutive month at 4.5 hours in October. This change in the 

factory workweek was widespread within manufacturing.
7

Employment in information

1990-2005

2,400

2,900

3,400

3,900

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

2,400

2,900

3,400

3,900

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, November 4, 2005.

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

October 2005

Level: 3,137

Change: -15

• Employment in the information industry fell by 15,000 in October, well below its prior 12-month 

average gain of 2,000. The motion pictures and sound recording industry lost 11,000 jobs overthe-month, accounting for most of the job loss in information. Employment in information has 

shown little net growth this year following a downward trend from March 2001 to January 2005.
8

Employment in financial activities

1990-2005

6,000

6,500

7,000

7,500

8,000

8,500

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

6,000

6,500

7,000

7,500

8,000

8,500

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, November 4, 2005.

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

October 2005

Level: 8,288

Change: +22

• Financial activities continued to add jobs in October. Employment was up by 22,000 over the 

month with about half of the increase occurring in credit intermediation. Over the year, 

employment in financial activities has posted a notable 195,000 jobs gained. 
9

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, November 4, 2005.

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

October 2005

Level: 2,613.5

Change: +11.1

• Employment growth in the temporary help industry accounted for most of the job gain in 

professional and business services in October. This industry added 11,100 jobs over the month

after posting a notable increase of 40,500 in September.

• Professional and business services employment was little changed (+12,000), below its average 

monthly gain for the previous 12-months. Nonetheless, this below-trend gain follows a strong 

employment increase of 61,000 in September.
10

Employment in health care 

Over-the-month change, October 2005

11.4

6.9

1.4

1.7

5.6

-0.2

-2 2 6 10 14

Offices of physicians

Outpatient care centers

Home health care

services

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 4, 2005.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Health care:

+16.8

Ambulatory health 

care services

Hospitals

Nursing and residential 

care facilities

• Health care employment continued to expand in October, increasing by 17,000 over the month. 

The health care industry has added jobs for 27 consecutive months with 234,000 jobs created so 

far in 2005. 

• Most of October’s employment growth in health came from ambulatory health care services, 

which added 11,000 jobs. The ambulatory health care services industry includes offices of 

physicians, home healthcare centers, and outpatient clinics. 
11

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

29

-63

-18

-100

-80

-60

-40

-20

0

20

40

60

80

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

Oct-05

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, November 4, 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

• Leisure and hospitality employment edged down by 18,000 in October after declining by 63,000

in September. Prior to September, employment had increased for 27 consecutive months. Weak 

market conditions and high energy costs negatively impacted employment in the leisure and 

hospitality industries. 

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

hospitality. This industry lost 15,000 jobs in October following a decline of 58,000 jobs in 

September. Despite recent weakness, the food services and drinking places industry has added 

132,000 jobs so far in 2005.