Current Employment Statistics

Highlights

July 2006

Bureau of Labor Statistics

August 4, 2006

Bureau of Labor Statistics
2

All employees on nonfarm payrolls

1990-2006

100,000

110,000

120,000

130,000

140,000

Jan-90Jan-91Jan-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, August 4, 2006.

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

July 2006

Level: 135,354

Change: +113

• The July gain of 113,000 payroll jobs was about equal to the average gain per 

month in the second quarter but below the average gain in the first quarter 

(176,000) and below the 2005 average (165,000).
3

Employment in total nonfarm and supersectors

Over-the-month change, July 2006 

7

6

-15

1

0

10

1

-9

6

43

24

42

-3

0

-20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 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, August 4, 2006.

Note: Data are preliminary. 

Total nonfarm: 

+113

• In the service-providing sector, employment rose by 115,000 over the month.

• In the goods-producing sector, employment was little changed.

• Most of the total gain can be attributed to three service-providing supersectors: 

professional and business services, education and health services, and leisure and 

hospitality.
4

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, August 4, 2006.

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

July 2006

Level: 105.2

Percent Change: +0.1

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

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, August 4, 2006.

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

July 2006

Level: 118.0

Percent Change: +0.5

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 has increased by 7.1 percent since its most recent trough 

in August 2003. During the same time span, private payroll employment 

increased by 4.8 percent.

• The index of aggregate weekly payrolls increased by 6.2 percent over the most 

recent 12-month period while the hours index increased by 2.2 percent.
5

Over-the-year percent change in average hourly earnings, 

1990-2006

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

Jan-90Jan-91Jan-92Jan-93Jan-94Jan-95Jan-96Jan-97Jan-98Jan-99Jan-00Jan-01Jan-02Jan-03Jan-04Jan-05Jan-06

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

Seasonally adjusted, percent

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, August 4, 2006

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

July 2006

Percent Change: +3.8

• Average hourly earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers on private 

nonfarm payrolls rose by 7 cents in July. The average increase during the most 

recent 12-month period was 5 cents.

• The over-the-year percent change of 3.8 percent exceeded the increase during the 

previous 12-month period. From July 2004 to July 2005, average hourly earnings 

grew by 2.9 percent. 
6

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-05Jan-06

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statisti cs Survey, August 4, 2006.

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

July 2006

Level: 7,503

Change: +6

-20

-10

0

10

20

30

Jan-05Feb-05

Mar-05Apr-05

May-05

Jun-05

Jul-05

Aug-05

Sep-05

Oct-05

Nov-05Dec-05

Jan-06Feb-06

Mar-06Apr-06

May-06

Jun-06

Jul-06

Residential Nonresidential

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statisti cs survey, August 4, 2006.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Employment in residential and nonresidential specialty 

trade contractors, over-the-month change, 2005-06

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

July 2006

Residential: -9.3 

Nonresidential: +8.9

• During the most recent 5 months, construction employment plateaued, gaining an 

average of only 2,000 jobs per month. 

• Prior to the latest 5-month period, employment had grown by an average of 

24,000 per month since March 2003 (its latest trough). 

• Within specialty trade contractors, continued job growth in nonresidential has 

been offset by job losses in residential.
7

-6

-10

8

29

23

-8

0

16

-19

-9

-12

-14

-26

8

-8

-12

-5

-18

-9

-11

-26

9

18

8

5

-1 -1

19

-10

22

-15

-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-06Feb-06

Mar-06

Apr-06

May-06

Jun-06

Jul-06

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, August 4, 2006.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Employment in manufacturing

Over-the-month change, 2004-06

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• Manufacturing employment edged down by 15,000 in July, largely offsetting an 

increase in June.

• During the latest 12-month period, manufacturing employment was little changed 

(+0.1 percent).

• The manufacturing workweek, however, has increased by 1.1 hours since its

recent low in June 2005 and is now 0.4 hour above its recent peak level in May 

2004. Over the latest 12-month period, the manufacturing index of aggregate 

weekly hours increased by 4.2 percent. (The manufacturing workweek is 

measured as average weekly hours for production workers, seasonally adjusted; 

the index of aggregate weekly hours is also for production workers and is 

seasonally adjusted.)
8

Employment in selected professional and business services

Over-the-month change, July 2006

43.1

10.0

11.8

6.2

3.3

-3.5

-7.3

-0.9

-15 -5 5 15 25 35 45 55

Architectural and

engineering services

Computer systems design

and related services

Management and technical

consulting services

Employment services

Services to buildings and

dwellings

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statisti cs survey, August 4, 2006.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Professional and Business 

services: +43

Professional and 

technical services

Management of 

companies

Administrative and 

waste services

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, August 4, 2006.

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

July 2006

Level: 2,601.3

Change: -2.4

• The gain of 43,000 jobs in professional and business services was primarily in 

architectural and engineering services, computer systems design and related 

services, and management and technical consulting.

• The level of employment in temporary help services was about the same in July as 

in January. 

• From the most recent trough, in April 2003, to January 2006, temporary help 

services gained 466,000 jobs.
9

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

20.3

36.9

24.725.0

12.6

22.4

19.9

29.4

-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-06Feb-06

Mar-06

Apr-06

May-06

Jun-06

Jul-06

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

• In July, food services and drinking places added 29,000 jobs, which is similar to 

its average monthly gain so far this year. This industry has grown by 229,000 

over the year.

• This industry has added jobs in the vast majority of months during the last 10 

years, and has exhibited no major declines.