Current Employment Statistics 

Highlights

March 2007

Bureau of Labor Statistics

April 6, 2007

Bureau of Labor Statistics
All employees on nonfarm payrolls

1996-2007

110,000

120,000

130,000

140,000

Jan-96

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

110,000

120,000

130,000

140,000

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 6, 2007.

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

March 2007

Level: 137,622

Change: +180

• Nonfarm employment continued to trend upward in March with the addition of 

180,000 jobs. 

• The employment increase was similar to the prior 12-month average monthly 

gain. 

• Employment has risen by 7.8 million since reaching a low point in August 2003. 
Employment in total nonfarm and supersectors

Over-the-month change, March 2007

3

56

-16

5

36

5

1

-5

0

-7

54

21

4

23

-25 -15 -5 5 15 25 35 45 55 65

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, April 6, 2007.

Note: Data are preliminary. 

Total nonfarm: 

+180

• Employment growth in March was concentrated in construction, retail trade, and 

education and health services; these 3 supersectors accounted for about 80 percent 

of the gain in nonfarm employment. 

• Retail trade added 36,000 jobs. This growth was concentrated entirely within 

general merchandise stores. Continued declines in building material and garden 

supply stores were offset by gains within food and beverage stores. 
Average weekly hours, total private

1992-2007

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

35.0

Jan-92

Jan-93

Jan-94

Jan-95

Jan-96

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

35.0 Seasonally adjusted

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 6, 2007.

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

March 2007

Level: 33.9

Change: +0.1

Index of total private aggregate weekly hours

1996-2007

85

90

95

100

105

110

Jan-96

Jan-97Jan-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

Seasonally adjusted, 2002 = 100

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 6, 2007.

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

March 2007

Level: 107.3

Percent Change: +0.6

Aggregate weekly hours are the product of average weekly hours and production and nonsupervisory workers.

• Average weekly hours of production and nonsupervisory workers on nonfarm 

payrolls increased 0.1 hour in March. The workweek has held steady recently, 

remaining within a 0.1 hour range since September 2005. 

• The index of total private aggregate weekly hours increased by 0.6 percent in 

March, following no change in February. The index is now at its highest level in 

the history of the series. Since reaching a trough in August 2003, the index has 

increased by over 9 percent. 
Over-the-year percent change in average hourly earnings, 

1990-2007

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

Jan-90

Jan-91Jan-92

Jan-93

Jan-94

Jan-95

Jan-96

Jan-97

Jan-98Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

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, April 6, 2007.

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

March 2007

Percent Change: +4.0

Index of total private aggregate weekly payrolls

1996-2007

65

75

85

95

105

115

125

Jan-96

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

65

75

85

95

105

115

125

Seasonally adjusted, 2002 = 100

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 6, 2007.

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

March 2007

Level: 123.4

Percent Change: 0.8

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

k

• Average hourly earnings for production and nonsupervisory workers on nonfarm 

payrolls rose by 6 cents in March, matching the prior 12-month average gain for 

this series. Over the year, average hourly earnings have risen by 4 percent. 

• The index of total private aggregate weekly payrolls grew by 0.8 percent in 

March. Over-the-month gains in average weekly hours, average hourly earnings, 

and production workers contributed to the strength in March. 
Employment in construction

Over-the-month change

-3.5

-0.7

-10.6

-20.4

-25.6

-1.2

4.0

7.7

11.0

34.2

-35

-25

-15

-5

5

15

25

35

45

Residential building Nonresidential

building

Heavy and civil

engineering

Residential

specialty trades

Nonresidential

specialty trades

February 2007 March 2007

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 6, 2007.

Note: Data are preliminary.

• Construction employment increased by 56,000 in March as employees returned to 

work after adverse weather conditions contributed to job losses in February. The 

rebound was broad based, as both heavy construction and specialty trades 

experienced employment increases.

• Over 2 months, job gains continued in nonresidential specialty trades, and losses 

persisted in the residential trades.

• Residential building construction continued to shed jobs for the sixth month in a 

row. Over the past half year, the industry has contracted by 28,000 jobs. 

Continued weakness in the housing market has contributed to the recent downturn 

in employment. 
10

-7

0

15

-12

23

-9 -11 -12

-40

-23

-12

-1

-11

-16

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

30

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

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 6, 2007.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Employment in manufacturing

Over-the-month change, 2006-07

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• Manufacturing continued its long-term decline, cutting 16,000 jobs in March. 

Losses were widespread, both in durable and nondurable goods industries.

• The average manufacturing workweek for production workers increased by 0.2 

hour to 41.1 hours, seasonally adjusted. Despite longer hours, the factory 

workweek is still 0.4 hour below its most recent peak reached in July 2006. 

• Average weekly overtime hours of production workers edged up by 0.1 hour to 

4.3 hours in March, seasonally adjusted.
Employment in selected professional and business services

Over-the-month change, March 2007

8.5

-4.9

2.0

7.1

6.1

1.4

-16.3

-12.3

-3.7

-25 -15 -5 5 15 25

Accounting and

bookkeeping services

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 Statistics survey, April 6, 2007.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Professional and Business 

services: -7

Professional and 

technical services

Management of 

companies

Administrative and 

waste services

Employment in temporary help services

1992-2007

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

Jan-92

Jan-93

Jan-94

Jan-95

Jan-96

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 6, 2007.

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

March 2007

Level: 2,635.2

Change: -0.8

• Employment in professional and business services changed little over the month, 

and during the first quarter of 2007, growth fell below this supersector’s 2006 

average of 42,000 jobs gained per month. Losses in administrative and waste 

services were partially offset by gains in computer systems design and related 

services, and management and technical consulting services. 

• Temporary help services continued its trend of little change in March, with 

employment flat both over the month and over the year. Since reaching a peak in 

December 2005, employment has changed little. 
Employment in health care 

Over-the-month change, March 2007

13.8

8.6

-1.9

3.3

9.2

6.5

-5 0 5 10 15 20

Offices of physicians

Outpatient care centers

Home health care

services

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 6, 2007.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Health care:

+29.5

Ambulatory health 

care services

Hospitals

Nursing and residential 

care facilities

• Employment in health care rose by 30,000 in March, on trend when compared to 

the prior 12-month average change. Nearly all components of this industry added 

jobs in March. 

• Offices of physicians and hospitals added 9,000 jobs each, while nursing and 

residential care facilities added 7,000.