Bureau of Labor Statistics

Current Employment Statistics 

Highlights

June 2008

Bureau of Labor Statistics

July 3, 2008
2

126

25

177

46

162

107

57

74 81

140

60

41

-76 -83 -88

-67 -62 -62

-120

-80

-40

0

40

80

120

160

200

240

Jan-07

Feb-07

Mar-07

Apr-07

May-07

Jun-07

Jul-07

Aug-07

Sep-07

Oct-07

Nov-07

Dec-07

Jan-08

Feb-08

Mar-08

Apr-08

May-08

Jun-08

Employment in total nonfarm

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, July 3, 2008.

Note: Most recent two months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2007-08

Jun-08, 0.0

Mar-06, 2.1

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

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

Oct-07

Nov-07

Dec-07

Jan-08

Feb-08

Mar-08

Apr-08

May-08

Jun-08

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

Employment in total nonfarm

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, July 3, 2008.

Note: Most recent two months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-year percent changes, 2007-08

• Nonfarm payroll employment continued to trend down in June, losing 62,000 

jobs. Since peaking in December 2007, payroll employment has fallen by 

438,000.

• Payroll growth has been slowing for more than 2 years. In June, the 12-month 

percentage change in payroll employment was flat, down from a rate of 2.1 

percent in March 2006.
3

7

-43

-33

-2

-8

-1

1

-4

-10

-51

29

24

-1

29

-70 -60 -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

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, June 2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, July 3, 2008.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in total nonfarm

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

-62

Total nonfarm:

• In June, job losses continued in construction, manufacturing, and employment 

services. Health care and mining added jobs over the month.
4

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

35.0

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99Jan-00Jan-01Jan-02

Jan-03Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07Jan-08

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

35.0

1997-2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, July 3, 2008.

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

Average weekly hours, total private

Seasonally adjusted

June 2008

Level: 33.7

Change: 0.0

85

90

95

100

105

110

115

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

85

90

95

100

105

110

115

aggregate weekly hours

1997-2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, July 3, 2008.

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.

June 2008

Level: 107.0

Percent change: -0.1

• In June, the average workweek remained at 33.7 hours, seasonally adjusted. 

Since July 2001, the average workweek has not strayed from this level by 

more than 0.2 hour.

• As a result of the unchanged workweek and the employment decline in June, 

the index of aggregate weekly hours of production and nonsupervisory 

workers fell by 0.1 percent. The index has fallen 0.7 percent since reaching a 

peak in December 2007.
5

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

140

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

140

1997-2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, July 3, 2008.

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

June 2008

Level: 128.8

Percent change: +0.3

• Average hourly earnings of production and nonsupervisory workers on private 

nonfarm payrolls rose by 6 cents in June to $18.01, seasonally adjusted. Over 

the past 12 months, average hourly earnings increased by 3.4 percent.

• The index of aggregate weekly payrolls grew by 0.3 percent in June, but the 

rate of growth has slowed. The index has grown by 3.0 percent over the past 

12 months, compared with a growth of 5.8 percent for the 12 months ending 

June 2007 and 7.3 percent for the 12 months ending June 2006.
6

500

550

600

650

700

750

800

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

500

550

600

650

700

750

800

and mining

1997-2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, July 3, 2008.

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

Employment in natural resources

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

June 2008

Level: 764

Change: +7

• Employment in mining rose by 8,000 in June. Support activities for mining 

and oil and gas extraction accounted for most of the increase.

• Mining employment has expanded by 208,000, or 42 percent, since a recent 

low in April 2003.

• A global commodities boom has pushed prices for several key natural 

resources to record highs, resulting in increased exploration and production. 

Firms engaged in oil- and gas-related ventures have been among the most 

active participants, accounting for the bulk of the industry’s recent job growth. 
7

5,000

5,500

6,000

6,500

7,000

7,500

8,000

8,500

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

5,000

5,500

6,000

6,500

7,000

7,500

8,000

8,500

1997-2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, July 3, 2008.

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

Employment in construction

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

June 2008

Level: 7,204

Change: -43

-6.7 -5.6 -4.9

-14.3

-11.0

-9.0

-2.8 -3.3

-18.2

0.2

-24

-20

-16

-12

-8

-4

0

4

8

12

Residential building Nonresidential

building

Heavy and civil

engineering

Residential specialty

trades

Nonresidential

specialty trades

June 2008 Prior 12-mo. avg. 

Over-the-month change

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, July 3, 2008.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in construction

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

• Employment in construction fell by 43,000 in June. Job losses were 

widespread.

• Since the September 2006 peak, employment has fallen by 528,000, but the 

losses have been noticeably steeper since October 2007.

• Since the construction employment peak in September 2006, most of the job 

loses were concentrated among the residential building and residential 

specialty trades industries. However, the job losses have begun among 

nonresidential construction industries as well.
8

-18

-27

-35

-31

-12

-20

-6

-40

-22

-25

-3

-22

-35

-47 -46

-52

-22

-33

-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

Jan-07

Feb-07

Mar-07

Apr-07

May-07

Jun-07

Jul-07

Aug-07

Sep-07

Oct-07

Nov-07

Dec-07

Jan-08

Feb-08

Mar-08

Apr-08

May-08

Jun-08

Employment in manufacturing

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, July 3, 2008.

Note: Most recent two months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2007-08

• Manufacturing employment continued to fall in June (-33,000); declines were 

spread throughout the sector. Employment in motor vehicles and parts edged 

up by 6,000 over the month, largely reflecting the return of workers from 

strikes.

• Monthly factory job losses averaged 39,000 in the first half of 2008, compared 

with average monthly losses of 22,000 in 2007.

• The manufacturing workweek edged down in June to 40.8 hours, seasonally 

adjusted, and has declined by 0.6 hour since the most recent peak in 

September 2007.
9

12,000

13,000

14,000

15,000

16,000

17,000

18,000

19,000

Jan-97Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00Jan-01

Jan-02Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

12,000

13,000

14,000

15,000

16,000

17,000

18,000

19,000

business services

1997-2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, July 3, 2008.

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

Employment in professional and

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

June 2008

Level: 17,931

Change: -51

2,250

2,500

2,750

3,000

3,250

3,500

3,750

4,000

4,250

Jan-97

Jan-98

Jan-99

Jan-00

Jan-01

Jan-02

Jan-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Jan-08

2,250

2,500

2,750

3,000

3,250

3,500

3,750

4,000

4,250

1997-2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, July 3, 2008.

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

Employment in employment services

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

June 2008

Level: 3,362.3

Change: -58.9

• Within professional and business services, employment services lost 59,000 

jobs in June; about half of the decrease (-30,000) occurred in temporary help 

services. 

• So far this year, monthly job losses in temporary help services have averaged 

26,000 compared with average declines of 7,000 per month in 2007.

• Since the start of 2008, employment in professional and technical services has 

weakened, and the downward trend in administrative and waste services has 

accelerated. 
10

13.2

6.3

0.7

3.1

3.1

-1.8

16

5.8

0.9

3.6

11.1

3.5

-5 0 5 10 15 20

Ambulatory health care

services*

Offices of physicians

Outpatient care centers

Home health care services

Hospitals

Nursing and residential

care facilities

June 2008:+14.5

Prior 12-mo. avg.: +30.6

Over-the-month change, June 2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, July 3, 2008.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Employment in health care

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Health care:

Ambulatory health care

services*

Hospitals

Nursing and residential care

facilities

* Includes additional component industries not shown separately.

• Health care employment continued to grow (15,000), although the June gain 

was half the size of the average increase over the prior 12 months. 

• Health care added 170,000 jobs in the first half of 2008.

• Hospitals saw below-average employment growth in June, which may be a 

correction for above-average growth in recent months. Year to date, hospitals 

have added 64,000 workers to payrolls.
11

20 18 17

34

41

32

21

26

31

33

13

10

7

13 15 14 12

16

0

10

20

30

40

50

Jan-07

Feb-07

Mar-07

Apr-07

May-07

Jun-07

Jul-07

Aug-07

Sep-07

Oct-07

Nov-07

Dec-07

Jan-08

Feb-08

Mar-08

Apr-08

May-08

Jun-08

Employment in food services and

drinking places

Seasonally adjusted in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, July 3, 2008.

Note: Most recent two months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, 2007-08

• Food services and drinking places employment expanded by 16,000 in June. 

Job growth has decelerated in full-service restaurants while job growth has 

remained steady in limited-service eating. 

• Food services and drinking places has accounted for 88 percent of the 

employment increase in leisure and hospitality this year.