Bureau of Labor Statistics

Current Employment Statistics 

Highlights

December 2011

Bureau of Labor Statistics

January 6, 2012

 
2

• Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 200,000 in December. 

• Over the past year, payroll employment growth averaged 137,000 per month. 

• Since reaching an employment trough in February 2010, nonfarm employment has 

expanded by 2.7 million, or 2.1 percent. During this period, the private sector has added 

3.2 million jobs, while government cut about one-half million jobs. 

 

13

-83

-72

-185

-233

-178

-231

-267

-434

-509

-802

-619

-820

-726

-796

-660

-386

-502

-300

-231

-236

-221

-55

-130

-39

-35

192

277

458

-192

-49

-59

-29

171

93

152

68

235

194

217

53

20

127

104

210

112

100

200

-1,000

-800

-600

-400

-200

0

200

400

600

Jan-08 Jul-08 Jan-09 Jul-09 Jan-10 Jul-10 Jan-11 Jul-11

Employment in total nonfarm

Over-the-month change, January 2008–December 2011

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 06, 2012.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

120,000

122,000

124,000

126,000

128,000

130,000

132,000

134,000

136,000

138,000

140,000

Jan-00 Jan-02 Jan-04 Jan-06 Jan-08 Jan-10

Employment in total nonfarm

December 2011

Level: 131,900

Change: 200

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 06, 2012.

Note: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2 

months of data are preliminary.

January 2000–December 2011

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands
3

• In December, private-sector employment grew by 212,000. Government employment 

was little changed. Transportation and warehousing added 50,000 jobs in December, with 

couriers and messengers adding 42,000 due to particularly strong seasonal hiring. 

Employment gains also occurred in education and health services, retail trade, and 

manufacturing. 

• In 2011, the private sector added 1.9 million jobs, while government lost 280,000 jobs. 

Professional and business services had the largest employment gain (+452,000), followed 

by education and health services and leisure and hospitality (+427,000 and +268,000, 

respectively). These three industries contributed 60 percent of all private-sector job 

gains over the year. 

-12

4

21

29

12

2

6

1

50

28

12

23

17

8

-20 0 20 40 60

Government

Other services

Leisure and hospitality

Education and health services

Professional and business services

Financial activities

Information

Utilities

Transportation and warehousing

Retail trade

Wholesale trade

Manufacturing

Construction

Mining and logging

Employment in total nonfarm

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 06, 2012.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, December 2011

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Total nonfarm:

200

-280

44

268

427

452

7

-36

5.0

67.0

239.7

84.4

225

46

91

-400 -200 0 200 400 600

Government

Other services

Leisure and hospitality

Education and health services

Professional and business services

Financial activities

Information

Utilities

Transportation and warehousing

Retail trade

Wholesale trade

Manufacturing

Construction

Mining and logging

Employment in total nonfarm

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 06, 2012.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Over-the-year change, December 2011

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Total nonfarm:

200

Total nonfarm:

1,640

Total private:

1,920
4

• As of December 2011, the private sector experienced 22 consecutive months of job gains, 

recovering 36 percent of jobs lost in the peak-to-trough period from January 2008 to 

February 2010. 

4

-128

-87

-186

-240

-217

-265

-317

-434

-491

-787

-636

-841

-721

-787

-773

-326

-438

-287

-215

-213

-250

-34

-102

-42

-21

144

229

48

65

93

110

109

143

128

167

94

261

219

241

99

75

173

72

220

134

120

212

-1,000

-800

-600

-400

-200

0

200

400

Jan-08 Jul-08 Jan-09 Jul-09 Jan-10 Jul-10 Jan-11 Jul-11

Employment in total private

Over-the-month change, January 2008–December 2011

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 06, 2012.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands
5

 

• In December, the average workweek for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls 

increased by 0.1 hour to 34.4 hours. The all-employee workweek is now 0.7 hour longer 

than its low in June 2009. 

• The average workweek for production and nonsupervisory employees on private nonfarm 

payrolls also edged up 0.1 hour to 33.7 hours in December. The production and 

nonsupervisory employee workweek has grown 0.7 hour since reaching a trough in 

October 2009, but remains 0.2 hour below its June 2007 peak. 

• The index of aggregate weekly hours for all employees in the private sector rose 0.5 

percent in December. Since reaching a low point in October 2009, the index has 

increased by 4.6 percent. 

32.0

32.5

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

35.0

Jan-00 Jan-02 Jan-04 Jan-06 Jan-08 Jan-10

Average weekly hours, total private

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 06, 2012.

Note: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most 

recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

January 2000–December 2011

Seasonally adjusted

All employees

Level: 34.4

Change: 0.1

Production employees

Level: 33.7

Change: 0.1

90

92

94

96

98

100

102

Mar-06 Mar-07 Mar-08 Mar-09 Mar-10 Mar-11

Seasonally adjusted, 2007=100

Index of aggregate weekly hours 

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 06, 2012.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

March 2006–December 2011

December 2011

Level: 94.8

Change: 0.5%

Total private, all employees
6

• Average hourly earnings for all employees in the private sector increased by 4 cents to 

$23.24 in December. 

• Over the past year, average hourly earnings of all private-sector employees have 

increased by 2.1 percent. The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) 

was up 3.4 percent from November 2010 to November 2011. 

• The index of aggregate weekly payrolls of all private sector employees rose 0.7 percent 

in December. Since reaching a low point in June 2009, the index has increased by 8.9 

percent. The index has also surpassed its June 2008 peak by 2.3 percent. 

 

-3.0

-2.0

-1.0

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

Mar-07 Sep-07 Mar-08 Sep-08 Mar-09 Sep-09 Mar-10 Sep-10 Mar-11 Sep-11

Over-the-year percent change

Average hourly earnings, all employees, and CPI–U*

Total private earnings CPI–U

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 06, 2012.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted

December 2011 Earnings: 2.1

November 2011 CPI-U: 3.4

*1982–84=100

March 2007–December 2011

92

94

96

98

100

102

104

106

Mar-06 Mar-07 Mar-08 Mar-09 Mar-10 Mar-11

Seasonally adjusted, 2007=100

Index of aggregate weekly payrolls 

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 06, 2012.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

March 2006–December 2011

December 2011

Level: 105

Change: 0.7%

Total private, all employees
7

• Mining and logging employment grew by 8,000 in December. Oil and gas extraction and 

support activities added 3,000 jobs each. 

• Since reaching a trough in October 2009, mining employment has risen by 164,000, with 

support activities for mining accounting for most of the gains (+119,000). 

 

550

600

650

700

750

800

850

Jan-00 Jan-02 Jan-04 Jan-06 Jan-08 Jan-10

Employment in mining and logging

December 2011

Level: 825

Change: 8

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 06, 2012.

Note: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2 

months of data are preliminary.

January 2000–December 2011

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands
8

• Construction employment edged up by 17,000 in December. 

• Nonresidential specialty trade contractors added 20,000 jobs over the month in 

December, mostly offsetting losses over the prior 2 months. 

• Since reaching a trough in January 2011, employment in construction has remained 

essentially flat and is currently 2.2 million below its April 2006 peak. 

5,400

5,900

6,400

6,900

7,400

Jan-00 Jan-02 Jan-04 Jan-06 Jan-08 Jan-10

Employment in construction

December 2011

Level: 5,544

Change: 17

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 06, 2012.

Note: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2 

months of data are preliminary.

January 2000–December 2011

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

20.2

-2.9

-0.3

-2.7

2.5

-5 0 5 10 15 20 25

Nonresidential specialty trades

Residential specialty trades

Heavy and civil engineering

Nonresidential building

Residential building

Employment in construction

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 06, 2012.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, December 2011

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Construction:

17
9

• Manufacturing employment increased by 23,000 in December due entirely to gains in 

durable goods. In 2011, manufacturing job gains totaled 225,000. 

• In December, transportation equipment manufacturers added 9,000 jobs, while fabricated 

metal products added 6,000 and machinery added 5,000. 

• Within transportation equipment, motor vehicles and parts accounted for 7,000 of the job 

gain and has added 101,000 jobs since reaching an employment trough in June 2009. 

11,000

12,000

13,000

14,000

15,000

16,000

17,000

18,000

Jan-00 Jan-02 Jan-04 Jan-06 Jan-08 Jan-10

Employment in manufacturing

December 2011

Level: 11,790

Change: 23

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 06, 2012.

Note: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2 

months of data are preliminary.

January 2000–December 2011

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

1.7

-1.4

8.6

1.4

0.2

5.3

6.0

-0.1

0.3

0.9

-4 -2 0 2 4 6 8 10

Miscellaneous manufacturing

Furniture and related products

Transportation equipment

Electrical equipment and appliances

Computer and electronic products

Machinery

Fabricated metal products

Primary metals

Nonmetallic mineral products

Wood products

Employment in durable goods

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 06, 2012.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, December 2011

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Durable goods:

23
10

• In December, the factory workweek for all employees rose 0.1 hour, while overtime 

hours were down 0.1 hour. Both series remain at or near their 5-year highs. 

• The factory workweek for production and nonsupervisory employees also rose 0.1 hour, 

while overtime hours were unchanged. 

 

38.0

38.5

39.0

39.5

40.0

40.5

41.0

41.5

42.0

42.5

Jan-00 Jan-02 Jan-04 Jan-06 Jan-08 Jan-10

Average weekly hours, manufacturing

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 06, 2012.

Note: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most 

recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

January 2000–December 2011 Seasonally adjusted

Production employees

Level: 41.5

Change: 0.1

All employees

Level: 40.5

Change: 0.1

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

5.5

6.0

Jan-00 Jan-02 Jan-04 Jan-06 Jan-08 Jan-10

Average weekly overtime hours, manufacturing

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 06, 2012.

Note: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 

2 months of data are preliminary.

January 2000–December 2011

Seasonally adjusted

All employees

Level: 3.2

Change: -0.1

Production employees

Level: 4.1

Change: 0.0
11

• Retail trade continued to add jobs in December (+28,000). 

• In December, job gains continued in both general merchandise stores and clothing and 

clothing accessories stores. 

• Employment in sporting goods, hobby, book, and music stores fell by 10,000. 

• Retail trade has added 240,000 jobs over the past 12 months. 

 

14,000

14,200

14,400

14,600

14,800

15,000

15,200

15,400

15,600

15,800

16,000

Jan-00 Jan-02 Jan-04 Jan-06 Jan-08 Jan-10

Employment in retail trade

December 2011

Level: 14,687

Change: 28

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 06, 2012.

Note: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2 

months of data are preliminary.

January 2000–December 2011

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

1.8

3.6

13.0

-10.2

11.1

0.7

-2.3

8.2

0.8

-2.8

-0.4

4.4

-15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15

Nonstore retailers

Miscellaneous store retailers

General merchandise stores

Sporting goods, hobby, book, and music stores

Clothing and clothing accessories stores

Gasoline stations

Health and personal care stores

Food and beverage stores

Building material and garden supply stores

Electronics and appliance stores

Furniture and home furnishings stores

Motor vehicle and parts dealers

Employment in retail trade

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 06, 2012.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, December 2011

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Retail trade:

28
12

• Employment in transportation and warehousing rose by 50,000 in December. Couriers 

and messengers accounted for almost all of the gain (+42,000) due to particularly strong 

seasonal hiring in December for the second year in a row. 

• Since reaching a trough in February 2010, transportation and warehousing has added 

192,000 jobs. 

 

-4

2

0

6

-14

-13

-5

-12

-41

-17

-40

-12

-39

-24

-34

-45

-19

-20

-27

-3

-13

-15

1

19

-40

-3

8

5

9

11

9

-1

8

4

22

50

-47

17

8

6

12

9

-6

7

3

5

3

50

-60

-40

-20

0

20

40

60

Jan-08 Jul-08 Jan-09 Jul-09 Jan-10 Jul-10 Jan-11 Jul-11

Employment in transportation 

Over-the-month change, January 2008–December 2011

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 06, 2012.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

4,000

4,100

4,200

4,300

4,400

4,500

4,600

Jan-00 Jan-02 Jan-04 Jan-06 Jan-08 Jan-10

Employment in transportation and warehousing

December 2011

Level: 4,335

Change: 50

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 06, 2012.

Note: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2 

months of data are preliminary.

January 2000–December 2011

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands
13

• Employment in professional and business services changed little for the second month in 

a row in December (+12,000). 

• The industry had added an average of 42,000 jobs per month for the first 10 months of 

2011. 

• After averaging monthly job gains of 15,000 in the prior 5 months, temporary help 

services employment edged down by 8,000 in December. 

 -6 -34

-59

3

-71

-45

-64

-77

-68

-113

-181

-110

-151

-183

-130

-150

-61

-108

-29

-26

-6

7

66

26

3131

2

69

25

43

-2

30

8

40

85

58

51

38

75

45

44

0

39

45

54

30

19

12

-250

-200

-150

-100

-50

0

50

100

150

Jan-08 Jul-08 Jan-09 Jul-09 Jan-10 Jul-10 Jan-11 Jul-11

Employment in professional and business services

Over-the-month change, January 2008–December 2011

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 06, 2012.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

1,700

1,800

1,900

2,000

2,100

2,200

2,300

2,400

2,500

2,600

2,700

Jan-00 Jan-02 Jan-04 Jan-06 Jan-08 Jan-10

Employment in temporary help services

December 2011

Level: 2,304

Change: -8

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 06, 2012.

Note: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2 

months of data are preliminary.

January 2000–December 2011

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands
14

• Health care continued to add jobs in December (+23,000). In 2011, health care added 

315,000 jobs for an increase of 2.3 percent. 

• Employment in hospitals grew by 10,000 in December. 

 33

30

30

37

24

26

31

19

14

19

32

24

14

23

8

12

28

24

21

19

20

22

24

22

12

16

35

17

15

16

25

27

23

30

20

28

13

27

30

33

20

23

36

28

43

24

16

23

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Jan-08 Jul-08 Jan-09 Jul-09 Jan-10 Jul-10 Jan-11 Jul-11

Employment in health care 

Over-the-month change, January 2008–December 2011

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 06, 2012.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

1.5

9.8

2.0

1.6

1.9

11.3

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

Nursing and residential care

Hospitals

- Home health care services

- Outpatient care centers

- Offices of physicians

Ambulatory health care services ̊

Employment in selected health care industries

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 06, 2012.

Note: Data are preliminary.

 ̊Includes additional component industries not shown separately.

Over-the-month change, December 2011

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Health care 

industries:

23
15

• Leisure and hospitality employment continued to trend up in December (+21,000) due 

entirely to a gain of 24,000 jobs within food services and drinking places. Food services 

and drinking places has added an average of 27,000 jobs per month over the last 5 

months. 

• Since an employment trough in January 2010, leisure and hospitality has added 411,000 

jobs. 

-9

-4

1

-17

-14

0

-5

-16

-28

-30

-32

-24

-18

-19

-25

-24

31

3

-15

-22

-29

-24

-8

-38

6

-5

23

17

-3

-8

-15

29

53

9

-4

11

1

40

28

23

-6

4

5

22

30

23

36

24

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Jan-08 Jul-08 Jan-09 Jul-09 Jan-10 Jul-10 Jan-11 Jul-11

Employment in food services and drinking places

Over-the-month change, January 2008–December 2011

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 06, 2012.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

11,000

11,500

12,000

12,500

13,000

13,500

14,000

Jan-00 Jan-02 Jan-04 Jan-06 Jan-08 Jan-10

Employment in leisure and hospitality

December 2011

Level: 13,342

Change: 21

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 06, 2012.

Note: Shaded areas represent recessions as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2 

months of data are preliminary.

January 2000–December 2011

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands
16

• Government employment changed little in December (-12,000). 

• Government lost 280,000 jobs in 2011. Local government education had lost 113,000 

jobs over that span, accounting for 40 percent of the job losses within government. 

9

45

15

1

7

39

34

50

0

-18

-15

17

21

-5

-9

113

-60

-64

-13

-16

-23

29

-21

-28

3

-14

4848

410

-257

-142

-169

-138

28

-35

-15

-26-26

-25

-24

-46

-55

-46

32

-10

-22

-20

-12

-400

-300

-200

-100

0

100

200

300

400

500

Jan-08 Jul-08 Jan-09 Jul-09 Jan-10 Jul-10 Jan-11 Jul-11

Employment in government

Over-the-month change, January 2008–December 2011

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 06, 2012.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

-4.1

-9.4

-2.9

3.2

-0.8

2.6

-15 -10 -5 0 5

Local government, excluding education

Local government education

State government, excluding education

State government education

U.S. Postal Service

Federal, except U.S. Postal Service

Employment in selected government

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, January 06, 2012.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, December 2011

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Government:

-12