Bureau of Labor Statistics

Bureau of Labor Statistics

May 6, 2005

Current Employment Statistics

Highlights

April 2005
2

All employees on nonfarm payrolls

1990-2005

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-05

100,000

110,000

120,000

130,000

140,000

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, May 6, 2005.

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

April 2005

Level: 133,293

Change: +274

• Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 274,000 in April 2005, following a gain of 

146,000 in March. Since the most recent employment low in May 2003, almost 

3.5 million jobs have been added to payrolls, and national employment is now 

747,000 above its previous peak.
3

Average weekly hours, total private

1990-2005

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

35.0

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

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

35.0

Seasonally adjusted

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, May 6, 2005.

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

April 2005

Level: 33.9

Change: +0.2

• Average weekly hours of production or nonsupervisory workers on private 

nonfarm payrolls increased by 0.2 hour to 33.9, seasonally adjusted, matching the 

prior peak level in September 2002.

• Average hourly earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers on private 

nonfarm payrolls rose by 5 cents in April to $16.00, seasonally adjusted. Average 

weekly earnings increased by 0.9 percent over the month to $542.40.
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 Statistics Survey, May 6, 2005.

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

April 2005

Level: 102.8

Change: +0.9

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

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

private nonfarm payrolls increased by 0.9 percent to 102.8 (2002=100) in April, 

its highest level since March 2001. Since its most recent trough in May 2003, the 

index has increased by nearly 4.7 percent, although it still has not fully recovered 

to its prior peak level.

• Factoring in the 5 cent increase in average hourly earnings, the index of aggregate 

weekly payrolls of production or nonsupervisory workers grew by 1.2 percent to 

110.1 (2002=100). This is the largest one-month percent change in this series 

since February 1997.
5

Employment in total nonfarm and supersectors

Over-the-month change, April 2005

4

47

-6

5

24

12

-2

12

17

36

35

58

14

18

-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

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, May 6, 2005.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Total nonfarm: 

+274

• In April, employment growth was widespread, with the largest gains occurring in 

leisure and hospitality, construction, professional and business services, and 

education and health services. No significant losses occurred in any sector.

• Among the goods-producing industries, construction employment rose by 47,000, 

and mining added 8,000 jobs. Manufacturing employment was essentially 

unchanged both in April and over the year. 
6

Employment in mining

1990-2005

450

500

550

600

650

700

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

450

500

550

600

650

700

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, May 6, 2005.

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

April 2005

Level: 558.2

Change: +8.1

• Mining payrolls increased by 8,000 jobs in April, continuing this industry’s trend 

of accelerating growth. Since the most recent trough in April 2003, employment 

has risen by about 59,000, surpassing the prior peak level.

• Mining, except oil and gas accounted for 2,400 of the job gain. The majority of 

this job gain came within nonmetallic mineral mining and quarrying.

• Support activities for mining increased by 5,200 jobs. This industry includes 

companies that work on a contract or fee basis for mine or oil and gas field 

owners. A sustained period of high oil prices coupled with increased U.S. and 

world-wide demand for commodities has likely helped to fuel employment 

growth within these industries.
7

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, May 6, 2005.

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

April 2005

Level: 7,209

Change: +47

• Construction employment increased by 47,000 in April, well above the industry’s 

average monthly gain of 22,000 jobs for the prior 12-month period. Since March 

2003, when employment reached a trough, 551,000 workers have been added to 

construction payrolls—an increase of 8.3 percent. 

• Gains within construction occurred largely within specialty trade contractors, 

which added 40,000 jobs in April. Since its most recent low point in May 2002, 

this industry has added over 400,000 jobs. 
8

-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

-7 -6

-180

-140

-100

-60

-20

20

60

100

Jan-03Feb-03

Mar-03Apr-03

May-03

Jun-03

Jul-03

Aug-03

Sep-03

Oct-03

Nov-03Dec-03

Jan-04Feb-04

Mar-04Apr-04

May-04

Jun-04

Jul-04

Aug-04

Sep-04

Oct-04

Nov-04Dec-04

Jan-05Feb-05

Mar-05Apr-05

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, May 6, 2005.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Employment in manufacturing

Over-the-month change, 2003-05

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Average weekly hours, manufacturing

1990-2005

39.0

39.5

40.0

40.5

41.0

41.5

42.0

42.5

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

39.0

39.5

40.0

40.5

41.0

41.5

42.0

42.5

Seasonally adjusted

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, May 6, 2005.

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

April 2005

Level: 40.5

Change: +0.1

• Manufacturing employment was little changed in April and over the year. 

Significant losses in furniture and related product manufacturing, and paper 

manufacturing were mostly offset by small movements within other 

manufacturing industries.

• The manufacturing workweek edged up by one-tenth of an hour over the month, 

although it is still one-half hour below the prior peak level in May 2004. Factory 

overtime held at 4.5 hours for the month. 
9

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, May 6, 2005.

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

April 2005

Level: 3,147

Change: +12

• The information industry experienced relatively strong employment growth in 

April, adding 12,000 jobs, well above the prior flat trend. So far in 2005, 

information has added 20,000 jobs to payrolls, a significant gain when compared 

to the sector’s long-term trend of job loss.

• Job gains occurred within motion picture and sound recording industries, and 

telecommunications. The addition of 6,700 jobs in telecommunications is in 

contrast to the prior 12-month average loss of 1,900 jobs. Even though the wired 

telecommunications industry has accounted for more job losses than any other 

industry in the information sector in the past 4 years, it has recently stabilized. In 

contrast, cable and other program distribution and telecommunications resellers 

employment has accelerated.
10

Employment in health care 

Over-the-month change, April 2005

14.2

9.0

0.9

-0.6

9.7

1.1

-2 1 4 7 10 13 16

Offices of physicians

Outpatient care centers

Home health care

services

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, May 6, 2005.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Health care:

+25.0

Ambulatory health 

care services

Hospitals

Nursing and residential 

care facilities

• Health care employment increased by 25,000 in April, slightly above trend when 

compared to the prior year. Over the year, employment is up 240,000.

• The job gain within health care was concentrated in hospitals (10,000) and 

doctors’ offices (9,000). 
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

24

58

-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

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, May 6, 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 added 58,000 jobs in April, a gain considerably above its 

prior 12-month average of about 22,000 jobs. This industry has added 823,000 

jobs since reaching a trough in June 2002, and food services accounted for over 

80 percent of that gain.

• Job growth was concentrated in food services and drinking places in April with 

the addition of 35,000 jobs to payrolls.